Revisit Christopher Nolan's Debut Following, Now On Demand

If you haven't seen Christopher Nolan's debut feature Following, then you should -- and odds are good you don't need to leave your house. (Or wait for the mailman.) IFC Films today issued word announcing the 1998 suspense thriller's availability on demand, along with a new trailer for the film online. The latter is after the jump.

On the one hand, scoff all you want at the opportunism. On the other, there's something fascinating about Nolan's first movie, which debuted at Slamdance in 1998 -- particularly insofar as it informs pretty much every film he's made since. His talent for atmosphere far exceeds his touch with actors, while the tale of a struggling writer who follows strangers only to get caught by thief named Cobb (!) has some obvious influences itself. But it's pretty intriguing stuff conceptually and creatively, shot on 16mm black-and-white during weekends over the course of a full year. It's always fun to trace a filmmaker's arc (well, some filmmakers), and imagining Nolan going from this gritty noir to the blockbuster spectacle of Inception almost makes you wonder how his lighter, leaner approach vanished while the core ideas remained. Or if, less generously, Nolan isn't just borrowing from himself. Either way, it's permitted, you know.

Anyway, a trailer! And more more viewing info at IFC.