THE HUMAN SHADOW OF DEATH

This image is thought to be the shadow of a person sitting on the stone steps of the Sumitomo Bank in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb was dropped. The bomb burned the surrounding stone white and left their shadow.

The Blast Shadow, as it is also known is of particular interest in the current climate of ‘Oppenheimer fever’. The three-hour movie transported me to the dark era of World War 2 when J Robert Oppenheimer, known as the ‘father of the atomic bomb’ was both celebrated and crucified.

Oppenheimer’s hollow haunted face is a window into his tortured soul as he agonises to fulfil his dream and the hopes of the US military.

This epic film demands every ounce of concentration as it travels through slices of time, and weaves together blackboards of theoretical physics, romantic liaisons and political intrigue.

The flames and violent explosions punctuated through the unfolding drama are more than enough to capture the final moment when the world changed forever; we are spared the horror of burning flesh.

An important movie to experience and explore, so relevant in our current climate of nuclear sword-rattling.