Los Alamos (United States) (AFP) – Christopher Nolan's $1 billion-grossing "Oppenheimer" hasn't just lined the pockets of Hollywood studio executives -- it has also brought an unexpected windfall to the secretive community of Los Alamos.
Issued on: 02/03/2024
A Los Alamos tourist shop sells bobbleheads of J. Robert Oppenheimer, who is referred to around town by his affectionate nickname 'Oppie'
© VALERIE MACON / AFP
The movie, the clear frontrunner to win best picture at the Oscars on March 10, tells the story of the invention of the atomic bomb.
Much of the action takes place in Los Alamos, a town built around a top-secret lab that was created from scratch in New Mexico at the suggestion of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who had a lifelong passion for the surrounding mountains.
Since the film's release last July, tourists have been flocking to sites like the Oppenheimer House, and Fuller Lodge, where nuclear scientists held parties to celebrate their success in building the bomb.
Visitor numbers leapt by 68 percent last year, town officials say.
"We started seeing a huge influx" last spring, even before the film hit theaters, said Kathy Anderson, a tour guide for the local historical society, which had to triple the number of daily tours.
The movie, the clear frontrunner to win best picture at the Oscars on March 10, tells the story of the invention of the atomic bomb.
Much of the action takes place in Los Alamos, a town built around a top-secret lab that was created from scratch in New Mexico at the suggestion of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who had a lifelong passion for the surrounding mountains.
Since the film's release last July, tourists have been flocking to sites like the Oppenheimer House, and Fuller Lodge, where nuclear scientists held parties to celebrate their success in building the bomb.
Visitor numbers leapt by 68 percent last year, town officials say.
"We started seeing a huge influx" last spring, even before the film hit theaters, said Kathy Anderson, a tour guide for the local historical society, which had to triple the number of daily tours.
The century-old home where the Oppenheimers lived, which is shown in the film 'Oppenheimer,' is in dire need of repairs
© VALERIE MACON / AFP
"If it does win Oscars, I think we're going to see a lot more interest."
But the success shrouds a complicated relationship that Los Alamos has with its past and with Oppenheimer, who is still widely referred to around town by his affectionate nickname "Oppie."
"If it does win Oscars, I think we're going to see a lot more interest."
But the success shrouds a complicated relationship that Los Alamos has with its past and with Oppenheimer, who is still widely referred to around town by his affectionate nickname "Oppie."
'Very complicated'
On the one hand, the tourist boom could help raise the $2 million needed to restore the century-old home where the Oppenheimers lived, which is in dire need of repairs.
"Oppenheimer was renowned for his martinis and for being a very accommodating host. A lot of history happened just in these rooms," said Los Alamos National Laboratory historian Nic Lewis.
Shane Fogerty, an astrophysicist and Christopher Nolan fan, ended up explaining nuclear fusion and the genesis of the Moon to actors Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr in between takes during the filming of 'Oppenheimer'
© VALERIE MACON / AFP
On the other hand, there is no escaping the destruction caused by the nuclear bombs forged in this town -- where 15,000 scientists and staff still work at the same high-security lab.
As the film shows, Oppenheimer himself became a vocal critic of nuclear proliferation during the Cold War.
Oppenheimer even later confessed, "I am responsible for ruining a beautiful place," according to "American Prometheus," the book on which Nolan's film is based.
"We do recognize here that he was a person, who had flaws, who made mistakes," said Lewis.
"He was very complicated. He was very thoughtful. I think Nolan very accurately depicted that part of Oppenheimer."
Still, Nolan's decision to shoot many scenes in the very Los Alamos buildings where they occurred caused enormous excitement around town.
An ad in the local newspaper called for the lab's actual scientists to appear as extras.
On the other hand, there is no escaping the destruction caused by the nuclear bombs forged in this town -- where 15,000 scientists and staff still work at the same high-security lab.
As the film shows, Oppenheimer himself became a vocal critic of nuclear proliferation during the Cold War.
Oppenheimer even later confessed, "I am responsible for ruining a beautiful place," according to "American Prometheus," the book on which Nolan's film is based.
"We do recognize here that he was a person, who had flaws, who made mistakes," said Lewis.
"He was very complicated. He was very thoughtful. I think Nolan very accurately depicted that part of Oppenheimer."
Still, Nolan's decision to shoot many scenes in the very Los Alamos buildings where they occurred caused enormous excitement around town.
An ad in the local newspaper called for the lab's actual scientists to appear as extras.
