Re watching FAIL SAFE 1964 version
- Thread starter 41Dude
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JohnL
Buckeye
Great movie. One of the few roles Walter Matthau played which was not for laughs. Excellent job by Dan O'Herlihy as General Black. Even Dom Deloise was good in this one.
Henry Fonda was a believable POTUS.
It was the basis for Terry Southern's book "Doctor Strangelove" and the subsequent movie. Also a good watch. Makes a good double bill of movie viewing.
Henry Fonda was a believable POTUS.
It was the basis for Terry Southern's book "Doctor Strangelove" and the subsequent movie. Also a good watch. Makes a good double bill of movie viewing.
One of my faves, and hopefully not prophetic, I liked the Swyaze version better from a screenshot with captions turned on.
Scary stuff if certain people get their way.
Russians have already figured out they don't need to invade they will destroy us by just spreading rumors and making stuff up and divide us to where we end up killing each other. It is happening right now.
Southern wrote the Dr Strangelove screenplay which was actually based on the 1958 novel Two Hours to Doom by Peter George, who collaborated with Kubrick on Strangelove. George then wrote a novelization of Dr Strangelove.
He and Kubrick also sued the authors of Fail Safe for copyright infringement when Fail Safe was published.
Because of the legal wrangling Fail Safe was released 9 months after Dr Strangelove, in Oct '64.
Two of my favorite movies, though I like Fail Safe more. Just watched them both again a couple months ago.
I also thought Larry Hagman was good in Fail Safe, interesting contrast to his 5 year stint on I Dream of Jeannie, which is what I was compared his role to when I first saw the movie as a kid in the '60's.
I think Slim Pickens was perfect for the role as Maj Kong in Dr Stangelove, and always liked Peter Sellers.
Happy viewing,
Tom
Personally, while I liked both "Fail Safe" and "Dr. Strangelove", and have watched both fairly recently, I think "Dr. Strangelove" is a better film. Humorous and a bit over the top but getting a very serious message across. Possibly the best film George C. Scott ever did, despite his winning the Oscar for "Patton". It was also the first significant film for James Earl Jones, seen as a member of the B-52 crew.
Yaworski
Hawkeye
I read "Fail Safe" in grade school, long before I ever saw the movie. That and "Alas Babylon" gave a 12 year old a lot to think about.
JohnL
Buckeye
Indeed. Watching Dr. S. in a theater back in '65, it was pleasant to see a Black USAF officer. That made the scenes more real for me. I certainly enjoyed Major Kong. Slim was just a hoot in that roll. Scott was excellent. Over the top but enjoyable.
I must be weird, but I liked Peter Sellers. The post brings back memories of bomb drills in elementary school. 200 miles away the Russkies fire a nuke and we all get under 3/4 inch of particle board for protection.
Yaworski
Hawkeye
I never knew they remade it.
And right next to the schools plate glass windows. What could possibly go wrong.
It was kinda funny looking back. We had some canned goods stacked in the closet. Port Everglades a possible target was about 12 miles from the house. Its amazing what people do to make themselves feel better in bad situations. Whistling past the graveyard.
I gots a sinking...er...sneaking... suspicion, if our homegrown communists ever get control, they wont turn us over to the russians!
Peter sellers, like edward winter, are believeable as somebody who you know or knew.
I have seen "Fail Safe" described as "Dr. Strangelove" without the laughs.
I don't know.
Of course we didn't know at the time how close we actually came to armageddon in '83 when computer glitches nearly did us in. I'm sure most people thought Fail Safe couldn't happen.
It takes a lot of strength to nuke the city where your wife is to prevent WWIII.
Tom
Yaworski
Hawkeye
Depends on how much you like her . . . .
Makes you wonder how secure our current systems really are. Could a single deranged sub commander launch WWIII on his own? And in today's political climate, would those who actually can launch nuclear weapons refuse to obey an order to launch if they truly hate the President?
freakindawgen
Blackhawk
Alas Babylon was a movie?? Read the book in school.
freakindawgen
Blackhawk
By Dawn's Early Light has a different Senario. Good movie too.
Yaworski
Hawkeye
I read the book, didn't mean to imply that there was a movie. However, IMDB.com says that a TV movie was made in 1960 but I've never seen it.
I don't see an opinion of the president coming in to play. I'd hope it would be more whether or not it's a "reasonable" action given the situation.
Cheers,
Tom
It was Henry Fonda, he probably liked her. lol
Seriously though, I took from his attitude that he did.
That's been their plan all along. Use Indoctrinated young idiots and Minorities to overthrow our Society!!!
JohnL
Buckeye
The best sequel to "Dr. Strangelove" and "Fail Safe" has to be "On the Beach". A great tale with a very sad ending. Beautiful but sad.
