Christopher Nolan recounts how audiences reacted to the Trinity Test scene in Oppenheimer. Often referred to as Nolan’s masterwork, Oppenheimer received rave reviews from critics. The film is now up for a number of Golden Globes and is likely to receive Oscar nominations as well.
In an interview with Empire, Nolan explains how audiences reacted to the Trinity test scene in Oppenheimer. The director described being part of an audience during opening weekend where “every seat was filled.” Despite the theater being “packed,” during the Trinity Test scene, “you could hear a pin drop.” Check out the full quote from Nolan below:
Emma [Thomas, Nolan’s producer and wife] and I went into the back of Lincoln Square, which has a giant IMAX screen where you can still play 70mm film. And there were two screens – one five-perf 70mm, one 15-perf – and we went from one to the other. When we walked into the back of the IMAX screen, it was just as the Trinity Test was coming to its conclusion. It was absolutely packed; every seat was filled. To be in the back of that theatre in that moment of silence, before the sound washes over the audience… you could hear a pin drop. It was a really remarkable experience. Quite overwhelming, really.
The Trinity Test Scene Reflects Oppenheimer’s Unique Use of Sound
The scene in question takes place when Oppenheimer and his team are first testing the atomic bomb at Trinity. As they cue the switch to detonate the bomb, the audience is met not with a cacophony but a moment of slow-motion silence as Oppenheimer gazes at his creation. The resounding sound is revealed shortly thereafter. The Trinity Test sequence is an example of one of Oppenheimer’s boldest sound choices across its runtime, as it immerses audiences in the characters’ experience rather than the literal sound.
Nolan repeats this effect — of suddenly cutting off the diegetic sound in favor of silence — later on in the film. After the bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Oppenheimer delivers a press conference to talk about his work. The crowd claps and cheers for Oppenheimer, and that sound is played until, suddenly, Nolan cuts it as Oppenheimer clutches his forehead and then gazes upon visions of people dying from bombs. As with the Trinity Test, this sound editing allows audiences to be more aligned with Oppenheimer’s inner psyche than the literal sound that would be occurring.
Oppenheimer Cast & Character Guide: Every Actor In Chris Nolan’s Epic Historic Thriller
Christopher Nolan’s next movie Oppenheimer boasts an extensive and talented cast, including a few familiar faces from Nolan’s previous movies too.
Oppenheimer’s sound mixing works so well because it brings the film closer to its themes. As much as the movie in a literal sense is about the making of bombs, by Oppenheimer’s ending, it’s clear that the film is also about the enchantment of physics and discovery, as well as the trauma in the aftermath of an ethically corrupt action. In the Trinity Test, Oppenheimer is as delighted by his creation as he is horrified by it later on. Nolan and his team brilliantly navigate these themes through the use of sound, helping to elevate Oppenheimer to the quality of film it is.
Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer is a film by Christopher Nolan, which follows the theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man behind the atomic bomb. Cillian Murphy will play the titular role, with the story based on the book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.
- Release Date
- July 21, 2023
- Director
- Christopher Nolan
- Cast
- Cillian Murphy , Emily Blunt , Matt Damon , Robert Downey Jr. , Rami Malek , Florence Pugh
- Rating
- R
- Runtime
- 150 Minutes
- Genres
- Drama , History , Biography
- Writers
- Christopher Nolan
- Budget
- $100 Million
- Studio(s)
- Syncopy Inc. , Atlas Entertainment
- Distributor(s)
- Universal Pictures
