When inspiration strikes... generally, contributing to the Catherverse eats up my AH-ressources pretty much.
EDIT: thank you for encouraging me! Just give me a few days.
Last edited:
the best movies never made
- Thread starter Scarecrow
- Start date
When inspiration strikes... generally, contributing to the Catherverse eats up my AH-ressources pretty much.
EDIT: thank you for encouraging me! Just give me a few days.
Powaqqatsi: A sequel to Koyanisqatsi, this follows the previous protagonist as she tries to transition from her former life into hew new one as an adopted member of the Hopi Tribe, which incldes attending meetings and interacting with the larger Hopi communities and neighboring tribes. Beyond exploring the rammifications of cultural transition and the impact this has on an individual, it also serves to look at conflict as she butts head with a former childhood friend who has made her insecure in regards to her new home and culture. The movie achieved critical acclaim for its subtlety in showing the protagonist's relationships, especially with her girlfriend, exploration on further Hopi traditions along with those of neighboring tribes and an examination and deconstruction on the definition of "cultural appropriation."
Naqoyqatsi: The sequel to Powaqqatsi and the last of the "Qatsi trilogy," it takes place several years after the end of the second movie. Following her graduation from high school and enlisting in the Army, Naqoyqatsi has the protagonist return from the battlefield and try to adjust with life after war along with what she saw. However, her relative epace at home is broken as she deals with societal changes and her relating her experienced in war to the struggles of life, all through the veins of an adopted Hopi woman. Having settled down with her high school sweetheart, she is also forced to confront her past when she discovers her mother has died and the will is to be split between her and her half-brother, also in the military. The movie did as well as its prequels, exploring the impact of PTSD and how cultural differences make an impact on recovering it. It also deconstructs the brotherhood of the army and brings up many sharp criticisms at the military's inability to critique itself and lastly on who defines what as family. The film ends with the protagonist burying her half-brother on her property and adopting her nephew to raise him well.
Peyote Queen: A sensational crime-drama that was inspired by Breaking Bad, it tells the tale of a young Mexican woman who enters the cartel to keep an on her younger brother ad her ruthless ascension through the ranks to protect her growing family while becoming a kingpin in dealing peyote and slaughtering every rival cartel. The female villain protagonist angle was one that many found fascinating yet horrifying as her justifications become corrupt and twisted for power despite maintaining semblances of humanity. It also served as a sharp critique on the futiity on the War on Drugs along with the Americans' inability to do what's needed to fix both their problems out of ideology.
Naqoyqatsi: The sequel to Powaqqatsi and the last of the "Qatsi trilogy," it takes place several years after the end of the second movie. Following her graduation from high school and enlisting in the Army, Naqoyqatsi has the protagonist return from the battlefield and try to adjust with life after war along with what she saw. However, her relative epace at home is broken as she deals with societal changes and her relating her experienced in war to the struggles of life, all through the veins of an adopted Hopi woman. Having settled down with her high school sweetheart, she is also forced to confront her past when she discovers her mother has died and the will is to be split between her and her half-brother, also in the military. The movie did as well as its prequels, exploring the impact of PTSD and how cultural differences make an impact on recovering it. It also deconstructs the brotherhood of the army and brings up many sharp criticisms at the military's inability to critique itself and lastly on who defines what as family. The film ends with the protagonist burying her half-brother on her property and adopting her nephew to raise him well.
Peyote Queen: A sensational crime-drama that was inspired by Breaking Bad, it tells the tale of a young Mexican woman who enters the cartel to keep an on her younger brother ad her ruthless ascension through the ranks to protect her growing family while becoming a kingpin in dealing peyote and slaughtering every rival cartel. The female villain protagonist angle was one that many found fascinating yet horrifying as her justifications become corrupt and twisted for power despite maintaining semblances of humanity. It also served as a sharp critique on the futiity on the War on Drugs along with the Americans' inability to do what's needed to fix both their problems out of ideology.
Mel Gibson was originally cast to play the Blade Runner but after five charges of sexual harassment
were brought against him, he was replaced by Kevin Costner. Tina Turner played the chieftain of the city & won such acclaim for her performance that she dropped singing & took up acting.
Archibald
Banned
REYKJAVIK
a movie by Ridley Scott (2002)
The movie narrates one of the strangest geopolitical event of all time: the Reykjavik summit of October 1986 where Reagan and Gorbachev decided to get ride of all ballistic missiles. The movie explores how such a landmark decision become possible - at the climax of the Cold War !
