IMDb > The Atomic Cafe (1982)

The Atomic Cafe (1982) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
7.8/10   1,757 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 9% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Contact:
View company contact information for The Atomic Cafe on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 October 1982 (Finland) more
Genre:
Documentary | Horror more
Plot:
Disturbing collection of 1940s and 1950s United States government issued propaganda films designed to reassure Americans that the atomic bomb was not a threat to their safety. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
1 win & 1 nomination more
User Comments:
Documentary, w/o latter day interpretation more (33 total)

Cast

  (Credited cast)
Lloyd Bentsen ... Himself (archive footage) (as Rep. Lloyd Bentsen)
W.H.P. Blandy ... Himself - Commander of the Bikini Test (archive footage) (as Vice Admiral W.H.P. Blandy)
Owen Brewster ... Himself (archive footage) (as Sen. Owen Brewster)

Dwight D. Eisenhower ... Himself (archive footage)
Frank Gallop ... Newsreel Narrator (voice) (archive footage)
Lyndon Johnson ... Himself (archive footage) (as Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson)
Maurice Joyce ... Newsreel Narrator (voice) (archive footage)
Nikita Khrushchev ... Himself (archive footage)
Brian McMahon ... Himself (archive footage) (as Sen. Brian McMahon)
Seymour Melman ... Himself - Columbia University (archive footage) (as Prof. Seymour Melman)
George Molan ... Himself (archive footage) (as Cpl. George Molan)
Richard Nixon ... Himself (archive footage)
Val Peterson ... Himself - Director of Civil Defense (archive footage) (as Gov. Val Peterson)
George Portell ... Himself (archive footage) (as Tech Sgt. George Portell)
George Putnam ... Newsreel Narrator (voice) (archive footage)

Ronald Reagan ... Himself (archive footage)
Ethel Rosenberg ... Herself (archive footage)
Julius Rosenberg ... Himself (archive footage)
Mario Salvadori ... Himself - Columbia University (archive footage) (as Prof. Mario Salvadori)
Lewis Strauss ... Himself - Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission (archive footage) (as Lewis L. Strauss)
Paul Tibbets ... Himself (archive footage)
Harry S. Truman ... Himself (archive footage) (as President Harry S Truman)
James E. Van Zandt ... Himself (archive footage)
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
86 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White | Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Australia:G | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:12 | USA:Not Rated | Singapore:PG
Company:
The Archives Project more

Fun Stuff

Quotes:
Civil defense film: Be sure to include tranquilizers to ease the strain and monotony of life in a fallout shelter. A bottle of 100 should be sufficient for a family of four. Tranquilizers are not a narcotic, and are not habit-forming. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies (2001) more
Soundtrack:
Atom Bomb Baby more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
21 out of 22 people found the following comment useful.
Documentary, w/o latter day interpretation, 28 April 2003
9/10
Author: elwinter from New Mexico, USA

I saw The Atomic Cafe in a theater when it was first released. Someone exclaimed derogatorily as they walked out on it. But I thought it was brilliant. Sort of a sub-genre of documentary, this one had no commentary, narrative or explanations for the material presented. No retroactive interviews with those who were there. It relied 100% on archival materials.

A few years back, I visited the Trinity Site (here in New Mexico) on the 50th anniversary of the first test of the bomb. Quite a few of those who were somehow involved back then and still living turned up for the event. So I did get to hear some hindsight comments. Definitely different than what was being said back then, and such commentary could have really changed the picture.

This is a rare approach, and therefore thought provoking. One can argue that the choice of material, editing and music track impose some interpretation, and there may be something to that. Although it's unlikely that one could turn the story into something really different unless latter-day, hindsight interviews were added to provide a different spin.

Being a "Baby Boomer", I was born during the times depicted in the movie, and have some early memories of them. For those who were alive in that time, it's fascinating to see how it tweaks your memory. I, for one, didn't think deep thoughts about the "duck and cover" drills at school - it was just another thing that got us out of our seats, like fire drills and recess. But it does tweak memory, to bring back things not thought of for many years. Interesting to consider how one's own memory is incomplete, wanders, can be influenced, etc. (Now, re-read Orwell's 1984.)

Brilliant, and disturbing. Interesting to consider in light of current events (spring 2003).

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Atomic Cafe (1982)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
what were the actual ideas expressed about the times covered? swashbuck1
Beaver and his dad? dr.al
Duck + Cover bit untrue aventer-1
Song (about Eisenhower?) iskander777888
Disturbing, at times... Boring, thoroughly highwayChile
KEVIN BACON! SAJiveCat
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