The film is the real event and the reactor accident its simulacrum

Evidence

From there to reverse our logic and to see in The China Syndrome the veritable event and in Harrisburg its simulacrum, there is only one step that must be cheerfully taken. Because it is via the same logic that, in the film, nuclear reality arises from the television effect, and that in “reality” Harrisburg arises from the China Syndrome cinema effect. — Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and Simulation, 183

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The film’s script appeared to trigger real reactor fissures a week later — Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and Simulation, 188; The real arranged itself to mirror the film’s simulated catastrophe — Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and Simulation, 182; A staged film’s fictional violence spilled into real assault during production. — J. Hoberman, Everything Is Now: The 1960s New York…, 1999

Broader Connections

• The real arranged itself to mirror the film’s simulated catastrophe #corroborates (0.92) — Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and Simulation, 182
• The film’s script appeared to trigger real reactor fissures a week later #exemplifies (0.85) — Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and Simulation, 188
• A staged film’s fictional violence spilled into real assault during production. #qualifies (0.80) — J. Hoberman, Everything Is Now, 1999