66 posts tagged with ColdWar.
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Movie: Ice Station Zebra

Rock Hudson is James Ferraday, commander of a US nuclear sub. Patrick McGoohan is Jones, a man about whom we know little but he's got papers signed by impressively high-up naval officer. An Arctic British weather-research station, Ice Station Zebra, is sending out distress calls; an enormous storm means the only way to get there to rescue them -- and do whatever it is Jones is on a mission to do -- is by submarine. An act of sabotage reveals that there's a mole on the ship. But who? And why?
posted by The corpse in the library on Sep 3, 2023 - 13 comments

Movie: Crimson Tide

[TRAILER] After the Cold War, a breakaway Russian republic with nuclear warheads becomes a possible worldwide threat. U.S. submarine Capt. Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman) signs on a relatively green but highly recommended Lt. Cmdr. Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington) to the USS Alabama, which may be the only ship able to stop a possible Armageddon. When Ramsay insists that the Alabama must act aggressively, Hunter, fearing they will start rather than stop a disaster, leads a potential mutiny to stop him. [more inside]
posted by DirtyOldTown on Aug 8, 2023 - 11 comments

Kleo: Kleo  Season 1, Ep 0

Kleo is a young, idealistic East German assassin who is burned and sent to prison by her own people. After the Berlin Wall falls she is released from prison along with all political prisoners. She sets out to get revenge (and maybe some answers) from the people who burned her. [more inside]
posted by under_petticoat_rule on Sep 2, 2022 - 19 comments

Mystery Science Theater 3000: INVASION U.S.A.  Rewatch   Season 6, Ep 2

Rewatch! One of a long line of propagandist movies intended to rile up the public against the USSR. It's easy to get this one mixed up with Rocket Attack USA, made under a similar zeitgeist. That was a Joel episode with spies going to the USSR and failing to stop a missile attack against New York City, a lady spy seducing a Russian general for secrets, and a blind man walking during an immanent nuclear attack telling the camera, "Help me!" This is a Mike episode where a two-bit hypnotist zaps a bar full of people into experiencing a vivid hallucination of a Soviet military attack on their city. (Hypnosis was another overblown fear at the time, but didn't have as much of a concerted push to make people afraid of it.) With the short A Date With Your Family, starring Hugh Beaumont, it's a very fifties worldview on display. Previously.
posted by JHarris on May 6, 2021 - 4 comments

Mystery Science Theater 3000: LOST CONTINENT  Rewatch   Season 2, Ep 8

Rewatch! On Thursday: an airplace with important experiments crashes on a strange mountain plateau, and science types have to go up there and get them. While there's dinosaurs up there that cause them trouble, minute for minute, the true experience of this movie can be summed up in two words: ROCK CLIMBING. So much tedium that getting through it turns into a joke in itself. Previously [more inside]
posted by JHarris on May 20, 2020 - 1 comment

Mystery Science Theater 3000: ROCKET ATTACK USA  Rewatch   Season 2, Ep 5

Rewatch! On Sunday: There are two parts to this. The first part follows spies deep in the Soviet Union trying to gain information on and prevent a nuclear attack on New York. That fails, leading to the second part, which is about New York getting hit by a nuclear missile. A transparently fearmongering piece of propaganda, this is one of those films that's not just terrible but made the world a worse place just by existing. Fortunately, it makes for a pretty good riff target, if you can get past how upsetting the story is. There's no happy ending here, folks. Previously. [more inside]
posted by JHarris on May 6, 2020 - 3 comments

The Crown: Olding  Season 3, Ep 1

The royal family mourns the passing of Winston Churchill. The United Kingdom ushers in a new prime minister, the Labour Party's Harold Wilson, whom Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth hear might be a Soviet spy.
posted by Cash4Lead on Nov 18, 2019 - 16 comments

Stranger Things: "Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt"  Season 3, Ep 8

Terror reigns in the food court when the Mind Flayer comes to collect. But down below, in the dark, the future of the world is at stake.
posted by Fizz on Jul 4, 2019 - 171 comments

