A WEEKLY FILM NEWSLETTER PROMOTING ARTHOUSE, REPERTORY, ART, SHORT FORM AND EXPERIMENTAL CINEMA SCREENING IN THE CITY OF MELBOURNE

Oppenheimer

(Christopher Nolan, 2023)

Screening around Melbourne

DCP Courtesy: Universal Pictures

Classification: MA 15+

Words by Bruno Slonek

This makes me proud to be British; This makes me proud to be British; This makes me proud to be British; This makes me proud to be British; This makes me proud to be British; (Repeat 95x) - Babyfather. 2016. “Stealth.” BBF Hosted By DJ Escrow. Hyperdub, Audio File.

Lately I’ve been feeling like Guy Pearce in Memento – Drake

In Christopher Vials’ landmark work Haunted by Hitler: Liberals, the Left, and the Fight against Fascism in the United States, he asks whether Stephen Spielberg’s Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) could genuinely be considered an ‘anti-fascist’ work of art. For Spielberg Nazis are of course ‘bad’, but one must also consider which facets of Nazism conjure such a diagnosis. Yet the film does not deliberate on the meaning nor the roots of fascism (although Spielberg himself did and does – he once famously reflected on whether inaction on Rwanda could be compared to Western apathy in the 1930s). Let us briefly consider some of Nazi Germany’s crimes in no particular order: the targeted destruction of the left and its institutions; the elimination of civil society; violent imperial expansion throughout Europe and Africa; and of course, the most extensive and mechanised genocide of history hitherto. What is important to grasp here is not how fascism has become a codified form of political evil that eliminates any possibility of legitimate comparison, but that many of its crimes were previously perpetuated under what might be called ‘liberalism’. Britain and its colonies did not need a fascist demagogue to mercilessly exterminate hundreds of millions in the name of racial purity. Indeed, Vials goes on to discuss McCarthyism and its House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), presciently utilising Robert Paxton’s dictum that an American fascism would not directly resemble the fascism(s) of the Axis. But despite the centrality of the HUAC to Christopher Nolan’s latest epic Oppenheimer (2023), we’re offered no conceptual tools to evaluate the significance of the depicted events. What remains is Jameson’s ‘waning of the affect’ on full display: a series of random intensities unmoored from historicity, or, in layman’s terms, an enthralling but convoluted totem to a really really big explosion.

Christopher Nolan is intimately aware of the significance of History, which is why he is the only auteur to direct one film about Dunkirk and three films about Batman. Notably, he is also the only filmmaker to be considered for a Nobel Prize, and by his own account was denied admission to Mensa for being “too advanced”. However, despite his eminent familiarity with Alan Sokal’s Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity, Nolan is unquestionably at his best when grounded by a semblance of reality (Memento, Dunkirk, etc.). For example, the titular J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cilian Murphy) and Albert Einstein (Tom Conti) did not have to walk backwards and forwards simultaneously like in the inaudible clusterfuck Tenet (make sure to check John David Washington’s titillating descriptions of the screen directions here). But we at Kinotopia do not wish to pour over Nolan’s undeniably successful, ambitious, and entertaining experiments with the blockbuster format – which Oppenheimer 100% is. Firstly, because Chris will never read this piece. And, secondly, because we know you’ll see the movie regardless. Instead, Kinotopia seeks to grapple with one of Mankind’s oldest questions: Can Tories make compelling art? Or, since we already know the answer, should Tories be allowed to make art at all?

Oppenheimer is predictably bereft of such considerations, which would otherwise prompt deeply unsettling reflections on the West’s own racial logic and history of genocide. Historians have of course been reluctant to politicise the West’s response to what has become synonymous with evil incarnate, but the historical record shows that support for Hitler emanated only from conservatives (yes, even and especially British, American, and Australian ones). There was of course Stalin’s brief betrayal of the anti-fascist cause with the infamous Molotov-Ribbentrop pact (1939-41), but the USSR was not only the last nation to appease the Nazis, but only did so once the Western embargo on the Spanish Republic (1936-39) and the Munich Crisis (1938) demonstrated that the Western powers would take no meaningful action against fascism unless it threatened their strategic hegemony in Europe. This expedience of course resulted both from Stalin’s calculated paranoia and the West’s decade-long repudiation of the anti-fascist cause, culminating in a cynical political manoeuvre that even liberal critics only expected to be temporary. Additionally, in this brief interim Stalin successfully prepared for a war that put the hard Right on the defensive for generations. While we at Kinotopia resolutely condemn Uncle Joe’s innumerable atrocities, neither can we pretend that the Axis defeat was won with Oppenheimer’s atomic bomb (deployed only after Berlin’s unconditional surrender) and not overwhelmingly achieved through Soviet steel and the blood of Russian bodies. Cinema had no small role to play in rewriting this history at the level of our cultural unconscious. Like in Indiana Jones, we know that Nazis are the bad guys, even if their construction in blockbuster cinema is dialectically predicated on a presumption of Western virtue.

