It is 6th August 1945, and you are in your room. Your television set is on, and you are listening to the news. Suddenly, you get to know that America has dropped one bomb on Hiroshima that has destroyed the entire place. How would you feel? At first, you may not feel anything, but later on, when the news will start to sink in, you will begin to feel the sheer helplessness and despair. That is the exact feeling that the scientists were feeling after witnessing the destruction that the first bomb led to.
The entire journey of how the atomic bomb was created for the first time has been made into a film that has been released recently. On 21st July, the world-famous director, known for his mind-boggling movies, Christopher Nolan’s film Oppenheimer got released. The film shocked the audience because Nolan’s vision has been manifested in Oppenheimer. Critics have judged the film and have come to the conclusion that it is accurate and extraordinary.
Oppenheimer talks about the entire journey of how Robert J. Oppenheimer became the “Father Of The Atom Bomb”. Yes, the film revolves around the Manhattan Project and the Trinity Test. The effort that went behind the creation of the first atomic bomb has been shown in the film. If you are a Physics enthusiast, we are sure that you are going to like the film. This article is for those who have already watched the film and have loved it immensely.
Today, we have organised a list of movies that you can watch if you have loved Oppenheimer. As you go on reading, you will come across several films that have been hidden all this time but are gaining the attention of the audience now. Here are 10 movies that are like Oppenheimer:
1. Fat Man And Little Boy
As the name of the film suggests, it is about the two atom bombs that were developed for the first time in history while the Manhattan Project was carried out. This 1989 film is an old one, but like Oppenheimer, this one is going to take you on the journey that led to the creation of these bombs. The characters of Leslie Groves and Robert J. Oppenheimer have been played impeccably by Paul Newman and Dwight Schultz respectively.
This film was directed by Roland Joffe. It is one of the first films that comes to mind when we are thinking about films like Oppenheimer. How the atomic bomb was created for the first time has been shown in the film in detail. Although this film is from a time when the film industry was not technologically advanced like today, it showcases the entire scenario pretty well.
2. The Beginning Or The End
This film was released in 1947. If you remember your history correctly, you will know for sure that the atomic bombs were dropped for the first time in 1945. Hence, the incident was quite fresh, and the director Norman Taurog decided to make a film on the entire scenario. While the wounds of the Second World War were still fresh, this film acted as a tool to let people know about how America was responsible for the destruction of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In this film, Oppenheimer was played by Hume Cronyn.
The name of the film is tricky because it suggests both the end and the beginning of human civilisation caused due to destruction. Hence, in our opinion, it is the perfect name that somebody can give to a film of such a context.
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3. Hiroshima
If you remember correctly, Hiroshima is the first that was attacked by the first atomic bomb ever created. The city was destroyed and the whole population was massacred in the bombing. You do not have to imagine what became of the city after the bombing because of all that was shown in the 1953 film Hiroshima. Made within 8 years after the bombing of the city, all the tragic events that followed have been captured in this masterpiece. The story of the film revolves around a little boy who lost his entire family in the bombing. How is he going to survive in the “dead” land? To know the answer, you will have to watch the film.
4. Dr Strangelove
You have probably heard about the Cold War that went on between the USA and the USSR. This film directed by worldwide famous director Stanley Kubrick revolves around the story of the Cold War. The film shows how the officials stop the Americans from launching a nuclear weapon upon the Soviets. It is a deadly work, but it has to be done otherwise the world can be on the verge of its own destruction. The film portrays the horrors of a nuclear war. It is interesting to witness how the people in charge try their best to stall the attack. This is a highly political film that is based on the politics of that period. Although political, the film has a brilliant direction, and you are bound to love it.
5. Radioactive
Chemistry teaches us that there are certain elements that are radioactive form the main elements that go into the making of nuclear weapons. Radioactive is a 2019 film that has been inspired by the life of Marie Curie. The woman who won a Nobel Prize for discovering the element uranium. Without the discovery of radioactive material, the making of nuclear weapons like the atomic bomb would have been impossible. Hence, in order to pay tribute to the woman who was behind this discovery, the film was released in 2019. It was directed by Marjane Satrapi.
6. The Theory Of Everything
Like the film Oppenheimer is based on the famous physicist Robert J. Oppenheimer, The Theory Of Everything is about the renowned physicist Stephen Hawking. It shows us the contributions of the genius. The film revolves around his life and his exceptional contributions to the world of Physics. He developed many theories that are still used today and will be continued to be used in the future as well. Although physically challenged, he proved to the world that a man can be anything if they want to be so.
7. Hidden Figures
Throughout history, we have learned that only men were involved in matters revolving around space. Have we ever heard about women who were involved in such studies? Probably not because women always faced discrimination in these cases. The film Hidden Figures is indeed about three hidden figures who were the crucial minds behind the early workings of NASA. These hidden figures were three women who were mathematicians working for the sending astronaut John Glenn to space. It can be stated that without them the mission could not have been achieved. If you are willing to know about women’s contribution in this field, this film is a must-watch.
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8. The Day After Trinity
Directed by Jon H. Else, this film was released in 1981. The name of the film brings us to the Trinity Test that was conducted under the Manhattan Project. The test was conducted to assume the success rate of the first ever atom bomb that was created under the supervision of Robert J. Oppenheimer. This is another film that is going to give you information regarding the Manhattan Project and the Trinity Test. The test was named so because Oppenheimer himself was inspired by the English Metaphysical poet John Donne.
9. The Current War
The Current War is indeed about the current, that is, the electricity. Like nuclear weapon was a crucial discovery, none of it could have been possible without electricity. The war between the AC and the DC current operators Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse has been shown in the film. The great inventors are rivals, and it is interesting to see them trying to prove each other’s supremacy over the other. Hence, if you have watched Oppenheimer, this is another film that you can watch. It is going to keep you on the edge for sure.
10. Dark Matter
After the destruction caused by the atomic bombs, Oppenheimer called himself the destructor and the death of the world. Although scientists cannot be blamed, sometimes they are indeed the creators and the destroyers of this world. In this film, we follow a bunch of scientists trying to discover something. However, their search goes in the wrong direction leading to the discovery of various “dark matter” that have the potential of ending this world. Therefore, the film has been named so.
These are the best 10 films that we could find so far for you. Some of these films are pretty old and some of them are new. Nevertheless, each film is going to intrigue you and is going to keep you on the edge. All of these films are based on true events and stories except the 10th one. Therefore, if you watch them, we assure you that you are going to learn a lot about the history of inventions in the field of science.
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