Stranger Things: "Chapter Seven: The Bite"  Season 3, Ep 7

With time running out - and an assassin close behind - Hopper's crew races back to Hawkins, where El and the kids are preparing for war.
posted by Fizz on Jul 4, 2019 - 27 comments

Stranger Things: "Chapter Six: E Pluribus Unum"  Season 3, Ep 6

Dr. Alexei reveals what the Russians have been building, and Eleven sees where Billy has been. Dustin and Erica stage a daring rescue.
posted by Fizz on Jul 4, 2019 - 28 comments

Stranger Things: "Chapter Five: The Flayed"  Season 3, Ep 5

Strange surprises lurk inside an old farmhouse and deep beneath the Starcourt Mall. Meanwhile, the Mind Flayer is gathering strength.
posted by Fizz on Jul 4, 2019 - 28 comments

Stranger Things: "Chapter Two: The Mall Rats"  Season 3, Ep 2

Nancy and Jonathan follow a lead, Steve and Robin sign on to a secret mission, and Max and Eleven go shopping. A rattled Billy has troubling visions.
posted by Fizz on Jul 4, 2019 - 31 comments

Movie: Cold War

In the 1950s, a music director falls in love with a singer and tries to persuade her to flee communist Poland for France. [more inside]
posted by Carillon on Apr 11, 2019 - 5 comments

Counterpart: Better Angels  Season 2, Ep 10

Mira's looming threat forges some unlikely alliances. (Series Finale) [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Feb 18, 2019 - 10 comments

Counterpart: You to You  Season 2, Ep 9

Management makes a historic decision; Emily sends a warning; Quayle, Clare and Temple investigate the final Indigo cell; and Howard Prime reaches out to an old contact. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Feb 10, 2019 - 11 comments

Counterpart: In From the Cold  Season 2, Ep 8

Howard Prime and Emily work together to figure out Indigo's plans. Clare and Quayle consider their future. Howard must face the truth about his wife. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Feb 3, 2019 - 4 comments

Counterpart: No Strings Attached  Season 2, Ep 7

The fallout of the lockdown casts suspicions around the OI. Howard and Emily Prime find clues about the history of Management. Clare questions her allegiances. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Jan 28, 2019 - 3 comments

Counterpart: Twin Cities  Season 2, Ep 6

The origins of the Crossing are revealed. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Jan 21, 2019 - 15 comments

Counterpart: Shadow Puppets  Season 2, Ep 5

A new revelation puts Howard Prime and Quayle in jeopardy. Life at Echo is disrupted. Clare reconnects with her past. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Jan 7, 2019 - 8 comments

Counterpart: Point of Departure  Season 2, Ep 4

Howard Prime, Quayle and Clare must unite against a common enemy. Emily Prime turns her investigation towards her other. Yanek probes Howard's past. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Jan 1, 2019 - 6 comments

Counterpart: Something Borrowed  Season 2, Ep 3

Howard Alpha is transferred to a mysterious prison called Echo; an unexpected visit gives Emily Alpha a connection to her old life; and Emily Prime and Shaw's investigation is met with resistance. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Dec 24, 2018 - 4 comments

Counterpart: Outside In  Season 2, Ep 2

Imprisoned on the Other Side, Howard's loyalties are tested; Emily Prime gets a promotion. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Dec 17, 2018 - 7 comments

1983: Season 1  Season 1, Ep 0

A dark Polish thriller that imagines an alternative history where a terrorist bombing in 1983 dramatically altered the course of world events. Twenty years later, the USSR and Iron Curtain still exist, Al Gore is US president, and Poland is ruled by an authoritarian government. Naïve law student Kajetan and world-weary detective Anatol uncover a conspiracy that has been kept hidden for decades. [more inside]
posted by EndsOfInvention on Dec 11, 2018 - 5 comments

