IMDb > The Atomic Cafe (1982)
The Atomic Cafe
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The Atomic Cafe (1982) More at IMDbPro »

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The Atomic Cafe -- The Atomic Cafe offers a darkly humorous glimpse into mid-century America, an era rife with paranoia and anxiety.

Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   2,600 votes »
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Atomic Cafe on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 October 1982 (Finland) See more »
Genre:
Documentary | Horror See 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:
See more »
Awards:
1 win & 1 nomination See more »
NewsDesk:
Review | Nuclear Inevitability: Lucy Walker's "Countdown to Zero"
 (From Indiewire. 19 July 2010, 7:18 AM, PDT)
User Reviews:
Duck and cover See more (44 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order)
Paul Tibbets ... Himself (archive footage)
Harry S. Truman ... Himself (archive footage) (as President Harry S Truman)
W.H.P. Blandy ... Himself - Commander of the Bikini Test (archive footage) (as Vice Admiral W.H.P. Blandy)
Brien McMahon ... Himself (archive footage) (as Sen. Brian McMahon)
Lloyd Bentsen ... Himself (archive footage) (as Rep. Lloyd Bentsen)
Owen Brewster ... Himself (archive footage) (as Sen. Owen Brewster)
Julius Rosenberg ... Himself (archive footage)
Ethel Rosenberg ... Herself (archive footage)
Val Peterson ... Himself - Director of Civil Defense (archive footage) (as Gov. Val Peterson)

Lyndon Johnson ... Himself (archive footage) (as Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson)
Lewis Strauss ... Himself - Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission (archive footage) (as Lewis L. Strauss)
George Molan ... Himself (archive footage) (as Cpl. George Molan)
George Portell ... Himself (archive footage) (as Tech Sgt. George Portell)
Jerry Schneider ... Himself (archive footage)
Sergeant Weaver ... Himself (archive footage)
Seymour Melman ... Himself - Columbia University (archive footage) (as Prof. Seymour Melman)
Mario Salvadori ... Himself - Columbia University (archive footage) (as Prof. Mario Salvadori)
Nikita Khrushchev ... Himself (archive footage)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Hugh Beaumont ... Military Officer (archive footage) (uncredited)

Albert Einstein ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Dwight D. Eisenhower ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
J. Edgar Hoover ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Douglas MacArthur ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Joseph McCarthy ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Richard Nixon ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
William H. Peterson ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Ronald Reagan ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
George A. Smathers ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Joseph Stalin ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
James E. Van Zandt ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
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Directed by
Jayne Loader 
Kevin Rafferty 
Pierce Rafferty 
 
Produced by
Jayne Loader .... producer
Kevin Rafferty .... producer
Pierce Rafferty .... producer
 
Film Editing by
Jayne Loader 
Kevin Rafferty 
 
Sound Department
Margaret Crimmins .... sound editor (as Margie Crimmins)
Lee Dichter .... sound mix: Photo Magnetic Studios
Andrea Hull .... sound assistant
 
Editorial Department
Cyndi Bono .... negative cutter
Dominick Bono .... negative cutter
MaryAnn DiLillo .... negative cutter (as Mary-Ann Dillillo)
 
Music Department
John Allinson .... music source
Ray Avery .... music source
Richard Bass .... music consultant
David Dunaway .... music consultant
Rick Eaker .... music coordinator
Helen Hunter .... music source
Robert Javors .... music source
William L. Schurk .... music source
Raymond Wile .... music source
Charles Wolfe .... music consultant (as Dr. Charles Wolfe)
 
Other crew
Nan Allendorfer .... additional archival researcher: Washington
Obie Benz .... production consultant
Carol Clement .... titles
Stewart M. Crone .... memorial activities
Jon Else .... additional archival researcher: Los Alamos
Margaret Henry .... additional archival researcher: London
Susan Kellam .... production consultant
Victoria Peterson .... additional archival researcher: Los Angeles
George Pillsbury .... production consultant
Pierce Rafferty .... archival researcher
David Thaxton .... additional archival researcher: Washington
 
Thanks
Chris Beaver .... special thanks
Lance Bird .... special thanks
Joseph P. Bono .... special thanks: Bono Film Services
Lillian Brandon .... special thanks
Tom Brandon .... special thanks
Alida R. Dayton .... special thanks
Richard D. Ero .... special thanks: Bono Film Services
Charles Grigg .... special thanks
Joseph K. Hooper .... special thanks: Bono Film Services
Richard N. Houk .... special thanks: Bono Film Services
Judy Irving .... special thanks
Tom Johnson .... special thanks
Arthur Kanegis .... special thanks
Richard Klein .... special thanks
Mireille C. Kreeger .... special thanks: Bono Film Services
Mary Lampson .... special thanks
Terry Lawler .... special thanks
J. Fred MacDonald .... special thanks
Dorothy J. MacDorman .... special thanks: Bono Film Services
Miguel A. Muñoz .... special thanks: Bono Film Services
Ginny Newsom .... special thanks
Carl P. Palumbo .... special thanks: Bono Film Services
Rick Prelinger .... special thanks (as Richard Prelinger)
Mrs. W.G. Rafferty .... special thanks
Allen L. Russell .... special thanks: Bono Film Services
Deborah Shaffer .... special thanks
Zenon J. Slawinski .... special thanks: Bono Film Services
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

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

Did You Know?

Trivia:
The archival footage seen in the film is from 1940s and 1950s.See more »
Quotes:
Army information film:When not close enough to be killed, the atomic bomb is one of the most beautiful sights in the world.See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Late Night with David Letterman: Episode #1.23" (1982)See more »
Soundtrack:
Rosza Conducts RoszaSee more »

FAQ

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User Reviews

   (Review this title)
10 out of 10 people found the following review useful.
Duck and cover, 30 January 1999
Author: jongru from Oxfordshire, England

I could watch this movie again and again. If you remember the days when we were all terrified of impending nuclear war with the Soviet Union, this puts your half-remembered anxieties and prejudices in perspective. There's rare archive footage of the first nuclear bombs being primed and detonated. There's stomach churning archive footage about the execution of the Rosenbergs for espionage. And the now hilarious footage about how civilians should protect themselves against the bomb. Makes fun of politicians and broadcasters, and leaves you feeling that you've learned something and that you won't be fooled again.

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (44 total) »

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Atomic Cafe (1982)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Duck + Cover bit untrue aventer-1
Disturbing, at times... Boring, thoroughly highwayChile
what were the actual ideas expressed about the times covered? swashbuck1
Song (about Eisenhower?) iskander777888
KEVIN BACON! SAJiveCat
No one's here yet? arigatou_gozaimasu
See more »

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