A visionary montage film on the atomic bomb—a twentieth century symbol of continuing relevance today.
Relying on pure image play without resorting to off-screen commentary, this film immerses the viewer in the epicentre of a militaristic world that is ready to explode at any moment. And the reasons for this could be anything—not just another cold war, but also the simple wear and tear of missile control technology, its vulnerability to advanced hacking attempts, or the mundane human factor. (Cases are known, for instance, of certain army officers directly responsible for parts of the US nuclear weapon arsenal being convicted of taking drugs, including cocaine, at their posts).
On the other hand, the The Bomb also analyzes the ways in which the ideology of weapons of mass destruction has been transformed into a powerful propagandistic aesthetic, becoming part of an intimidating and fetishised mass culture. This involves its penetration into the collective consciousness and, moreover, into the unconscious. An electronic soundtrack furnished by the Los Angeles group The Acid turns the film into a nigh-on hallucinogenic audio-visual experience. The film premiered in 2017 at the Berlin Film Festival.
The Bomb
Directed by Kevin Ford and Smriti Keshari. USA, 2016. 55 min.
18+