To be clear, Oppenheimer is a beautiful and thrilling film for all ages (the Slonek clan and co. have already booked their seats at IMAX). But what is particularly concerning is just how robust Nolan’s research for the film was, even if it remains a vehicle for his own un-examined imperial biases. Like innumerable commendable dads, he poured over the History Channel for hours, studying documentaries like Hitler: The World’s Most Evil Man and Paintings of Puppies: Can we enjoy art by cancelled artists? And this is one of Nolan’s fundamental issues, both as a director and as a human being. His work is definitely more exciting, ambitious and meticulously crafted than any other blockbuster filmmaker. But his limiting obsession with ‘higher’ concepts and narrative ambiguity is less about generating insights into the human condition than his own conviction that science is cool. And for three hours at Tuesday’s preview, I also felt that science was cool – but was left with little else, besides the anticipation that Gerwig’s Barbie might provide a more fulfilling account of one of the 20th century’s central icons.

Further Reading / Viewing / Listening

Stealth Intro - Babyfather. Listen here

“Steven Spielberg on Effort to End Hate: 'This is Something That I Was Put on this Earth To Do' (Video)”, The Hollywood Reporter. Read here.

Tenet: Christopher Nolan explains his thrilling new blockbuster, Watch here on Youtube.

WEBSITE: kinotopia.com.au

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WEEKLY FILM LISTINGS

JULY 20 - JULY 26

ACMI

VICTORIAN PREMIERE
The Beloved + Director Q and A (Joseph London)
Joseph London, 2021
Screening Sunday July 23 12:30pm

CAST MATES: AUSTRALIAN ACTORS IN HOLLYWOOD AND AT HOME BOOK LAUNCH
Join Sam Twyford-Moore & Dan Golding in the ACMI lounge
Friday 21 July 5 - 6:30pm

White Balls on Walls
Sarah Vos, 2022
Screening Friday, Sat, Sun

Thelma and Louise
Ridley Scott, 1991
Screening Saturday 22 July 2pm

-

Focus on Greta Gerwig

Mistress America
Noah Bambauch, 2015
Screening Friday 21 July

White Noise
Noah Baumbach, 2022
Screening Saturday 22 July

Frances Ha
Noah Baumbach, 2012
Screening Sunday 23 July

Little Women
Gretta Gerwig, 2019

Screening Sunday 23 July

ARTIST FILM WORKSHOP

No screening this week

ASTOR CINEMA

Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan, 2023
Screening Daily

BBBC CINEMA (GALLERYGALLERY BRUNSWICK)

Closed until summer

THE CAPITOL

No screenings this week

CHINATOWN CINEMA

The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell
Herman Yau, 2023
Screening Daily

Psycho-Pass Providence
Naoyoshi Shiotani, 2023
Screening Daily

Love Never Ends
Han Yan, 2023
Screening Daily

Lost in the Stars
Rui Cui, Xiang Liu, 2023
Screening Daily

One more Chance
Anthony Pun, 2023

Screening Daily

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Mandarin Subtitles)

James Mangold, 2023

Screening Daily

CINÉ-CLUB (Carlton)

Closed for winter

CINEMANIACS (ACMI)

No screening this week

CINEMA NOVA

Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
Tickets and program can be accessed here

