Trinity and Beyond

Got the DVD for Christmas. This is a documentary about the testing of atomic and hydrogen bomb. The director cleaned up the grainy film from the 50's and 60's. Some really obsurdly beautiful snips of these huge weapons going off. The director's main purpose was to restore the film and images so people in the future wouldn't ever have to test/use these things again.

*peace*

I like documentaries... I saw this one on TV a few years back. I think it was Oscar nominated as well if I'm not mistaken. Very interesting but dry. By reducing the subject to a mere film record of events the movie come across as dispassionate perhaps so as to take no sides. However in taking no sides on the subject of the testing of thermonuclear devices the film stirs no passion on either side. I couldn't recommend it.

Da Worfster

I thought it was great,especially the music.I am strangely drawn to nuclear explosions on film,kind of hypnotic,that kind of scares me.

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Originally Posted by Worf101

...By reducing the subject to a mere film record of events the movie come across as dispassionate...

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I don't know the film mentioned, so I can't comment on that. But there was a similar documentary called "Oppenheimer" about J. Robert Oppenheimer and the story of our Atomic weapons program. It was made in the 70's or 80's (?) and broadcast on PBS years ago. I'm sure the History channel or PBS might have replayed it over the years. It won a Peabody (?) or some similar award at the time. It's a great film, and partly because it sees this story from the eyes of one history's most interesting people (truly). It's NOT dispassionate.

It's the real-life story of Oppenheimer, who may have been the most intelligent person in the whole 20'th century. If you think that's hyperbole, read his story (or watch the film). He was on another level... above guys like Einstein. It shows his early life, his family in New Mexico, his administration over the Manhatten project, the most challenging and complex scientific & technological project ever attempted. It also shows how the government betrayed him after the war, and his sad demise.

Don't know if this is available as a DVD in rental places, but I recommend it most highly. It's history that's as compelling as any current sci-fi film.

I was under the impression (perhaps mistakenly)that the US never actually tested the detonation of the Hydrogen Bomb, for fear it might perpetuate into something worse upon it's explosion.

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Originally Posted by Crunchyriff

I was under the impression (perhaps mistakenly)that the US never actually tested the detonation of the Hydrogen Bomb, for fear it might perpetuate into something worse upon it's explosion.

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Early and often. We were the first to do it and the only one's to do it "above ground" if I'm not mistaken. Most were done underground because of the inability to control fallout and other problems.

Da Worfster