Counterpart: Inside Out  Season 2, Ep 1

While hiding in Howard's life, Howard Prime must avoid detection at home and at the OI. Quayle and Clare struggle to adjust to their new arrangement. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Dec 9, 2018 - 3 comments

Movie: The Manchurian Candidate

A former prisoner of war is brainwashed as an unwitting assassin for an international Communist conspiracy. [more inside]
posted by MoonOrb on Jun 12, 2018 - 14 comments

Movie: Fail-Safe

American planes are sent to deliver a nuclear attack on Moscow, but it's a mistake due to an electrical malfunction. Can all-out war be averted? [more inside]
posted by MoonOrb on Jun 10, 2018 - 9 comments

Counterpart: No Man's Land, Part Two  Season 1, Ep 10

A crisis at the O.I. leaves both Howards in precarious positions in the Season 1 finale. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Apr 1, 2018 - 11 comments

Counterpart: No Man's Land, Part One  Season 1, Ep 9

Howard attempts to thwart the Guest's plans. Howard and Emily chase Kaspar. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Mar 18, 2018 - 11 comments

Counterpart: Love the Lie  Season 1, Ep 8

The aftermath of the Indigo school discovery takes an emotional toll. Quayle grapples with his wife's new identity. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Mar 11, 2018 - 6 comments

Counterpart: The Sincerest Form of Flattery  Season 1, Ep 7

Clare's past is revealed; Quayle suffers through his own birthday party. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Mar 5, 2018 - 14 comments

Counterpart: Act Like You've Been Here Before  Season 1, Ep 6

Aldrich questions a not-too-recent death in the office; and Emily, Howard and Shaw follow a lead. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Feb 25, 2018 - 6 comments

Counterpart: Shaking the Tree  Season 1, Ep 5

Howard and Emily search for answers about a mysterious drop site. Aldrich and Quayle seek intel from an old friend. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Feb 18, 2018 - 7 comments

Movie: Possession (1981)

A spy begins a difficult breakup with his wife in West Berlin, in this hard-to-categorise horror / psychological thriller / drama. This cult French-German "video nasty" was Andrzej Żuławski's only English-Language film, and stars Isabelle Adjani, who won several awards for the role - including Best Actress at Cannes - along with a young Sam Neill. [more inside]
posted by chappell, ambrose on Feb 13, 2018 - 9 comments

Counterpart: Both Sides Now  Season 1, Ep 4

Both Howards deepen their investigation of the conspiracy; Quayle meets one of Howard's sources; Clare must decide what to do about Baldwin. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Feb 11, 2018 - 13 comments

Counterpart: The Lost Art of Diplomacy  Season 1, Ep 3

Both sides turn to diplomacy to resolve a conflict; Emily obtains a special visa; and Howard interrogates a suspect. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Feb 5, 2018 - 23 comments

Counterpart: Birds of a Feather  Season 1, Ep 2

Howard must work together with his counterpart; Baldwin faces her past; and Emily tries to make sense of her orders. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Jan 28, 2018 - 10 comments

Counterpart: The Crossing  Season 1, Ep 1

A man working at a Berlin-based spy agency learns the organization safeguards a parallel dimension. [more inside]
posted by oh yeah! on Dec 10, 2017 - 8 comments

Mystery Science Theater 3000: AGENT FOR H.A.R.M.  Season 8, Ep 15

"A blast of blood-curdling terror from outer space!" "They used the world's deadliest weapons against this super-secret agent! Women! Women! Women!" A spy tries to stop the use of a flesh-decaying substance from being used for evil by commies. Generally a good episode I think, in the middle of a streak of good episodes. This is the one where Mike is put on cosmic trial for blowing up those planets. YouTube (1h31m) Premiered August 2, 1997. [more inside]
posted by JHarris on Sep 7, 2017 - 6 comments