On the Soviet side, the movie follows the stories of nuclear scientist (and Gorbachev advisor) E. Velikhov and Marshall Akhromeyev, fighting their way against KGB chairman Kryuchkov and "ballistic missile" minister Oleg Baklanov.
Due to political sensitivities, the American side is represented by two fictional characters: an old nuclear scientist at the end of his career, who turned against nuclear weapons (Charles Wagner); and a young, cynical political advisor of Reagan (Reed Stillwater).
The movie opens on the Geneva summit in November 1985, the first meeting between Gorbachev and Reagan, and the unexpected, pleasant feelings on both sides.
On the Soviet side, Akhromeyev is shown as an ambiguous person. In January 1986 he allows Gorbachev to propose the world a plan for total elimination of nuclear weapons - because he needs the money for the belaguered Soviet economy to produce more conventional weapons. Akhromeyev is also shown to be scared about SDI, its cost, and its potential as an offensive weapon. A brief flashback show the Marshall youth, when he fought in the siege of Leningrad in WWII, a pretty horrific ordeal.
Gorbachev proposal literally stuns Reagan entourage, splitting them in two opposite factions represented by Stillwater and Wagner. To Wagner dismay, the Stillwater faction wins over, and Reagan answer to the proposal is mixed and cautious.
Meanwhile in a meeting in February 1986 Velikhov is doing his best to convince the Soviet state aparatus that Reagan's SDI is a technical folly the Soviet Union don't need, nor have the resource, to answer. While Akromeyev and Gorbachev agree, Kryuchkov and Baklanov are shown to be skeptical.
The Chernobyl disaster happens midway into the movie. Velikhov and Akhromeyev rides an helicopter above the devastated, smoldering nuclear plant. Velikhov is shocked by the magnitude of the disaster, to the point that, despite his extensive knowledge and experience in nuclear matters, he express some doubt about whether they will manage to tame the glowing radiocative inferno - to Akhromeyev horror.
The Marshall is tasked with coordination of the "liquidators", 600 000 soldiers send to clean up the radioactive mess without much concern for their lives. Flying over the deserted Pripiyat, both men agree that nuclear war must be made impossible.
On the American side, despite their victory Reed Stillwater and his patrons remain in shock at Gorbachev proposal, even more since Reagan is revealed to hate nuclear weapons and willing to erase them.
Reagan is shown alone, writting on his journal that he was really touched by Gorbachev offer.
A brief flashback exposes Reagan nuclear abolitionism deep roots, related to his antiwar side which is connected to narratives and images that deeply affected him: seeing the British antiwar play Journey’s End in 1929, being shown footage from the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945, and watching the ABC television movie The Day After in 1983.
In order to get Reagan back in their control, and counter the Soviet proposal on propaganda purpose, Stillwater and his patrons hatch a plan.
Reagan is presented with a bold proposal - to get rid of all ballistic missiles.
Stillwater cynically notes they no longer need them: the U.S military have plenty of cruise missiles launched from stealth bombers, and soon they will have SDI, all three things the Soviets don't have. Stillwater mentions the fact that the Soviets rely more on ballistic missiles, hence they would be at a strategic disadvantage. They will probably refuse Reagan proposal, contradicting their initial offer of eliminating nuclear weapons.Stillwater really hope his plan will trap the Soviets in a corner.
Wagner gets wind of Stillwater proposal and like it, for opposite reasons. During a Vienna AIEA meeting about Chernobyl late May, he get in touch with Velikhov and reveals Stillwater plan. Velikhov decides to match it with Gorbachev proposal of eliminating nuclear weapons; the two agree that getting ride of ballistic missiles would be a good start. The two men shares a good laugh imaging the faces of Stillwater, Kryuchkov and Baklanov if such an agreement ever happened. Soon however they realize the SDI is a major roadblock on both sides, and part way pessimistically.
As he returns to Moscow, Velikhov meets a fellow nuclear scientist, Roald Sagdeev, who is also working on the space program. A worried Sagdeev tells Velikhov something is definitively wrong with the soviet (supposedly) civilian space station: Baklanov is asking for a nuclear reactor with more and more electrical power, perhaps to power a spaceborne laser. Sagdeev tells Velikhov the space station might have a hidden military purpose: it could be the nucleus or home base of a Soviet SDI. Velikhov gets further confirmation of the story through Akhromeyev - because of the Marshall skepticism and reluctance about a possible Soviet SDI.
