Atomic: Living in Dread and Promise

2015

Action / Documentary

6
IMDb Rating 6.9/10 10 248 248

atomic bomb nuclear power science repurposed footage

Plot summary

Using only archive film and a new musical score by the band Mogwai, Mark Cousins presents an impressionistic kaleidoscope of our nuclear times – protest marches, Cold War sabre-rattling, Chernobyl and Fukishima – but also the sublime beauty of the atomic world, and how x-rays and MRI scans have improved human lives. The nuclear age has been a nightmare, but dreamlike too.

Director

Mark Cousins Photo
Mark Cousins

Top cast

720p.WEB 1080p.WEB
638.24 MB
1280*956
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
25 fps
1 hr 9 min
Seeds 1
1.16 GB
1446*1080
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
25 fps
1 hr 9 min
Seeds 1

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by jswtw 8 / 10

Who needs Oppenheimer when you've got this?

The first viewing of my Masters course brings an unsettling and thought-provoking film that places the fallout and consequences of atomic weaponry and action at the forefront of its narrative whilst acknowledging both the benefits and issues that the science has resulted in.Using entirely archival footage is a fantastic use of perspective and presentation of narrative to root the film in its reality whilst forcing the analysis of its subject matter into a sure focal point. Admittedly, it could become a little repetitive, but the frantic piecing together of visuals and footage paired with a fantastic soundtrack, create a brilliant insight into the path this modern world is treading that is definitely worth checking out.
Reviewed by garethcrook 7 / 10

I'm here for Mogwai.

I've seen this before, but it's on iPlayer at the moment and well worth a rewatch. Why? Because it's scored by the mighty Mogwai. Think Koyaanisqatsi with a more documentary style tone and you're on the right lines. It's a real mood piece, captivating to watch. The music pulls you in as one half of the narrative, alongside a mash up of old and new stock, photos, colour, black and white, newsreel, film clips, some with snippets of audio, others with bits of text. The thread is simple and clear, the story of the bomb and nuclear power. It's very top line, but covers the basics well and is startlingly dramatic. It's listed as a documentary, but it's got its finger firmly on the art house trigger. This is where Mogwai's music helps. If you know this band, you might expect a full on ear bleeding post rock bombastic display of raucous power. Especially with the terrifying scenes of annihilation. There's a beautiful subtlety though, delicate piano and percussion, emotive strings and space to allow the images to breathe. The message is clear. Nuclear weapons are a bad idea, but there's hope for humanity. It casts the story arc pretty wide, the physics, testing, preparation and survival, anti-war demos, the Cuban middle crisis, power stations and accidents, scientific advancements, CERN and Hiroshima. The music though is the backbone giving it its solid structure, allowing time to play out longer emotive montages, that would otherwise require some kind of no doubt dry voiceover. There's no such thing here though thankfully, just a well crafted edit of poignant imagery with killer sounds. You can listen to the soundtrack on its own and it's fantastic, but accompanying the film it really is stirring stuff. It doesn't dig too deep. If you want a bit more back story on the bomb, I'd recommend the BBC Podcast 'The Bomb', a deep dive that remains accessible. This though is worth an hour of your time and make sure your speakers are set to radiate.
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