The Americans: Crossbreed  Season 5, Ep 6

Mischa takes the last leg of his fruitless journey, while his unknown father Philip learns more about his own father, Gabriel visits a friend and announces his retirement, Elizabeth is reminded of an old friend and takes up Tai Chi and psychiatry, Beeman and Aderholt may have finally made a new friend, Evgheniya has her picture taken, Henry updates Stan on who the mysterious Chris is and tells his parents he has no interest in the family business, Paige continues her induction into the family business, and Oleg makes an arrest and retreats to a rooftop to deal with the CIA's overtures. Soundtrack: Peter Gabriel. [more inside]
posted by orange swan on Apr 11, 2017 - 45 comments

The Americans: Pests  Season 5, Ep 2

Stan makes some progress with "gym lady" Renée and expresses his concerns about both Oleg and Paige, Alexei keeps complaining about Russia, Elizabeth goes on a field trip, new Food Police Agent Oleg gets an unwelcome message, Paige punches her mother, Elizabeth and Philip are concerned about where and with whom Paige is sleeping, and Henry sleeps. [more inside]
posted by orange swan on Mar 14, 2017 - 29 comments

Podcast: ars PARADOXICA: 03: Trinity, Act I

The team takes a break.
posted by DirtyOldTown on Jul 21, 2016 - 4 comments

Podcast: ars PARADOXICA: 02: Blackout

A power outage creates an unlikely friendship. [more inside]
posted by metaBugs on Jul 14, 2016 - 5 comments

Podcast: ars PARADOXICA: 01: Hypothesis

ars PARADOXICA is a love letter to physics, fiction, and the future. It's a disorienting journey through spacetime and the Cold War. It's a tome of secret history you stumbled across in a library in the dead of night. It's also a serial audio drama. [more inside]
posted by metaBugs on Jul 7, 2016 - 4 comments

Movie: Twilight's Last Gleaming

A renegade USAF general, Lawrence Dell, escapes from a military prison and takes over an ICBM silo near Montana and threatens to provoke World War 3 unless the President reveals details of a secret meeting held just after the start of the Vietnam War between Dell and the then President's most trusted advisors. [more inside]
posted by MoonOrb on Apr 15, 2016 - 2 comments

Movie: Bridge of Spies

An American lawyer is recruited by the CIA during the Cold War to help rescue a pilot detained in the Soviet Union. [more inside]
posted by MoonOrb on Oct 17, 2015 - 4 comments

Deutschland 83: Able Archer  Season 1, Ep 8

Season finale: Martin races to avoid police capture and warn the East Germans that "Able Archer" is only an exercise, not a real attack. [more inside]
posted by dnash on Aug 6, 2015 - 6 comments

Deutschland 83: Bold Guard  Season 1, Ep 7

As preparations for NATO’s nuclear war game intensify, Martin receives an order from East Germany that cements his fears about their paranoia. [more inside]
posted by dnash on Jul 30, 2015 - 5 comments

Deutschland 83: Atlantic Lion  Season 1, Ep 3

While at a NATO conference in Brussels, Martin gets his first assignment: to seduce and bug the head security analyst’s secretary, Linda. [more inside]
posted by dnash on Jul 2, 2015 - 5 comments

Smiley's People: Part 6  Rewatch   Season 1, Ep 6

The green light is given, and Esterhase's team moves in on Grigoriev. Will he help them unlock Karla's secret? Can George finally bring down his nemesis and redeem his career, his Western values, his very being? This is George Smiley's last chapter. [more inside]
posted by carsonb on May 15, 2015 - 3 comments

Smiley's People: Part 5  Season 1, Ep 5

George Smiley finally has the whole story, and now must work to put a plan in place. Circus Chief Saul Enderby takes Maude for a spin around the "garden," earning his cold shoulder from Part 4 and blessing him with his totally-deniable approval of the plan to snare Karla (as well as free access to the Reptile Fund). Commence file-digging with Peter Guillam, target-shadowing with Toby Esterhase, and totally ignoring Oliver Lacon at dinner. [more inside]
posted by carsonb on May 7, 2015 - 6 comments

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