Statues of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy, in the film) and Brigadier General Leslie R. Groves Jr. (portrayed by Matt Damon) are among the tourist draws in Los Alamos © VALERIE MACON / AFP
Shane Fogerty, an astrophysicist and Nolan fan, ended up explaining nuclear fusion and the genesis of the Moon to stars Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr between takes.
"Chris (Nolan) would have to remind everyone, 'We're at work, quiet down, please. Let's go to the next take,'" said Fogerty.
It is an anecdote he frequently shares with the growing number of tourists he meets in town these days.
"It is harder to get a reservation at the few restaurants in town," he said.
© 2024 AFP
Shane Fogerty, an astrophysicist and Nolan fan, ended up explaining nuclear fusion and the genesis of the Moon to stars Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr between takes.
"Chris (Nolan) would have to remind everyone, 'We're at work, quiet down, please. Let's go to the next take,'" said Fogerty.
It is an anecdote he frequently shares with the growing number of tourists he meets in town these days.
"It is harder to get a reservation at the few restaurants in town," he said.
© 2024 AFP
Christopher Nolan rebuilt Los Alamos 'in secret' for 'Oppenheimer'
Abiquiu (United States) (AFP) – An entire town filled with nuclear laboratories, built from scratch in the remote mountains of New Mexico, with every single person involved sworn to secrecy?
Issued on: 02/03/2024
View of the New Mexico set where director Christopher Nolan shot the Los Alamos scenes for his Oscar-nominated movie 'Oppenheimer'
© VALERIE MACON / AFP
It is not just the plot of "Oppenheimer," but also the story of how Christopher Nolan's Oscar-nominated movie about the invention of the atomic bomb was made.
"This is the most I've ever spoken about it," said David Manzanares, field producer for Ghost Ranch, as he took AFP on a recent tour of the location for the movie's Los Alamos scenes.
"It definitely took on the air of secrecy," he recalled.
A few miles from the nearest paved road, through gates marked "RESTRICTED AREA," many of the wooden homes, offices, security checkpoints and even a chapel built for the film remain standing.
The buildings line a dusty street that is bookended by stunning purple-hued mountains.
The real Los Alamos -- an hour's drive away -- is now a modern town that remains home to a giant, top-secret government lab charged with safeguarding the US nuclear stockpile. Its historic buildings were used for several interior scenes.
But Nolan selected this far corner of the southwestern US state to double as the town for exterior scenes, constructing a 1940s-era replica of its main street.
The British filmmaker famously insists on using authentic, practical sets to inspire his actors.
It is not just the plot of "Oppenheimer," but also the story of how Christopher Nolan's Oscar-nominated movie about the invention of the atomic bomb was made.
"This is the most I've ever spoken about it," said David Manzanares, field producer for Ghost Ranch, as he took AFP on a recent tour of the location for the movie's Los Alamos scenes.
"It definitely took on the air of secrecy," he recalled.
A few miles from the nearest paved road, through gates marked "RESTRICTED AREA," many of the wooden homes, offices, security checkpoints and even a chapel built for the film remain standing.
The buildings line a dusty street that is bookended by stunning purple-hued mountains.
The real Los Alamos -- an hour's drive away -- is now a modern town that remains home to a giant, top-secret government lab charged with safeguarding the US nuclear stockpile. Its historic buildings were used for several interior scenes.
But Nolan selected this far corner of the southwestern US state to double as the town for exterior scenes, constructing a 1940s-era replica of its main street.
The British filmmaker famously insists on using authentic, practical sets to inspire his actors.
A few miles from the nearest paved road, through gates marked RESTRICTED AREA, many of the wooden homes, offices, security checkpoints and even a chapel built for 'Oppenheimer' remain standing
© VALERIE MACON / AFP
The movie's atomic bomb test was shot with minimal computer effects, and real Los Alamos scientists were hired as extras.
This meant the replica of the town had to be built at full-scale, offering Nolan the possibility of filming from every angle at a moment's notice.
But until a month after the film premiered last July, Manzanares and his Ghost Ranch team were not even allowed to acknowledge that the movie had been shot there.
"There was no conversation, there was no posting" allowed, he said.
"That's just the way business is conducted on a Christopher Nolan shoot."
Mesas
In mid-October 2021, Manzanares was contacted by a friend who works as a location manager for movies, asking if he knew of any pristine sites with wide, sweeping vistas.
The movie's atomic bomb test was shot with minimal computer effects, and real Los Alamos scientists were hired as extras.
This meant the replica of the town had to be built at full-scale, offering Nolan the possibility of filming from every angle at a moment's notice.
But until a month after the film premiered last July, Manzanares and his Ghost Ranch team were not even allowed to acknowledge that the movie had been shot there.
