Christopher Nolan recently made headlines in gold, following the release of his summer blockbuster Oppenheimer. In order to mesmerize his audiences, this time the director did whatever it took to make the best version of his film. Thus, getting back on track with a stellar cast and budgeted filmmaking, Nolan stole the show, like always.
However, it’s important to know specific details about Oppenheimer, like the practical effects, shooting in both color and black and white 70mm IMAX, as well as the developmental process. But there’s one big sacrifice on Christopher Nolan’s end, and a major concession on the actors’ end, that gave the Los Alamos scene the proper big screen treatment.
What Went Behind The Dramatic Los Alamos Scene?
Just as dramatic as Christopher Nolan’s movies appear on screen, we can promise the behind-the-scenes are equally dramatic as well. Speaking about Nolan’s movies, here’s his latest iteration, Oppenheimer featuring Cillian Murphy, that has made millions at the box office. And guess what went on behind the spectacular scene in the atomic blockbuster?
While Nolan went above and beyond to deliver perfection, with his phenomenal cast and practical effects, there’s also a big sacrifice made by the director for one particular scene. Appearing for an interview at the Team Deakins podcast, production designer Ruth De Jong opened up about working with Christopher Nolan and reflected upon the dramatic Los Alamos scene.
Speaking about the diligent perfectionist and his plans for creating the epic scene, Ruth De Jong mentioned how the director cut the film’s shooting schedule down from 85 days to 57 days. In an attempt to give the team enough time and budget to build the massive set piece for the film, Christopher Nolan took a major step, which expedited the shooting pace for the movie and probably affected the cast.
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Result Of Christopher Nolan’s And The Actors’ Sacrifice
The incredibly tense and drawn-out Los Alamos scene happens at the midpoint of the film when J. Robert Oppenheimer and his team try to test the newly built atomic bomb. Building tension throughout the sequence, the Oppenheimer production team developed a real explosive device to make the blast more realistic and immersive, instead of using CGI for the explosion.
Nolan’s old-school tactics for Oppenheimer thus cost him a fortune but ended up being one of the most memorable scenes in the film. Therefore, the sacrifice that the filmmaker made was certainly worth it, as the result was simply otherworldly. Not just the visuals of the explosion but even the sound design was awe-inspiring. And evidently, fans believe the phenomenal scene could never be recreated using CGI.
Considering the slow pace of Oppenheimer, which took time to narrate the story, made people realize that even 57 days was enough to execute Christopher Nolan’s intended vision. So what’s done is done. And despite the director’s big concession, which certainly affected the cast, the decision gave magical results that were globally appreciated by fans and critics.
Oppenheimer is currently running in theatres, worldwide.
Source: Team Deakins podcast
