Oppenheimer Had An Unexpectedly Negative Effect On One Real-Life Location
Christopher Nolan's latest film explores the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer and how the creation of the atomic bomb changed the world. "Oppenheimer" has quickly become one of Nolan's biggest movies ever. However, the film has received criticism from different sides of the nuclear weapons debate based on how it depicts the events in question, as well as which elements from the real-life history were highlighted.
The buzz around "Oppenheimer" has also caused negative consequences for some of the real-life locations depicted on screen. As reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican, tourism has spiked significantly at Los Alamos and the other settings from the film. However, some fans are getting a little too close to facilities, and others are breaking the rules.
There have been reports of tourists taking pictures of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a practice that is not allowed, and there have also been cases of people trying to gain security clearance to the facility online. Meanwhile, others have begun to show up and ask if they can have a tour, something that is expressly forbidden because, as noted by the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the location "is a working national security laboratory and not open to the public."
There have been some positive developments as well
On the other hand, it's not all bad news, as Robert Dryja, a local who works at the White Rock Visitor Center, has seen a major uptick in tourism this summer. "There's been roughly an estimated 60% increase in the number of visitors that have been coming through, let's say, this summer, compared to the preceding summer," Dryja said. "So it has stimulated a lot of interest in people wanting to see the historic areas of Los Alamos."
Naturally, this is a net positive for the region, even if some people are looking for ways around some of the area's restrictions. As for those who think they can get away with snapping pictures, the lab pointed out that they have their own security officers and that tourists will be approached if they're spotted taking photos of the facilities, even just from the road.
"Photography of Los Alamos National Lab facilities — even taken from the street or your car — is prohibited, and we're serious about it," the official site explains. "Security personnel could potentially take your device and delete your photos." With that in mind, it's probably best that "Oppenheimer" fans observe the rules of the area and don't get too close to history while visiting.