Talkback
“Nobody wants to take their medicine, so with WONDERS ARE MANY we worked hard to make it entertaining and even funny,” said filmmaker Jon Else. “Funny is important if you are tricking people into thinking seriously about nuclear war.”
Do you agree with his statement? Why or why not?
Share your thoughts and reactions to WONDERS ARE MANY: The Making of Doctor Atomic.
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I tuned in to "The Wonders are Many" while flipping through the dial in the middle of the night. One thing disturbed me. To be sure, people have a right to interpret facts, but the narrator of a show like this one should be sufficiently well versed in the history of the events that he does not claim without emendation that scientists still debate whether the use of these bombs was necessary. The one person on this planet who knew better than anyone else had already told us that it was.
The Emperor did not take part in political discussion within the Japanese government of the 1940s. Hirohito reported that after the second atomic bomb was dropped he violated protocol and told the high command that they had to get out of the war and end the horrible suffering of the Japanese people. He was nearly assassinated for his efforts. And this was after CONVENTIONAL bombing raids had killed many thousands of people per DAY in the spring of 1945. It took a major shock to get the Japanese government to even listen.
Even many anti-war people and anti-bomb people agree that the first bomb was probably necessary. Scientists who argue otherwise are playing to their political agendas rather than to scientific - and human psychological - reason.
I have watched "Wonders Are Many" three times, with morbid fascination. Heartiest Congratulations. I lived through those times and ever since, have wondered who was in the right.
I happened upon this film late last nite. I had seen the Met HD Live broadcast of "Dr. Atomic" and was blown away by it (couldn't resist the bad pun). The music, singers & staging were marvelous. At the end everyone in the theatre sat in silence before applauding. It was fasinating to get more historical context & see the creative process of staging the opera. Mr. Else's film did a tremendous job of showing how the history of the bomb still has relevance to today. I'll be out looking for Mr. Else's other films to view. Bravo to you John Else & your crew on this film.
"Medicine" or mockery? Literalism or adequate context? Occasionally immature.
Entertaining and funny is essential to get the ball rolling on peoples awareness of just how dangerous nuclear weapons are. We have gotton all to used to the existance of nuclear weapons because the use of such is unthinkable we block out the reality of the original threats these weapons present his special enertaining and almost funny is essential in terms beginning to show the the absurdity that we even tolerate the continued existance of these weapons to start with.
The cultures and nations that first made these bombs to start with in a arms race should be leading the world in reducing our arsenals that would be russia and the united states. Not just reducing but a absolute ban eventually world wide for all nations not to be allowed to pocess nuclear weapons enforced by the united nations.
If some countries are allowed nuclear weapons others will want some too including iran and others inevitable proliferations compounds the economic costs of maintaining these arsenals is a sensless economic burden to this nation, all nations and the world economy.
Having the un enforce international law shared by the world instead of the united states would remove a very unfair burden on the us tax payer military costs and burdens not to mention lost of american life in reality. The window of opportunity is here today while the world wants economies not military status but the clock is ticking.
Nuclear weapons should not be status symbols but instead considered a liability that has the chance of falling into the wrong hands like terrorists the more weapons the more they might high jack a weapon instead of a mere airplane the solution does not take openhiemer's genius but will require we put aside zynophobic fears and learn to trust each other.
I was fortunate enough to see WONDERS ARE MANY during the short run in NYC last spring and spent the following months trying to locate a DVD. It became available in November (you need to update your information.
Because I lecture on opera history to groups of mostly lower income older persons through non-profit organizations, it was really essential to possess the film. In the interim I managed to locate a copy of THE DAY AFTER TRINITY (also by Jon Else) and HAIL BOP, which covered John Adams earlier career. And of course a DVD of DOCTOR ATOMIC.
It has been such a pleasure to show portions of each of the films to my December group. I used the first of two lectures to show parts of the three background DVD's,(with lots of discussion) and on the second, first played parts of the opera itself, and then welcomed a member of the Met cast who had also been in the Chicago production to speak about her own experiences with the work. In January, prior to the Met broadcast of DOCTOR A. I shall be addressing two more groups and making much use of what I have learned from the films.
WONDERS ARE MANY is a stunning film, and I have been running around telling anyone who will listen to watch Channel 13 in NYC on December 18th (their scheduled showing date).
I have long since been aware of Jon Else's fine work because of seeing SING FASTER on Independant Lense lo these many years! I look forward to whatever he will produce next!
Editors Note:
DVD copies of WONDERS ARE MANY: The Making of Doctor Atomic can be found at Amazon.
Those of us who are fascinated (and horrified) by the physical, moral and political evolution of nuclear weapons and their effect on international relations just can't wait for two things: John Adams' new opera, "Doctor Atomic," and the Jon Else documentary, "Wonders Are Many," on the making of it. "Doctor Atomic," it turns out, will be produced by the New York Metropolitan Opera in October and November 2008. But when and where can we lay our hands on "Wonders Are Many?"
Editors note:
DVD copies of WONDERS ARE MANY: The Making of Doctor Atomic are currently unavailable.
Please note that not all films are available for purchase, as video distribution is at the discretion of the producer.
