From his earliest works, such as Following and Memento, Christopher Nolan has been captivated by subjective perspectives, which have become a fundamental element of his filmmaking approach. In his upcoming project, Oppenheimer, this fascination continues as the film seamlessly shifts between two distinct viewpoints.
The physicist’s experiences are depicted in vivid color, while the recollections of the disgraced U.S. Atomic Energy Commission chairman, Lewis Strauss (portrayed by Robert Downey Jr.), unfold in evocative black-and-white sequences, intricately interwoven throughout the narrative. Nolan emphasizes that Oppenheimer is not a documentary; instead, it represents his interpretation of events, demonstrating his expertise in narrative dramatic filmmaking.
Christopher Nolan Took Help From Nobel Prize-winning Physicist
Regarding the portrayal of the Trinity Test and the scientific deliberations preceding it, Nolan secured the assistance of Kip Thorne, the Nobel Prize-winning advisor who previously collaborated on Interstellar. Thorne, who participated in the discussions on Saturday, praised Christopher Nolan’s exceptional work, stating that he consistently excels in capturing scientific concepts with accuracy.
Remarkably, Thorne remarked that among all the individuals he has collaborated with in Hollywood, Nolan possesses a profound understanding of science, acquired through extensive online research, second only to Anne Hathaway, who shares a similar passion for scientific knowledge.
“I think he did superbly well as he always does,” Thorne said. “Among all the people I’ve worked with in Hollywood he understands more science having learned it from researching online than anyone else, except Anne Hathaway.”
In a remarkable departure from his previous approach, Nolan chose to recreate the nuclear detonation scene on location without relying on CGI. This decision stands in stark contrast to the way he depicted a similar explosion during the climax of The Dark Knight Rises in 2012.
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Christopher Nolan Sheds Light On The Trinity Scenes
The Trinity scene serves as a turning point for Oppenheimer, marking the onset of his realization that he has contributed to the creation of a device capable of obliterating the world. This perspective infuses the movie with a sense of urgent polemic, strategically aimed at influencing modern discussions concerning the development and possession of nuclear weaponry across the globe.
“Nuclear armaments are an extremely dangerous thing to have lying around the house,” Nolan said. “Coming out of making this film, and as it starts getting out to the world, I realized that our relationship to the role of nuclear weapons ebbs and flows due to the political situation, and it shouldn’t, because the threat is constant. … Some of the closest moments of nuclear disaster have actually been in times of relative calm.”
Oppenheimer will be released in theaters on July 21, 2023. It will later be available for streaming on OTT platforms.
Source: Indiewire
