What’s Going On?

As World War 2 rumbles on the American government recruits brilliant physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to build an atomic bomb, a weapon made possible by recent scientific theories. Nazi Germany is also working on this weapon and had a huge head-start over America. Oppenheimer brings together every resource America has to achieve the impossible against an ongoing backdrop of political turmoil, internal conflict and managing a team of brilliant but at times extremely difficult scientists.

In Front Of The Camera

The role of Oppenheimer is played by Cillian Murphy; an actor who has been giving consistently great performances for over 20 years, whether it’s as a charismatic gangster in 1920s Birmingham or a survivor of a zombie apocalypse. Murphy has worked with Nolan before in the Dark Knight series, Inception and Dunkirk. Matt Damon plays Leslie Groves, the military man tasked with getting Oppenheimer what he needs and ensuring this is done in the correct way. Emily Blunt plays Kitty Oppenheimer, wife of the title character, Blunt has played everyone from Mary Poppins to Mech-armour wearing war hero Rita to Fizzelpop Berrytwist. The cast is packed with great actors – Kenneth Branagh, Robert Downey Jr, Florence Pugh, Rami Malek…the list goes on and there is no way to talk about them all here.

Behind The Scenes

Christopher Nolan is one of the most successful directors working today, he has made what is considered by some the greatest superhero film ever made, The Dark Knight as well as brilliant lower-budget films like Memento or The Prestige. He is known for his exacting standards and work ethic, being one of the few directors who can make blockbuster films that aren’t simply formula-driven franchises. The film is based on the 2005 Pulitzer Prize-winning biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.

Does It Work?

Oppenheimer is a great film. The film is structured around two courtroom-esque scenes – Oppenheimer appealing the decision to revoke his security clearance and the Senate approval of Lewis Strauss as position as Commerce Secretary. These are courtroom-esque as neither are trials nor in courtrooms, as is repeatedly made clear. As Oppenheimer is questioned about his past and Strass defends his own actions on his involvement with Oppenheimer. The audience sees Oppenheimer’s life play out starting at university; he studies in Europe (the best place to study quantum mechanics) and then returns to America to teach it. Through the 30s and 40s, the political turmoil of the time is always in the background – the rise of fascism, communism on university campuses and more. Then the central aspect of the film is the Manhattan Project itself, recruiting scientists, getting the resources and building a whole town to house the team. Then there is the aftermath, both Oppenheimer dealing with what he has done, his fame, as an advisor on atomic weapons and the battles over his suitability to advise the government. The film does not have a linear narrative, jumping back and forth between different periods, sometimes seemingly being instigated by questions asked of Oppenheimer or Strauss.

It is shown many times that Oppenheimer is a theoretical physicist, his laboratory work is atrocious, he likes to think about these things, study the theories and data and come up with his own theories. When news reaches the university that German scientists have split the atom Oppenheimer starts working on the mathematics, while a colleague rushes to replicate the results with their equipment. After checking the maths Oppenheimer is reassured it cannot be done, moments later his colleague returns announcing he’s just done it. And this man is put in charge of a truly immense project to turn theory into a practical device that will work in the real world. As mentioned in the film, Einstein wrote a letter to President Roosevelt spelling out the potential of a weapon along the lines of an atomic bomb, and how something as abstract as E = mc2 can lead to such a weapon. A lot of the film is about the interplay of these theoretical concepts, whether it be quantum mechanics or socialism and how they hit the real world.

Murphy is perfectly cast as Oppenheimer and carries the film well, being able to convey the myriad complex motivations of science, politics, love, family, sex, war, and apocalypse that are running through his head at all times. Damon is perfectly fine as Graves, filling in a role seen many times over. Blunt seemingly has little to do with much of the film but has moments, especially in the final third of the film, of blistering strength and courage. There are many great performances, some very minor in terms of screentime, Tom Conti as Albert Einstein, Kenneth Branagh as Niels Bohr, one that is particularly interesting is that of Josh Peck as Kenneth Bainbridge, a physicist who is the person who actually presses the button in the first test of the atomic bomb.

