Movie Review: A-Bombs over Nevada (2016)
Synopsis: After first using the atomic bomb in World War II, the United States wanted to remain the top nuclear power and began conducting a series of tests in Nevada in the 1950s and 60s. This documentary discusses those tests and the impact they had.
Who's in it? The movie is directed by Tom Jennings.
Review: I took the day off today because it's my daughter's birthday and, while waiting for her to get out of bed, decided to educate myself with a documentary. After some consideration, I decided on A-Bombs over Nevada and it turned out to be a good choice.
I knew a little bit about the height of the cold war and the rush to build more and more powerful atomic weapons a couple decades before I was born. This included knowing about the testing that occurred in Nevada, not far from Las Vegas. This movie did a great job filling in the blanks and teaching me a lot of things I didn't know.
One of the first things that really stood out for me when watching this movie was the footage of real nuclear explosions. I knew atomic weapons, even back in the early days of developing them, were destructive. However, the footage showed destruction that was far more than anything I could imagine and managed to send chills through me. This is especially true of the footage from Bikini Atoll and the aftermath/damage done to battleships during one test.
The way those tests evolved was also interesting, including how the scientists found more efficient ways of testing. It was a bit ironic and sad just how much effort they put into figuring out how to kill other people and how to survive people trying to kill us, whether it was putting out pamphlets about what to do in a nuclear war, trying to build homes that could survive an atomic blast or figuring out which cars could be used as emergency shelters. Full disclosure: I fast forwarded during the tests on farm animals.
One thing I wasn't expecting was the economic impact of the testing, something that makes sense in hindsight but was still surprising. This includes the way Las Vegas experience substantial growth both from the proximity to the tests and their willingness to embrace the testing as a marketing tool/tourist attraction and how J. C. Penney supplied the mannequins used to gauge impact on human life during blasts. It was something I honestly never thought about until seeing this film.
Final Opinion: There are some very graphic scenes in this film, which may impact some people more than others. However, it is an informative documentary that does a good job of showing the fear and preparation associated with a presumed nuclear war. It's worth taking the time to watch.
My Grade: A
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Here are some reviews of other documentaries:
Movie Review: Glow: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (2012)
Movie Review: Becoming Hitchcock: The Legacy of Blackmail (2024)
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