The two men mentions the conspiracy to Gorbachev but the Soviet leader dismiss it as unfounded rumors.
Gorbachev however is soon invited to Baikonur for the launch of a MKBS module by a N-1F giant rocket, and once at the launch pad request a tour of the facilities. To his amazement, he founds a spaceborne laser spacecraft in construction, soon to be launched.
To his great dismay Gorbachev realizes that his strategy of dismissing SDI as impossible and foolish is now moot, since his very own military is building a major piece of it ! When told about the discovery, Velikhov realizes this might be an opportunity to level the last obstacle standing on the way of the nuclear disarmement plan.
In August, another meeting is held in Vienna about Chernobyl, the tone of which surprises the West. Nuclear scientist Valery Legassov provides a detailed, honest-to-God assessment of the mistakes having led to the disaster. After the conference Wagner meets Velikhov and the later details how he flew about 40 times in an helicopter over the ruined reactor to assess the situation, and the sheer horror and magnitude of the disaster. Velikhov mentions how Akhromeyev and Gorbachev were badly shaken by the accident, seeing it as a kind of miniature nuclear war.
In the process Wagner and Velikhov discuss progress of Gorbachev nuclear disarmement proposal and the obstacle SDI still represents. Wagner reminds Reagan position: we will build SDI whatever the cost and whatever the technical and political (ABM treaty) difficulties, and if the Soviet Union can't follow, we will share the technology and build the space shield together to make a nuclear war impossible.
Velikhov is surprised about Wagner mention of "making nuclear war impossible". Wagner insists that's the very, fundamental driving force behind SDI since 1983 - much more than scaring or pissing-off the Soviets or getting them bankrupt building their own SDI their economy can't afford nor sustain.
Velikhov is initially stunned, then jokingly say, no thanks, you American won't need to share the technology because the Soviet Union is doing pretty well on its own. Velikhov proceeds to tells Wagner about the Baikonur laser battlestation, and Baklanov mischievous plan of building a Soviet SDI using the space station and its nuclear reactor as a cover.
Wagner and Velikhov silently try to grasp about the implications of these new developments.
After a brief moment, they agree on a possible plan to break the SDI deadlock. Telling the truth to Reagan himself, however, is beyond their responsabilities, and they decides it will be Gorbachev himself that must reveal the truth to Reagan in a face-to-face meeting. The two men separate with great hopes for the future.
Late in the month of august Velikhov and Gorbachev start planning a different kind of summit, very unlike Geneva the year before. Gorbachev suggests Reykjavik as a middleplace between Washington and Moscow, in a neutral, disarmed country: Iceland.
A formal invitation is send to Reagan, explicitely calling for an early October meeting, which will be prepared in a (deliberate) haste. Wagner will be part of the summit as an advisor, just like Stillwater, Velikhov and Akhromeyev.
At the movie climax, the two delegations meet in Hofdi House for three days of intensive negociations. Things goes as planned, at least initially: Stillwater brief Reagan about the ballistic missile plan, which collides head-on with Gorbachev nuclear disarmement proposal.
To their advisors surprise the two leaders goes into a nuclear disarmement brickmanship discussion, soon casually speaking about the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and missiles. then, just as Stillwater planned, the discussion stalls on SDI. With everybody in state of despair, Wagner smiles, to Stillwater surprise.
A last ditch meeting is organized on Sunday afternoon, October 12, 1986, with Reagan and Gorbachev asking for a face to face discussion. Whether Wagner passed the truth to Reagan is never made clear: but one hour later, the two leaders get out of the room. As Dire Straits "Brother in arms" starts playing as background, the two leaders start a press conference.
They first ensure that all ballistic missiles will be eliminated. To Stillwater surprise, however, the two leaders soon announce they will build a limited SDI shield together, as a last ditch insurance if some madman ever bring back, build and launch ballistic missiles.
Reagan and Gorbachev then make clear SDI is only the second-line option, the prefered solution to prevent any nuclear war being to destroy every single ballistic missile – hopefully within the next decade. They conclude by saying that they also agreed on the next logical step beyind the elimination of ballistic missiles: that is, to destroy all remaining nuclear weapons before the year 2000.
The conference concludes on a stunned silence, then people start an undending thunder of aplause as the two leaders stand on the front porch of Hofdi House, shaking hands for the photographs.