One of the key parts of the film – perhaps the key part- is the moral question about the atomic bomb. Should America build it and then use it? When the question is who should be the first to have one – America or the Nazis – that is Oppenheimer and most of the scientists are comfortable thinking it should be America. But when things become less clear, when the enemy is less obvious, or when thoughts about what bomb comes next, disagreements arise. The whole cast does very well in displaying the competing narratives going on in their heads, especially Murphy, and it is infuriating when characters later in the film interrogate characters about what they were thinking.

Nolan spent a lot of time working on the explosion caused by the atomic bomb, Nolan is well-known for the extreme lengths he will go to for physical effects. Along with this Nolan’s use of sound has been commented on a lot and actually is perhaps more affecting in Oppenheimer than the visuals, a recurring stamping rumbling noise that troubles Oppenheimer, that seems to overwhelm him is incredibly effective.

Oppenheimer could be the film that gets Nolan his first Oscar and it would be well deserved. It is an epic film about an extraordinary life.

Rating: (4 / 5)

Also Read: The Anatomy of a Christopher Nolan Film

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Today we will look back over their career together to find out why they make such a great pairing. We will also look at their upcoming collaboration, this year’s Oppenheimer.

Murphy and Nolan Begins

Nolan and Murphy first worked together on Batman Begins. In the first movie of the celebrated Dark Knight trilogy, Murphy played Dr. Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow. The secondary antagonist creates a fear-inducing toxin to help Ra’s al Ghul destroy Gotham. Despite being dispatched rather easily he later returns with his fear drug dealing introducing Batman in The Dark Knight and later becoming a judge left to decide the fate of the rich and the police in The Dark Knight Rises.

Murphy also played Robert Fischer in the sci-fi thriller Inception. The C.E.O. whose mind Cobb and his team are sent to implant an idea inside of. Finally, in Dunkirk, he played the Shivering Soldier who delivered a dire warning to a civilian rescue boat heading to the title beach.

With these roles varying so much in prominence one wonders why Murphy keeps teaming up with Nolan? Well, the reason is simple, Murphy often gives his films the emotional or thematic resonance they need to work.

A Scene Stealer

In the Dark Knight trilogy, Murphy provided one of the first glimpses of the series’ key grounded reimaginings of Batman’s rogues’ gallery. For the film to wholly work, Murphy had to make the monstrous supervillain Scarecrow feel like a real person. But Murphy plays Crane with flawless believability. Outwardly a seemingly passive person who relishes the chance to exert power over others. The perfect counterpoint to Bruce Wayne’s journey and a perfect realistic realisation of the man who loves stoking fear in others.

Murphy also brings subtlety and pathos to Robert Fischer, whose insecurities regarding his relationship with his father provide the basis for Inception’s heist. Murphy’s changes in manner as Cobb and his team slowly work on Fischer’s subconscious is a masterclass in understatement. The ending of Cobb’s story would have been fine alone. However, Murphy’s performance in Fischer’s parallel narrative elevates the emotional impact of the story and the other actors’ work.

Finally, as the Shivering Soldier Murphy is tasked with personifying the horrors suffered in war. He’s there to show the civilian boat the hell they are going into. Murphy does this so successfully that when the civilians head to Dunkirk anyway it makes everything even more impactful.

This is why the pair work so well. Murphy is always able to provide thematically weighty performances that get audiences invested. While through his considered writing and direction Nolan is able to make Murphy’s talents shine.

“My best memories of working on Christopher Nolan films are never the large-scale stuff. It’s the very involved, intensely focused, extremely rigorous work, with Chris right there beside the camera.”

Cillian Murphy, NME

“I’ve always known since I first met him – however many years ago it is now, almost 20 years – that he is one of the great actors, not just of his generation, but of all time.”

Christopher Nolan on Cillian Murphy, Far Out Magazine

Leading Oppenheimer

This year Murphy will finally be leading a Nolan project as the titular J. Robert Oppenheimer, “father of the atomic bomb”. Nolan has certainly picked the perfect lead for Oppenheimer.

Amongst the all-star cast and sure-to-be spectacular effects sequences depicting the trinity bomb test, at its centre will be Murphy who has already demonstrated throughout Nolan’s work that he can lift the incredible work of the actors around him, ground an extraordinary character in reality and embody someone who knows the true face of horror. This coupled with the personal research Murphy has undertaken undoubtedly makes him the best actor to depict the person who helped create one of the most deadly devices in history and who famously quoted, “Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds”?