"There was no conversation, there was no posting" allowed, he said.
"That's just the way business is conducted on a Christopher Nolan shoot."
Mesas
In mid-October 2021, Manzanares was contacted by a friend who works as a location manager for movies, asking if he knew of any pristine sites with wide, sweeping vistas.
David Manzanares served as Ghost Ranch's field producer for the Los Alamos scenes in 'Oppenheimer'
© VALERIE MACON / AFP
The friend could not say what the project was, but shared that it was set in 1940s New Mexico -- enough for Manzanares to hazard a guess, given the buzz already surrounding Nolan's next big film.
Ghost Ranch fit the bill, and the following month, Nolan himself came to check it out.
"He loved it right off the bat," recalled Manzanares.
Nolan gave his blessing, before adding a complication: "Oh, by the way, we need a double of it."
The movie first needed to shoot a scene of Cillian Murphy's titular scientist showing a US army general (Matt Damon) an empty, proposed site for the Manhattan Project's new base.
The following day, they would need to get the cameras rolling on the Los Alamos town set itself.
The friend could not say what the project was, but shared that it was set in 1940s New Mexico -- enough for Manzanares to hazard a guess, given the buzz already surrounding Nolan's next big film.
Ghost Ranch fit the bill, and the following month, Nolan himself came to check it out.
"He loved it right off the bat," recalled Manzanares.
Nolan gave his blessing, before adding a complication: "Oh, by the way, we need a double of it."
The movie first needed to shoot a scene of Cillian Murphy's titular scientist showing a US army general (Matt Damon) an empty, proposed site for the Manhattan Project's new base.
The following day, they would need to get the cameras rolling on the Los Alamos town set itself.
Set designers for 'Oppenheimer' had to build the Los Alamos set in secret -- and then tear it down
© VALERIE MACON / AFP
Having found two sufficiently similar-looking "mesas" -- the elevated rock shelves that make up northern New Mexico's distinctive mountains -- the production set to work.
Crews worked through multiple blizzards that winter to get the set ready in time for eight packed days of shooting, with the A-list cast hunkered down at a hotel down the road.
The secrecy applied to "everyone, even the actors," recalled Manzanares.
"They would get pages, they'd go to their hotel room and read, but they couldn't take the script out."
Having found two sufficiently similar-looking "mesas" -- the elevated rock shelves that make up northern New Mexico's distinctive mountains -- the production set to work.
Crews worked through multiple blizzards that winter to get the set ready in time for eight packed days of shooting, with the A-list cast hunkered down at a hotel down the road.
The secrecy applied to "everyone, even the actors," recalled Manzanares.
"They would get pages, they'd go to their hotel room and read, but they couldn't take the script out."
Rattlesnakes
The secrecy surrounding "Oppenheimer" was not entirely unusual for a film of its scale and fame.
Media outlets are hungry for any on-set photos, production gossip or script fragments, any of which can spoil a major movie before its premiere.
Once the Los Alamos scenes were complete, the fake town's "laboratories" were removed, as were telephone poles that would soon have blown down in gusty winds.
Ranch owners plan to launch an 'Oppenheimer' tour to capitalize on the movie's popularity
© VALERIE MACON / AFP
But producers agreed to leave around a dozen wooden structures standing -- the first time a movie production filmed at Ghost Ranch has been allowed to do so.
That meant the set needed to remain secret for more than a year after filming wrapped.
The site will eventually be used for other movies, such as Westerns.
But before then, from next month, the ranch owners will start offering an "Oppenheimer Tour."
They hope to capitalize if -- as expected -- the movie wins multiple Oscars, including best picture, on March 10.
Employees are currently working to prepare the remote site, which was left to the elements for months.
"We went up there, we found rattlesnakes and black widows," said Ghost Ranch tours manager Julia Haywood.
"It is perfectly safe now," she added.
© 2024 AFP
But producers agreed to leave around a dozen wooden structures standing -- the first time a movie production filmed at Ghost Ranch has been allowed to do so.
That meant the set needed to remain secret for more than a year after filming wrapped.
The site will eventually be used for other movies, such as Westerns.
But before then, from next month, the ranch owners will start offering an "Oppenheimer Tour."
They hope to capitalize if -- as expected -- the movie wins multiple Oscars, including best picture, on March 10.
Employees are currently working to prepare the remote site, which was left to the elements for months.
"We went up there, we found rattlesnakes and black widows," said Ghost Ranch tours manager Julia Haywood.
"It is perfectly safe now," she added.
© 2024 AFP
MIKE DAVIS ON LOS ALAMOS
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