Meanwhile inside Hofdi House an angered Stillwater corners Wagner and yells in his face that Congress will never allow this to happen. Wagner answers him maliciously that Stillwater himself proposed the initial deal to eliminate all ballistic missiles, and walks away confidently.
The movie concludes by examining what happened over the next decade.
Two years later, as the nuclear disarmement deal was finalized in Washington, Kryuchkov and Baklanov staged a failed coup against Gorbachev, a failure that led to the breakup of the Soviet Union. Unable to pick a side in the coup, and unable to withstand the collapse of the regime, Akhromeyev committed suicide, to the great chagrin of the American delegates in Reykjavik.
Gorbachev was unable to prevent both coup and collapse, with Russia and a new leader taking the helm. Russia new leadership however remained faithfull to the Reykjavik agreement and build a (very) limited space shield with America. Meanwhile all ballistic missiles were destroyed, the last of them in 1997 in Iceland, in a moving ceremony attended by a suffering Reagan (he has Alzheimer disease) and a nostalgic Gorbachev.
Apalled by his findings in the Chernobyl inquiry, Legassov also committed suicide, but his courage got the very designer of the Chernobyl nuclear plant, Dimitri Medvedev, to publish a first-rate, chilling, detailed story of the catastrophe and why it happened.
One by one, China, France and Great Britain gave up their nuclear arsenals, with aspiring nuclear powers like India following them. Major crisis still happened: in 1994 North Korea nuclear reactor was bombed before completion by America, Russia and China bombers altogether (triggering a Great Leader heart attack and the unexpected, bloodless collapse of the regime within weeks). In 1996 Pakistan was caught selling nuclear knoweldge to Iran and elsewhere, and was severely embargoed until they detained and extraded the culprit.
In the wake of Chernobyl major investments were made on civilian nuclear power to make it safer, proliferation-proof, and provides jobs to all the military nuclear scientists. The MKBS nuclear reactor was never flown, the space station military mission was scrapped, and joint space missions were made with NASA, to the Moon and beyond.
a movie by Ridley Scott (2002)
The movie narrates one of the strangest geopolitical event of all time: the Reykjavik summit of October 1986 where Reagan and Gorbachev decided to get ride of all ballistic missiles. The movie explores how such a landmark decision become possible - at the climax of the Cold War !
On the Soviet side, the movie follows the stories of nuclear scientist (and Gorbachev advisor) E. Velikhov and Marshall Akhromeyev, fighting their way against KGB chairman Kryuchkov and "ballistic missile" minister Oleg Baklanov.
Due to political sensitivities, the American side is represented by two fictional characters: an old nuclear scientist at the end of his career, who turned against nuclear weapons (Charles Wagner); and a young, cynical political advisor of Reagan (Reed Stillwater).
The movie opens on the Geneva summit in November 1985, the first meeting between Gorbachev and Reagan, and the unexpected, pleasant feelings on both sides.
On the Soviet side, Akhromeyev is shown as an ambiguous person. In January 1986 he allows Gorbachev to propose the world a plan for total elimination of nuclear weapons - because he needs the money for the belaguered Soviet economy to produce more conventional weapons. Akhromeyev is also shown to be scared about SDI, its cost, and its potential as an offensive weapon. A brief flashback show the Marshall youth, when he fought in the siege of Leningrad in WWII, a pretty horrific ordeal.
Gorbachev proposal literally stuns Reagan entourage, splitting them in two opposite factions represented by Stillwater and Wagner. To Wagner dismay, the Stillwater faction wins over, and Reagan answer to the proposal is mixed and cautious.
Meanwhile in a meeting in February 1986 Velikhov is doing his best to convince the Soviet state aparatus that Reagan's SDI is a technical folly the Soviet Union don't need, nor have the resource, to answer. While Akromeyev and Gorbachev agree, Kryuchkov and Baklanov are shown to be skeptical.
The Chernobyl disaster happens midway into the movie. Velikhov and Akhromeyev rides an helicopter above the devastated, smoldering nuclear plant. Velikhov is shocked by the magnitude of the disaster, to the point that, despite his extensive knowledge and experience in nuclear matters, he express some doubt about whether they will manage to tame the glowing radiocative inferno - to Akhromeyev horror.