Also Read: The Anatomy of a Christopher Nolan Film

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And because Warner Bros recently said Batgirl won’t see the light of day despite being almost finished let’s have a look at some famous unreleased movies and the stories behind their shelving. For this list, we are highlighting finished movies that were never released to general audiences. Either theatrically or on home media. 

The Day The Clown Cried

The holy grail of unreleased movies. The Day The Clown Cried is about Helmut Doork, a clown sent to a Nazi concentration camp who uses his talents to entertain the children in the camp. Before ultimately leading them to their deaths. Making a film like this was incredibly bold, but with such sensitive subject matter, you would have to approach the story incredibly carefully. Ultimately through the action of both co-writer Joan O’Brien and director/star Jerry Lewis’ disgust at the project, the film was buried. Lewis apparently did donate the film’s print to the Library of Congress before his death. Under the condition that it couldn’t be shown until 2024. Whether good or bad it’s hard to not want to see the film for historical purposes. At its worst, it can serve as a valuable monument to how careful artists need to be when discussing the Holocaust. 

Cocksucker Blues

There are many great musical tour documentaries. However, the Rolling Stones took director Robert Frank to court to ensure this behind-the-scenes look at their American 1972 tour was kept from cinemas. This was done because the film, shot cinema verite style to capture life on the road, showed images that the band objected to and which were potentially incriminating (a lot of drug use). The film is available online but could only have a limited number of public screenings a year with Frank present. And since his death, the film’s status has been very unclear.

Fantastic Four

Marvel’s first family didn’t debut on film in 2005. A Fantastic Four film had already been made in 1994. This project served as a group origin story and showcased their struggles against The Jeweler and Doctor Doom. There are conflicting reasons for the movie being unreleased. Some say Constantin Film wanted to hold onto the Fantastic Four rights, so Roger Corman was hired to make a Fantastic Four movie quickly and cheaply before they expired with the film never intended for release. Others say Marvel executives wanted the film suppressed so it wouldn’t embarrass their brand. Whatever the reason, the film has unofficial uploads available online. Check it out so the cast and crew’s hard work was not in vain.

A Woman of the Sea

The oldest unreleased film on this list, A Woman of the Sea was a 1926 Josef Von Sternberg silent film produced by Charlie Chaplin. The story centred on a fisherman’s daughter who competes with her sister for love. Apparently, after Von Sternberg held a screening without Chaplin’s permission and initial impressions were negative Chaplin shelved the film, until 1933. When he burned the film’s negative for tax purposes. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely another copy of the film existed. Meaning the finished film is lost.

Hippie Hippie Shake

Finally, our list’s most recent movie. Hippie Hippie Shake depicts the life of Richard Neville (Cillian Murphy) and his partner Louise Ferrier (Sienna Miller) as they set up Oz magazine’s UK division in the 1960s. As well as the problems they encountered when the magazine was taken to court on obscenity charges. The film’s production originally began in 1998. Filming eventually took place in 2007. And despite a rough post-production test screenings of the film were positive. However, the production company, Working Title, stopped its release for financial reasons. It seems a shame for the film to not be seen after all that effort. That said, with over a decade of silence the release of Hippie Hippie Shake seems unlikely.

Would you like to see any of these movies come out in the future or are there any other movies languishing in a studio vault we should have highlighted?

Also Read: Horrors On Horror Sets

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Don’t break the silence

For those who haven’t seen the first movie or those who forgot what it was about, co-writer/director Krasinski gives you a recap. Day one was the day during which everything changed. A normal day in a small town turned into a nightmare when alien creatures attacked the inhabitants, including Lee Abbott (John Krasinski) his family. They killed anything that made a noise, and being quiet was the best way of surviving. Four hundred and seventy-four days later, we see the aftermath of that day. Lee is dead, and his widow Evelyn (Emily Blunt) left their home with their three children Marcus (Noah Jupe), Regan (Millicent Simmonds), and a newborn baby. They’re running for the hills where they will be safe from the aliens.

