Bimbos and Bombs: The Barbenheimer Phenomena

Authors

  • Cate Alexander
  • Camille Intson

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17742/IMAGE29701

Author Biographies

Cate Alexander

Cate Cleo Alexander (she/her) is a PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto. Prior to U of T, Cate obtained a BA Combined Honours in History and Classics and a MA in Digital Humanities at the University of Alberta. Cate's doctoral research examines digital public history through feminist new-materialist and political economic theory in order to establish a better understanding of how platforms influence the production, distribution, and consumption of public history. When she is not studying cultural heritage, digital humanities, or media theory, Cate can be found reading trashy murder mysteries, watching long video essays on YouTube, or dancing (Lindy Hop, blues, fusion, balfolk, contra, west coast, etc.). 

Camille Intson

Camille Intson (she/her) is a Tkaronto-based multidisciplinary artist and researcher whose practice spans writing, performance, music, and new media.
She is a current PhD Candidate within the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information, where her doctoral work explores trans-feminist and queer embodiments of emerging technologies. When not teaching, dissertation writing, and-or being a freelance artist, Camille can be found womansplaining tactical approaches to competition reality shows. More at camilleintson.com or @thecamiliad.

References

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“A Social History of America’s Most Popular Drugs.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/drugs/buyers/socialhistory.html.

Atherton, Kelsey D. “Nolan’s Oppenheimer Treats New Mexico as a Blank Canvas.” Source New Mexico, 28 July 2023, https://rb.gy/5733tl.

Aurthur, Kate. “Greta Gerwig on ‘Little Women’s’ Oscar Nominations - and That One Big Snub.” Variety, Variety, 4 Feb. 2020, https://shorturl.at/kBN14.

“Barbie | Main Trailer.” YouTube, YouTube, 25 May 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBk4NYhWNMM&ab_channel=WarnerBros.Pictures

Bose, Swapnil Dhruv. “Quentin Tarantino Discusses Christopher Nolan’s Oscar Snub.” Far Out Magazine, 27 Jan. 2022, https://shorturl.at/wyBPU.

Brown, Kate. “‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ Are Facing off at the Movies and in Memes-but It’s the Unexpected Similarities That Tell Us Something about Culture Now.” Artnet News, 3 Aug. 2023, news.artnet.com/art-world/barbenheimer-memes-2341493.

Burton, Carson. “‘I’ve Never Seen Anything like This’: Why Barbenheimer Has Box Office Analysts Reeling.” IGN, IGN, 18 July 2023, https://shorturl.at/kxzV4.

Caine, Michael. “The 100 Most Influential People: Christopher Nolan.” Time, Time, 16 Apr. 2015, time.com/collection-post/3822892/christopher-nolan-2015-time-100/.

Creswell, Julie. “Mattel’s Revival Plan: Bet on Barbie, The Movie.” The New York Times, 13 December 2018, https://t.ly/5tpRT.

Goffe, Nadira. “Oppenheimer’s Glaring Omission.” Slate Magazine, Slate, 26 July 2023, https://rb.gy/euzvqb.

Grebey, James. “Why Did Oppenheimer Say ‘Now I Am Death, the Destroyer of Worlds’ and What Did It Mean?” SYFY Official Site, SYFY, 4 Aug. 2023, https://rb.gy/dyo0c8.

Grinspoon, Lester, and Peter Hedblom. The Speed Culture: Amphetamine Use and Abuse in America. Harvard University Press, 1975.

Jamkhandikar, Shilpa. “‘Oppenheimer’ Sparks Online Outrage in India Due to Hindu Scripture Scene.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 24 July 2023, https://rb.gy/d1wasp.

Mayeda, Olivia Cruz. “The Japanese Erasure of ‘Oppenheimer.’” KQED, 28 July 1970, www.kqed.org/arts/13932204/oppenheimer-japanese-erasure.

Mendez, Michele. “Mattel, the Company Behind Barbie, Has 45 More Movies in the Works.” PopSugar, 2 Aug. 2023, https://t.ly/RIT18.

Oda, Shoko. “‘Barbenheimer’ Nuclear Memes Are Stirring Anger in Japan.” Time, Time, 1 Aug. 2023, www.time.com/6300008/barbenheimer-nuclear-memes-japan-backlash/.

Oosthuizen, Megan. “Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer Has An All White Cast.” Fortress of Solitude, 29 November 2022, https://t.ly/jX5GT.

O’Reilly, Charles T., and William A. Rooney. The Enola Gay and the Smithsonian Institution. McFarland, 2005. Newman, Robert P. Enola Gay and the Court of History. P. Lang, 2004.

Ring, Trudy. “Republicans Go Nuts Over Barbie Film's Trans Inclusion and Alleged Communism.” Advocate, 20 July 2023, https://t.ly/mpasj.

Ryan, Patrick. “‘Barbie’ Ending: Greta Gerwig Talks ‘Emotional’ Final Line, Creator Ruth Handler (Spoilers!).” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 24 July 2023, https://t.ly/7Px33.

Surrey, Miles. “A Taxonomy of Actors Cast in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer.’” The Ringer, 10 May 2022, https://shorturl.at/jzRX8.

Wheeler, Joshua and Sterchi, Reto. “In the Shadow of Oppenheimer.” Science History Institute, 18 July 2023, www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/in-the-shadow-of-oppenheimer/.

Whitten, Sarah. “‘Barbenheimer’ is a billion-dollar win for the global box office.” CNBC, 31 July 2023, https://shorturl.at/gGRT9.

Barbenheimer poster art

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Published

2024-03-11

How to Cite

Alexander, C., & Intson, C. (2024). Bimbos and Bombs: The Barbenheimer Phenomena. Imaginations: Journal of Cross-Cultural Image Studies. https://doi.org/10.17742/IMAGE29701

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Section

Elicitations