Oppenheimer (1980)

Sam Waterston stars in this BAFTA award-winning seven-part serial drama that delves into the enigma that was J. Robert Oppenheimer the American physicist often referred to as "the father of the atomic bomb." This gripping dramatization explores at length the extraordinary complexity of the scientist's thinking and the dilemma he faced. Within years he was declared a security risk by the American government only to be awarded with the highest honor in his field by a subsequent presidency. Were the Americans trying to placate an uneasy conscience?System Requirements:Running Time: 420 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/BBC Rating: NR UPC: 883929017904 Manufacturer No: 1000038455 Product Description

Oppenheimer by Sam Waterston

I found the movie very exciting. It involved a combination of scientific, political and emotional factors that were portrayed in a realistic manner during the years of the atomic bomb development.

The backlash of special interests was portrayed toward the end of the movie when his opponents conjured up a scheme to undermine his loyalty to the United States because of a technical error on his part. He opposed the development of the hydrogen bomb. These hearings occured during the post World War II era when McArtheyism ruled over the United States. November 25, 2008

A DVD Worth Waiting For

It certainly took long enough to get this wonderful program on DVD, but it was worth waiting for. The casting of Sam Waterston in the miniseries was brilliant, and his performance was the best I've ever seen him give. The supporting cast of mostly unknowns added to the performance quality. This DVD is one of the top five in my collection. November 23, 2008

Thank you!

I am a chemistry teacher and have been wanting to show this series to my classes FOR YEARS. Finally, I can. It gives wonderful insight into the minds, egos, politics and brilliance of the men and women at Los Alamos. Sam Waterston does a hell of a job as the mercurial Oppenheimer. The story also gives insight into the strained relationship between the military and the civilian scientists imprisoned on a mesa in New Mexico. Great history, great physics, great stuff!! October 22, 2008

The Wait Was Definitely Worth It

The first time I saw this miniseries was so long ago that I recorded it on beta tape. When the beta machine finally was on its last leg I transfered it to VHS at an appreciable loss of video quality. For years I looked for a release on DVD and finally got on the wait list here at Amazon a couple of years back. Well, the wait was finally over and it was well worth waiting for. I have the book Oppenheimner and the miniseries follows it nicely. The acting is excellent, the settings are very well done (typical BBC) and the quality of the DVD production is great. It is definitely a great addition to my video library. I highly recommend this video to anyone who is interested in Oppenheimer, the period of history surrounding the development of the atomic bomb and the politics associated throughout this period. October 21, 2008

Marvelous series about a maligned genius

A great, detailed and fascinating retelling of how a maligned genius was able to lead and focus some of the greatest applied physicists into building two completely different atomic bombs. Oppenheimer is sometimes dismissed by some circles as not really the father of the atomic bomb. Surely, there were others in the group of scientists who were higher order of geniuses (David Bohm, Leo Szilard, Eugene Wigner, Otto Frisch, Rudolf Peierls, Felix Bloch, Niels Bohr, Emilio Segre, James Franck, Enrico Fermi, Klaus Fuchs [Soviet spy] and Edward Teller [father of the fusion bomb]). However, how many of them could corral these brains and focus them like a laser beam into creating workable bombs (material and ignition). You really feel for the period as well including all the commie bashing (rightfully in some cases but pure red menace scare in many others).
October 5, 2008

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