During their journey, being quiet is of vital importance, but that’s easier said than done. They come across an old friend Emmett (Cillian Murphy), who at first refuses to help; there aren’t enough resources, more people make more noise and “there are people not worth saving”. Evelyn can convince him, and from then onwards, Krasinski gives you multiple storylines evolving simultaneously. All with their heroic lead and darkness luring over them. Regan cracked a radio signal that would help the next generations to survive, and together with Emmett, she tries to find where the radio signal comes from. Evelyn is left to look after Marcus and her baby, but when resources become scarce, it seems that their days are numbers, especially with a crying baby. Will Regan and Emmett find the radio signal to save the family, or will the creatures tear apart the Abbott family once more?

We received amazingness of the cast and crew loud and clear

A Quiet Place was mainly about a man sacrificing himself to save his loved one; this movie is about surviving by helping each other. During the first movie, you had to wait to get a glimpse of the aliens, but now you see them straight away. The ‘how do the monsters look like?’ question is replaced by ‘will this character make noise?’. Yes, there are few shifts from A Quiet Place to Part II, but luckily for us, Krasinski created a clever, intriguing, and dark movie again.

As mentioned, multiple storylines are happening at the same time, and to give you that suspenseful vibe, editor Michael P. Shawver (Black Panther, Creed) uses fast-paced editing to go back and forth in between those subplots. The closer they get to unravelling, the faster the editing becomes, and when some of them come to an end at the same time, it all goes to pitch black, and for few seconds, you wonder who survived and who didn’t.

Of course, brilliant editing like that wouldn’t have the same effect if it wasn’t for the great combination of stunning cinematography and top-notch acting performances. The long, slow and wide shots from cinematographer Polly Morgan (Lucy in the Sky, Spinning Man) give you the chance to immerse yourself into the world of the Abbott family. Whether it’s brighter scenes before the world came to an end or the darkest ones, when death and darkness are present, Morgan knows how to capture the spirit of each moment. Even more so when she uses close-ups to highlight human feelings. There are also subtle references to the previous movie. Remember when she goes down the stairs, and a nail sticks out of one of the steps? Well, it might or might not happen again this time.

The performances are as solid as the ones in the first movie. Blunt (Edge of Tomorrow, The Girl on the Train) excels on multiple fronts. Not only as the caring mother but also as the unafraid woman who would do anything for her family. That scene, in which her and her on-screen son Marcus storyline comes to an end, is just perfectly balanced. You will get both big emotions and action. It’s just a shame that she doesn’t have a lot of screentime as sometimes it feels like the A Quiet Place newcomer Cillian Murphy (Free Fire, Inception) is taking on the role Krasinski had during the first movie. However, there’s nothing wrong with Murphy’s electrifying and touching performance; we see his rough-tough character come to life stunningly, especially because he even shows the hidden sensitive side of Emmett.

While Blunt and Murphy might have the most credits under their belts, A Quiet Place Part II is Simmonds’ and Jupe’s movie. They might have a sweet and innocent vibe around them, but they definitely show you that they bring exhilarating and poignant performances to the big screen. It’s also great to see that Krasinski allows them to shine in their storylines. Simmonds (Wonderstruck, Close Up) brings out captivating acting during Regan’s dangerous search for help while Jupe (Le Mans ’66, Wonder) delivers a tremendous performance when protecting his A Quiet Place family.

Cinema is back!

The cinematic world is finally opening up again, which is fantastic! Ok, the world of A Quiet Place Part II might be a dark one to discover. However, if you dare to step into that world, then you won’t regret it because Krasinski delivers again a dark, thrilling, suspenseful and emotional movie that will keep you on your toes the entire time. It’s also a great starting point for a potential Part III…

Rating: (4 / 5)

Also Read: A Horror Fans Film Guide to 2021

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I was a little late to the Peaky Blinders party, only getting around to watching the show in 2018. (I might have binge-watched the first three series on Netflix and then had to order series 4 on DVD because I couldn’t possibly wait!) From its sharp script to Tommy Shelby’s sharper cheekbones; I was hooked from the start.

