Martin Scorsese dubs ‘Oppenheimer and Barbie’ combination ‘special’
Martin Scorsese explained how ‘Barbenheimer’ 'came about at the right time'
Martin Scorsese, whose second film, the Killers of the Flower Moon acquired by Apple TV, has opened up about the combination of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, and Margot Robbie’s Barbie.
During his exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, The Wolf of Wall Street director, who recently suggested that we need to save cinema” from comic-book movies by supporting individual projects, was asked if the success of Barbenheimer played a pivotal role in achieving that purpose.
“I do think that the combination of Oppenheimer and Barbie was something special. It seemed to be, I hate that word, but the perfect storm,” told Scorsese to the outlet.
He continued, “It came about at the right time. And the most important thing is that people went to watch these in a theatre. And I think that's wonderful.”
Martin Scorsese went on to praise the Nolan’s film and Barbie’s lead Margot Robbie, while admitting that he hasn’t watched both hit films yet.
“I haven't seen the films yet. I love Chris Nolan's work. Margot Robbie, I must say, started with me from The Wolf of Wall Street. Rodrigo Prieto (cinematographer), after finishing Killers of the Flower Moon, went on to shoot Barbie. So it's all in the family (laughs),” said Scorsese.
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The Irishman hit maker further added of Barbie, “The way it fit perfectly - a film with such entertainment value, purely with the bright colours - and a film with such severity and strength, and pretty much about the danger of the end to our civilisation - you couldn't have more opposite films to work together.”
“It does offer some hope for a different cinema to emerge, different from what's been happening in the last 20 years, aside from the great work being done in independent cinema,” he revealed.
Martin Scorsese further noted, “I always get upset by that, the independent films being relegated to ‘indies.’ Films that only a certain kind of people would like. Just show them on a tiny screen somewhere.”
Barbie and Oppenheimer both were released in 2023 on July 21, 2023.
