For any not familiar with Barbenheimer, here’s a summary. Last summer two highly anticipated films, Oppenheimer and Barbie, were released in theatres on the same day. One was a biographical film about a scientist who helped to develop nuclear weapons during World War II, and the other is a philosophical fantasy-comedy based on a popular toy. These films are wildly different in tone and concept which made their side-by-side release amusing to many. There were also a few things they had in common. Both had very popular and respected directors, all-star casts, and other prominent talent. People on the internet began editing combined posters and trailers for the movies and talking about which film to see first. The event became known as Barbenheimer. Barbenheimer became a celebration of the variety and excellence of cinema and both films were very successful and well received.
Both films are now available through SLC Libraries streaming movie collections so you can experience Barbenheimer at home.
Here are a few other related resources from our collections:
Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie
This documentary examines the doll’s unexpected origins and what she represents today. It includes interviews with Mattel insiders and cultural historians.
The Meanings of J. Robert Oppenheimer
This eBook considers the contrasts and controversies of J. Robert Oppenheimer, and the various ways he has been viewed in popular culture since 1945.