Issue 26: The Rippling Effects of Oppenheimer
A look into Nolan’s newest film and the rippling effects of the only atomic bombs to ever touch earth
Hi Friends!
Weeeeee’re baaack!
Last month, Christopher Nolan’s film Oppenheimer premiered in theaters on July 21st. Since the release of the biopic, the reviews on the year’s most anticipated film flooded every media outlet from major news stations, social and streaming platforms, and maybe even found its way into your inbox (this was an interesting one from Morning Brew).
For us, we took the film’s coincidental release on Guam’s Liberation Day as a reminder of the rippling effects a devastating war can have 78 years later, a war that was at the cost of all parties involved. And because of it, we are reminded to learn continuously.
The film's release provided an opportunity for reflection and contemplation. As curious beings, we felt called to follow the ripples. We wanted to learn more about this significant historical event that changed the course of history.
Curious to see what we uncovered? Continue reading below.
First, an Honest Movie Reviewer’s Look at Oppenheimer
Who was Oppenheimer?
Julius Robert Oppenheimer, a prominent theoretical physicist and director of the Institute for Advance Study at Princeton, was famously known for his role in the Manhattan Project, a top-secret program to create the world’s first atomic bombs during World War II. Though Oppenheimer successfully led the joint effort of other scientists in Los Alamos, he was later accused of associating with communists. He was later found not guilty of treason but was stripped of his access to military secrets.
Now for the Review (Note: This review is a look into the cinematography work of director and writer Christopher Nolan)
Oppenheimer, directed and written by award-winning Christopher Nolan, was deemed the most anticipated movie to hit theaters this year. It is no surprise that Oppenheimer became Nolan’s next box-office-hit as the creative genius has a track record of producing, writing, and directing Academy Award-winning titles, including The Dark Knight (2008), Inception (2010), and Interstellar (2014). His name is often the headliner over his (mostly) one-word-titled films.
The Moral Dilemma: The three-hour film explores the sensitive events surrounding WWII and the scientific race between countries to create nuclear weapons. However, what stood out was the film’s focus on profound mortal themes, such as the question of who should take responsibility for the bombing that killed thousands of people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Should the burden lie with the attacker or with the creator?
Cinematic Delivery: The film’s stunning visuals and booming sound effects only added to the delivery of the amazing performances from its A-list cast. Be prepared for what Nolan does best – heavy dialog in the scientific and political arenas and the convergence of multiple timelines. Don’t feel bad if you get lost. If you do, you can reference this article to explain the events chronologically.
What to Expect: The film portrays Oppenheimer’s perspective primarily based on the book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. Because of this, it is not your typical action-packed film and does not include any scenes that depict the Hiroshima or Nagasaki bombings.
While we don’t want to give the movie away, we will share a quote from the film’s opening. A powerful yet subtle introduction to the haunting internal struggles Oppenheimer faced in creating the atomic bombs that killed thousands of innocent people. We highly recommend that you see the film for yourself in theaters.
"Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to man. For this he was chained to a rock and tortured for eternity."
Most of the cast of Oppenheimer did not know what roles they were playing.
Oppenheimer is Nolan’s first R-rated film in over 20 years and is officially his 6th highest-grossing film.
Oppenheimer was actor Cillian Murphy’s first lead role, where he played J. Robert Oppenheimer.
When recreating the Trinity nuclear test, Nolan swore off CGI and used real explosives to blow up a miniature town.
Asia-Pacific World War II UNESCO Heritage Sites:
Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome); On August 6th, 1945, at 8:15 am, the U.S. detonated the world’s first deployed atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima. The dome was the only structure to stay standing.
Bikini Atoll Nuclear Test Site in the Marshall Islands; 67 nuclear tests were carried out from 1946 to 1958, including the explosion of the first H-bomb (1952). The distance from Bikini Atoll to Guam is only 2,242km (1,493mi) 🤯
In the PBS documentary Big Pacific, Stanford biology professor Stephen Palumbi spent a 10-day research trip in the Bikini Atoll. He says that the “tests are the most violent thing we’ve ever done to the ocean.
📖 Read: Hiroshima by John Hershey
“A hundred thousand people were killed by the atomic bomb, and these six were among the survivors. They still wonder why they lived when so many others died.” -John Hershey
John Hershey’s 1946 publication of Hiroshima recounts the traumatizing stories of six survivors and the unique stoicism the victims displayed. Hershey’s book is a powerful lesson about humanity and the compassion built around the devastating aftermath of the bombing.
Other Book Recs related to the World War II experience
Marquita – Revisited by Chris Perez Howard. Author Chris Perez Howard chronicles his mother's vibrant life before the War, her enduring strength during the Japanese occupation of the island, and her tragic death at the end of it.
Tinian and the Bomb: Project Alberta and Operation Centerboard by Don Farrell. Tinian and the Bomb chronicles the important and often overlooked role Tinian in the Mariana Islands played in the atomic bombing of Japan at the end of World War II. As part of the Manhattan Project, Project Alberta and Operation Centerboard, Tinian was integral in the plan to drop atomic bombs on Japan.
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. American Prometheus is the first full-scale biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, "father of the atomic bomb," the brilliant, charismatic physicist who led the effort to capture the awesome fire of the sun for his country in time of war. Immediately after Hiroshima, he became the most famous scientist of his generation-one of the iconic figures of the twentieth century, the embodiment of modern man confronting the consequences of scientific progress.
Other online reading recs:
The Real History Behind Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ by Smithsonian Magazine
The man who saved Kyoto from the atomic bomb by the BBC
Post-War Innovations You May Not Have Known About
Did you know that SPAM was first introduced to Guam after World War II by the Americans? Various canned foods such as SPAM and corned beef served as emergency food sources, which our community heavily relied on for sustenance.
Our favorite budget staple was created by 48-year-old Momofuku Ando in 1958. He spent an entire year researching and developing a flash-frying method to help solve Japan's remedial post-war food shortage.
Did you know that boxed macaroni and cheese was one of the delicious outcomes of figuring out a way to preserve cheese? In 1937, Kraft invented boxed macaroni and cheese, which sold for 19 cents and contained four servings.
🎂 Birthday Wishes
We WW gals just celebrated our back-to-back birthdays! 🥳! We’d love to end this issue by spotlighting Bake Their Day, a non-profit organization celebrating birthdays by baking cakes for children and young adults living in shelters, foster homes, and group homes in Guam.
For our birthday wish, we’d like to ask for your help supporting their mission of “making smiles one cake at a time.” 🎂 Check out their webite and their IG to learn more about them and how you can donate.
Their organization comprises a collective of home bakers who dedicate their love and time to baking cakes, and they recently announced that they’ve already baked 200 cakes since they were established last year 🙌 Let’s help keep them going!
Thank you for the support for Bake Their Day!