Here we are again. Ladies and gentlemen, I am inspired by the great Christopher Nolan as I am here today... to cook.

I am currently writing this in a dark room, listening to the Oppenheimer soundtrack at the dead of night. All that is missing is a cigar and I would feel like I was genuinely in Los Alamos, anticipating the Trinity test.

It is very, very rare that I find myself listening to a movie soundtrack, however Oppenheimer is such a special film and I wanted to talk about a specific scene in particular. The money shot, the test of the world's first atomic bomb.

I originally watched Oppenheimer on release day in IMAX. It was insane. If you want to hear my original thoughts my first review is pinned on my account (although my review is more me being speechless so it is much less a review as it is me blabbering on about nothing) but this time around I would like to take a different approach. When I first watched the Trinity scene, I remember feeling so anxious despite knowing that it goes to plan in real life. I remember gripping my chair and covering my mouth with my other hand out of pure shock and disbelief, yet I couldn't explain why. However, on my second viewing, as much as I still felt nervous, I could watch the scene with a new perspective and really focus on what made it so impactful. I think a lot of it was due to Ludwig Göransson's Michelin Star score.

Ludwig has crafted a score that perfectly compliments Nolan's directing, and the Trinity scene is a prime example of this, let me explain. The song titled 'Ground Zero' is where it really begins for me in terms of the intensity of the scene. We see the scientists setting up the nuclear bomb, carefully slicing the seal with a knife and putting the final pieces into the WMD. Ludwig's soundtrack starts slowly building, with a deep rumble that plays every so often. It is soon then accompanied by a pulsating, deep, consistent rhythm, which to me almost mimics a heartbeat. I remember the moment it hit me, and I began feeling nervous, was when 2 scientists had to carefully pick up what I am assuming is the plutonium (I am not an atomic bomb expert I am afraid) encased in a metal cylinder with a device that is basically tongs, and as they grab the cylinder the soundtrack implements a new element. Ludwig Göransson sampled a goddamn Geiger counter. It really adds a new level to the score, despite being subtle. A Geiger counter never represents anything good, which is why the intensity really hits you. I think what made it so intense to me is that it could go wrong at any moment. Nolan really did a great job at making it feel unpredictable, despite being based off of a true story. I kept thinking they were going to drop it and it will all go awry. It continues on like this for a little while as they keep setting up the test until the scene cuts to Kitty at home. The score continues, however a piano piece plays overtop. I believe this is the same song we here when Oppenheimer and Kitty first interact, however I could be wrong. If not, it is definitely similar in the way that it makes you feel. This is a direct contradiction of audio, as the very tense and overwhelming original song completely opposes the calm nature of Kitty's piano track. In this scene we see Kitty realise what is about to come, and Oppenheimer say his final farewell before Trinity happens, with the piano getting slightly more intense as he drives away. We then cut back to Oppenheimer at the test site giving his final inspections, where the music yet again changes. Ludwig cuts everything, leaving us with just a violin symphony. It is very intense, and perfectly matches what is going on leading up to the Trinity test. As the night progresses, Los Alamos is hit with a storm which could potentially result in the bomb being a dud, in turn losing 2 billion dollars, and years of hard work. The team have to push on as they need the results by the morning, so it really is do or die. Everyone gets into position, as the countdown begins. We are in the final moments before the bomb drop as the final preparations are being made, as the violins become louder and a lot more sporadic and unpredictable, which again helps the audience feel a lot more tense and unsure of what is about to happen. As the countdown gets lower and lower, a very low and bassy instrument (I am also not an instrument expert either) joins the violins, somehow making it even more tense. It continues counting down, soon going back to just the violins, getting more and more unpredictable and all over the place, whilst also getting louder, and louder, and louder, and the countdown gets lower and lower, 3, 2, 1... silence. Right before we hit the crescendo, the music stops. The bomb drops as the screen is completely lit up. The only audio we have for the next 15 or so seconds is just heavy breathing, alongside absolutely beautiful, yet extremely terrifying shots of the 10 mile high mushroom cloud. Christopher Nolan, I commend you for doing this practically you absolute madman. Everybody on site just looks in awe and amazement, in disbelief that it really worked but relieved as now they know they can win the war. We are then blessed by an absolutely beautiful piece of music, as we continue to see shots of the explosion. Oppenheimer then says the historic quote, "I am become death, destroyer of worlds" as we see a shot of the entire mushroom cloud, appropriately followed by the ear-shattering soundwave. It almost felt like a jumpscare in a way, as I was so enthralled by the visuals that I completely forgot that of course there would be a sound that would follow after. Everybody is filled with joy and we then move on to the next scene.

I do think that this may be one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history, but I don't want to confirm that just yet as the film literally came out yesterday, but it will definitely go into the hall of fame.

A few other scenes that I would just like to briefly point out in terms of having a perfect soundtrack include the moment in which we learn about Strauss' true intentions, and he tells us how he carried out his plan to bring Oppenheimer down. Another scene is one right towards the end, during Oppenheimer's final cross examination. This scene was also very intense and the soundtrack definitely helped with that.

Oppenheimer really is a spectacular film, one that really inspires the viewer, yet simultaneously makes them feel inferior and hopeless. I was worried that on a second viewing it wouldn't be as good as the first time round, especially as I didn't watch it in IMAX this time, but I think it has really made me appreciate it a lot more as I could really focus on the more subtle moments. Christopher Nolan really is the bomb.