Peaky Blinders boasts a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has also received several accolades including the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series and a National Television Award for Most Popular Drama. The show has amassed a cult following since its BBC2 debut in September 2013, with it now being the inspiration for tours, bars and themed live-action events. (Cardiff’s Depot is set to host its second ‘By Order of…’ event after last year’s roaring success.) It even has its own gin!

For those of you who haven’t watched Peaky Blinders, it follows the notorious Shelby family who have the run of post-WW1 Birmingham. They are engaged in countless criminal plots which provide a great deal of the action in the series. However, the show also looks at the impact the war had on industrial cities such as Birmingham and the men who were left to deal with the emotional and physical trauma it caused. Depravity, hedonism and morality become blurred amongst the rising political tensions of 1920s working-class Britain.

The rumour mill has been busy for a while, with whisperings of a film in the pipeline, but the show’s creator, Steven Knight, seems to have confirmed this to be the case.

“We’re getting approached to do all kinds of things- the ballet, the musical…and the movie would be great.”

Cillian Murphy, who plays Tommy Shelby, has also confirmed he would want to be involved if “the writing was as good as the show.”

Knight has said that he wants to make seven series in total and end “with the first air raid siren in Birmingham”, 25th June 1940. Potentially, a big screen version of the show would happen before the end of the series itself. So what would the film version need to live up to the small screen powerhouse that is Peaky Blinders?

Awe-inspiring Aesthetics

The cinematography in this show is absolutely breathtaking. Within the grim context of post-war Birmingham, where crime was rife and prostitution was often a necessity rather than a choice, particular shots can powerfully contrast this misery or emphasise it. It’s little wonder that the show, specifically George Steel, won the British Academy Television Craft Award for Photography and Lighting in 2014.

Fire, smoke and shadows are utilised to perfection in this show, encapsulating the internal struggle of the characters it follows. It’s a Media Teacher’s dream!

Multi-faceted Characters

The Shelby Boys are a notorious criminal gang who threaten, maim and kill anyone who stands in their way. Yet they are also vulnerable men, picking up the pieces after a brutal war, who look after those who matter to them. Tommy Shelby, the organiser of the biggest heists, is so damaged by post-traumatic stress that he is reliant on narcotics to even sleep at night. Arthur Shelby, the oldest of the brothers, also struggles with his own demons throughout the series. It is this vulnerability of outwardly strong characters which is a particular strength of the show; it humanises them. This might have something to do with Knight’s family links to criminal gangs which he was told about during his childhood. In an interview with Radio Times, he said; “These were people just like us, you know. They were no different to us, inside.”

The female characters, too, are complicated which makes a refreshing change from often one-dimensional roles for women. The family is ruled by a strong matriarch, Aunt Polly Gray (fantastically played by Helen McCrory), who manages the affairs of the Peaky Blinders. Her strength is undeniable, both in heated discussions with Tommy and in harrowing situations brought about by a vehement love for her family. Polly’s inner demons are never far from the surface and often bubble over during times of particular desperation; just like anyone else.

That Soundtrack

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ moody track Red Right Hand is now synonymous with Peaky Blinders. This show knows how to use music to its advantage, picking gritty songs which pair perfectly with the harsh depictions on screen. It just as easily juxtaposes a softer sound, such as Laura Marling, with painful scenes. The show’s soundtrack is able to ratchet up the emotion with a swift key change. The BBC have compiled an excellent Peaky Blinders playlist while NME have listed the ten best songs from the soundtrack, in their opinion. (Be warned, this list does feature some spoilers!) It might help that one of the composers is Antony Genn of the band Pulp. He and Cillian Murphy discuss what songs are Peaky in NME.

Script Writing Perfection

It has already been mentioned how important the quality of the writing is before a potential film can move forward and it’s easy to understand why. Each strand of a storyline is defined and developed. This coupled with fully rounded characters, the scripts have it all. It is difficult to fully explain just how well written the show is but it seems to have the perfect blend of witty lines and philosophical musings delivered in that wonderful Birmingham drawl.

We can look forward to series 5 being back on our screens this year with a move to BBC1. Hopefully, the big screen will follow soon after. It is an exciting prospect to see what tale will unfold in a feature-length telling of the Peaky Blinders, the possibilities are endless!

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