Directed by Christopher Nolan, featuring cinematography by AFI Alum Wally Pfister (AFI Class of 1988) and starring AFI Life Achievement Award honoree Morgan Freeman opposite a stellar cast led by Christian Bale and a transformative performance from Heath Ledger, THE DARK KNIGHT (2008) was recognized in the year of its release with an AFI AWARD in 2008, naming it among the most outstanding motion pictures of year. According to the official rationale, “THE DARK KNIGHT leapt from the screen and into the zeitgeist of a nation desperate for a savior, but wary of the consequences of rushing to action. At once brave and bravura, this epic studio presentation succeeds as blockbuster entertainment and true artistic expression from Christopher Nolan, who devised the story with David S. Goyer and co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan. Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine and Maggie Gyllenhaal lead a stellar cast marked forever in time by Heath Ledger’s re-imagining of ‘The Joker.’ THE DARK KNIGHT is a movie that leaves your heart and mind racing as it redefines heroism for a new generation.”
Visit the AFI Catalog to learn more about THE DARK KNIGHT.
