Transcript: A Scientist, One Hat, 100+ Locations
Christopher Nolan counted on production designer Ruth De Jong and costume designer Ellen Mirojnick to bring his vision to life — all without CGI
Sean McNulty (00:32):
This episode of The Ankler Art + Crafts podcast is sponsored by Universal Pictures' Oppenheimer. A staggering, global cinematic phenomenon, writer-director Christopher Nolan's epic thriller propels audiences into the paradox of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it. Entertainment Weekly, The Atlantic and New York Magazine have all named Oppenheimer the best film of the year. For your consideration in all categories, including Best Picture.
Welcome to The Ankler In Conversation Art + Crafts, the podcast. This is Sean McNulty from The Wakeup newsletter here at The Ankler. Art + Crafts is a conversation between filmmakers and TV creatives which takes audiences behind the scenes and examines the careers and contributions of the talented artisans who create and craft the movies and series that we love.
(00:54)
This podcast is an exploration into their visionary and ingenious minds. Our first episode kicks off with host and production designer Jeannine Oppewall in conversation with Oppenheimer costume designer Ellen Mirojnick and production designer Ruth De Jong about their magnificent work on the epic film. Enjoy.
Jeannine Oppewall (01:19):
Thanks for joining me, ladies. For those of you who might need a quick refresher, some of Ruth's previous credits include Nope, Us, Manchester by the Sea, Twin Peaks, and just a few of Ellen's credits are Black Rain, Wall Street, The Knick, Maleficent, Bridgerton, Cinderella. I want to begin by talking a little bit about how heartened I was, as I'm sure everyone else in the film industry was at the same time, to see the public success of Oppenheimer, because it's a complex film about a brilliant scientist who took on what was arguably the most dangerous job in the history of the world, and he spent the rest of his life paying for doing that.
(02:04)
Now, I think we've been told that the film is based on a book called American Prometheus. And I'm sorry, I wasn't having enough time to read it. But of course, Prometheus was the god who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans. And for this, he was punished sorely. He was chained to a rock. And by day, a vulture would pick out his liver. And at night, the wound would heal. And the next day, the vulture would return and the process would begin all over again.
(02:35)
So Oppenheimer is known as the scientist responsible for the atomic bomb. He is a man known to have been, by turns, emotionally troubled, incredibly well-read, and culturally aware. And Ruth, I think I saw some references to T.S. Eliot and Picasso tucked in there somewhere. But he was so naive, opaque, egotistical. He was a womanizer, neurotic, theatrical, a communist sympathizer, a political tool, and a martyr. And energy is always crackling around this guy. Terrible but beautiful explosions keep going off inside his head.
(03:13)
He was the scientist who brought us the ability to destroy ourselves. And as such, he became Vishnu, the destroyer of the worlds in his Hindu mythology. Now, one thing I'm really curious about, how did each of you find your way into this particular story? What were the windows or the doors which you opened to get yourself into it? And what were the emotional and intellectual effects on you that come from basically spending, having to spend, agreeing to spend a long time in bed, basically, with this kind of guy? Ruth, what can you say about how you did this? How did you get into it, and how did you manage to stay into it?