In the Mood For Wong Kar-wai Season

In The Mood For Love
Wong Kar-wai, 2000
Screening Daily

Fallen Angels
Wong Kar-wai, 1995
Screening Daily

Chungking Express
Wong Kar-wai, 1994
Screening Daily

-

Barbie
Greta Gerwig, 2023
Screening Daily

Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan, 2023
Screening Daily

Carmen
Benjamin Millepied, 2022
Screening Daily

Dalíland
Mary Harron, 2022
Screening Daily

Beau Travail

Claire Denis, 1999

Screening Daily

Reality

Tina Satter, 2023

Screening Daily

The Ordinaries

Sophie Lunnenbuam, 2023
Screening Daily

Other Peoples Children

Rebecca Zlotowski, 2023

Screening Daily

The New Boy

Wawrick Thornton, 2023

Screening Daily

Red, White & Brass

Damon Fepulea'i, 2023

Screening Daily

Driving Madeleine

Christian Carion, 2022

Screening Daily

You Hurt My Feelings
Nicole Holofcener, 2023
Screening Daily

One Fine Morning

Mia Hansen-Løve, 2022

Screening Daily

Saint Omer

Alice Diop, 2022

Screening Daily

Blue Caftan
Maryam Touzani, 2022
Screening Daily

Limbo

Ivan Sen, 2023

Screening Daily

EO

Jerzy Skolimowski, 2022

Screening Daily

DOGMILK DEGUSTATIONS: @ Miscellenia

Stay tuned for details on Season 3.

FRENCH FILM CLUB

No screening this week

GAY24

No screening this week

HITLIST (9 Gertrude St, Fitzroy)

No screening this week (stay tuned for details of Gertrude Street Projection Festival)

LIDO / CLASSIC / CAMEO

Barbie
Greta Gerwig, 2023
Screening Daily

Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan, 2023
Screening Daily

Ex Machina
Alex Garland, 2015
Screening Saturday 22 July

Sugar and Stars

Sébastien Tulard, 2023
Screening Daily

Carmen
Benjamin Millepied, 2022
Screening Daily

Dalíland
Mary Harron, 2022
Screening Daily

Joy Ride

Adele Lim, 2023

Screening Daily

Reality

Tina Satter, 2023

Screening Daily

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

James Mangold, 2023

Screening Daily

The New Boy

Wawrick Thornton, 2023

Screening Daily

National Theatre Live: Fleabag

Vicky Jones, 2019

Screening Daily

Red, White & Brass

Damon Fepulea'i, 2023

Screening Daily

THE MELBOURNE CINÉMATHÈQUE (ACMI)

Patu!

Merata Mita, 1983
Screening Wednesday 26 July 7pm

+

Mauri
Merata Mita, 1988
Screening Wednesday 26 July 9:10pm

MELBOURNE HORROR FILM SOCIETY

THIR13EN Ghosts
Steve Beck, 2001
Screening Tuesday July 25 7:30pm

PALACE BALWYN / BRIGHTON /COMO / KINO / PENTRIDGE / WESTGARTH

Barbie
Greta Gerwig, 2023
Screening Daily

Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan, 2023
Screening Daily

Sugar and Stars

Sébastien Tulard, 2023
Screening Daily

Carmen

Benhamin Millepied, 2023

Screening Daily

Fallen Leaves

Aki Kaurismäki, 2023

Preview screening Sat & Sun

Other Peoples Children

Rebecca Zlotowski, 2023

Screening Daily

Joy Ride

Adele Lim, 2023

Screening Daily

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

James Mangold, 2023

Screening Daily

The New Boy

Wawrick Thornton, 2023

Screening Daily

Red, White & Brass

Damon Fepulea'i, 2023

Screening Daily

Driving Madeleine

Christian Carion, 2022

Screening Daily

You Hurt My Feelings
Nicole Holofcener, 2023
Screening Daily

SUN CINEMAS YARRAVILLE

Barbie
Greta Gerwig, 2023
Screening Daily

Oppenheimer (In 70mm!!)
Christopher Nolan, 2023
Screening Daily

Daliland

Mary Harron, 2023

Screening Daily

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

James Mangold, 2023

Screening Daily

You Hurt My Feelings
Nicole Holofcener, 2023
Screening Daily

Reality

Tina Satter, 2023

Screening Daily

THORNBURY PICTURE HOUSE

Barbie
Greta Gerwig, 2023
Screening Daily

Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd
Roddy Bogawa and Storm Thorgerson, 2023
Screening Thursday - Tuesday

The New Boy

Warwick Thornton, 2023
Screening Wednesday 26 July

National Theatre Live: Fleabag
Screening Monday 24 July

UNKNOWN PLEASURES (BILL MOUSOULIS + CHRIS LUSCRI)

No screening this week