Often, when it comes to art and those who create it, we want to believe there is a rivalry between artists. Why couldn’t I have created that masterpiece? Or why wasn’t it me who was gifted with an award over someone else’s creation? There is rarely a celebration of someone else’s work where other artists are proudly championing the work that went into it. That’s why the praise for Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer has meant so much to me, because other creatives have shared their love for Nolan’s work as well.
Now that the film has grossed an impressive box office for a Nolan film, other directors of Nolan’s calibre are talking about why a movie like Oppenheimer has become such a masterclass in itself. Not only is the movie now the high-grossing biopic, but the movie itself manages to change expectations and bring audiences into a three-hour epic. That’s what Dune director Denis Villeneuve told the Associated Press is so shocking about the film itself. “Where it is right now has blown the roof off of my projection,” Villeneuve said. “It’s a three-hour movie about people talking about nuclear physics.”
He went on to talk about how the box office shock about Oppenheimer proves that the idea of “content” versus art is moot when movies like Oppenheimer, which is the pinnacle of art, are breaking records. “There’s this notion that movies, in some people’s minds, became content instead of an art form. I hate that word, ‘content,’” he added. “That movies like ‘Oppenheimer’ are released on the big screen and become an event brings back a spotlight on the idea that it’s a tremendous art form that needs to be experienced in theaters.”
Then, there’s director Paul Thomas Anderson, who is known for his movies like Licorice Pizza and Boogie Nights and often brings his unique take on cinema to life in his work. His praise of Nolan is truly that of an artist giving his seal of approval to another working artist, talking about how many fans of Nolan will make dedicated effort to travel to see Nolan’s films in the best possible way.
“When a filmmaker as strong as Chris is pointing a finger at you and telling you where to go … you listen … and audiences have been rewarded for it,” Anderson said. “I know some film buffs who drove from El Paso to Dallas to see the film properly. That’s about 18 hours round trip.”
He went on to talk about the difference between seeing Oppenheimer in theaters on digital and on film, saying “I don’t think there’s anyone who could disagree—seeing ‘Oppenheimer’ on film is superior in every single way,” he added. “Not to mention, people are tired of asking, ‘Why would I go to a movie theater to watch TV?’ Good question … you don’t have to anymore … I would call this is nature’s way of healing.”
Artists recognize other artists
I don’t know when it became a game of who is better than who, probably at the start of the award system, but this constant need to put down other artists to uplift others has made it so we refuse to let them praise one another. Actors time and time again praise the performances of other actors because their art form is a collaborative one, but directors and writers are forced into a solitary world, and we don’t get to see that same praise shared for one another.
So, seeing Paul Thomas Anderson and Denis Villeneuve talking about what Oppenheimer is doing for cinemas, while also just praising the film for its ingenuity and ability to keep audiences engaged with its 3-hour runtime in a movie about physics, is fantastic. It will be interesting to see what happens with the movie as the award circuit gets underway and whether or not this is Christopher Nolan’s time (as he has yet to win an Academy Award). Until then, it’s nice to see the praise Nolan is getting from his fellow creatives.
(featured image: Universal Pictures)