The Marshall is tasked with coordination of the "liquidators", 600 000 soldiers send to clean up the radioactive mess without much concern for their lives. Flying over the deserted Pripiyat, both men agree that nuclear war must be made impossible.
On the American side, despite their victory Reed Stillwater and his patrons remain in shock at Gorbachev proposal, even more since Reagan is revealed to hate nuclear weapons and willing to erase them.
Reagan is shown alone, writting on his journal that he was really touched by Gorbachev offer.
A brief flashback exposes Reagan nuclear abolitionism deep roots, related to his antiwar side which is connected to narratives and images that deeply affected him: seeing the British antiwar play Journey’s End in 1929, being shown footage from the liberation of Auschwitz in 1945, and watching the ABC television movie The Day After in 1983.
In order to get Reagan back in their control, and counter the Soviet proposal on propaganda purpose, Stillwater and his patrons hatch a plan.
Reagan is presented with a bold proposal - to get rid of all ballistic missiles.
Stillwater cynically notes they no longer need them: the U.S military have plenty of cruise missiles launched from stealth bombers, and soon they will have SDI, all three things the Soviets don't have. Stillwater mentions the fact that the Soviets rely more on ballistic missiles, hence they would be at a strategic disadvantage. They will probably refuse Reagan proposal, contradicting their initial offer of eliminating nuclear weapons.Stillwater really hope his plan will trap the Soviets in a corner.
Wagner gets wind of Stillwater proposal and like it, for opposite reasons. During a Vienna AIEA meeting about Chernobyl late May, he get in touch with Velikhov and reveals Stillwater plan. Velikhov decides to match it with Gorbachev proposal of eliminating nuclear weapons; the two agree that getting ride of ballistic missiles would be a good start. The two men shares a good laugh imaging the faces of Stillwater, Kryuchkov and Baklanov if such an agreement ever happened. Soon however they realize the SDI is a major roadblock on both sides, and part way pessimistically.
As he returns to Moscow, Velikhov meets a fellow nuclear scientist, Roald Sagdeev, who is also working on the space program. A worried Sagdeev tells Velikhov something is definitively wrong with the soviet (supposedly) civilian space station: Baklanov is asking for a nuclear reactor with more and more electrical power, perhaps to power a spaceborne laser. Sagdeev tells Velikhov the space station might have a hidden military purpose: it could be the nucleus or home base of a Soviet SDI. Velikhov gets further confirmation of the story through Akhromeyev - because of the Marshall skepticism and reluctance about a possible Soviet SDI.
The two men mentions the conspiracy to Gorbachev but the Soviet leader dismiss it as unfounded rumors.
Gorbachev however is soon invited to Baikonur for the launch of a MKBS module by a N-1F giant rocket, and once at the launch pad request a tour of the facilities. To his amazement, he founds a spaceborne laser spacecraft in construction, soon to be launched.
To his great dismay Gorbachev realizes that his strategy of dismissing SDI as impossible and foolish is now moot, since his very own military is building a major piece of it ! When told about the discovery, Velikhov realizes this might be an opportunity to level the last obstacle standing on the way of the nuclear disarmement plan.
In August, another meeting is held in Vienna about Chernobyl, the tone of which surprises the West. Nuclear scientist Valery Legassov provides a detailed, honest-to-God assessment of the mistakes having led to the disaster. After the conference Wagner meets Velikhov and the later details how he flew about 40 times in an helicopter over the ruined reactor to assess the situation, and the sheer horror and magnitude of the disaster. Velikhov mentions how Akhromeyev and Gorbachev were badly shaken by the accident, seeing it as a kind of miniature nuclear war.
In the process Wagner and Velikhov discuss progress of Gorbachev nuclear disarmement proposal and the obstacle SDI still represents. Wagner reminds Reagan position: we will build SDI whatever the cost and whatever the technical and political (ABM treaty) difficulties, and if the Soviet Union can't follow, we will share the technology and build the space shield together to make a nuclear war impossible.
Velikhov is surprised about Wagner mention of "making nuclear war impossible". Wagner insists that's the very, fundamental driving force behind SDI since 1983 - much more than scaring or pissing-off the Soviets or getting them bankrupt building their own SDI their economy can't afford nor sustain.
Velikhov is initially stunned, then jokingly say, no thanks, you American won't need to share the technology because the Soviet Union is doing pretty well on its own. Velikhov proceeds to tells Wagner about the Baikonur laser battlestation, and Baklanov mischievous plan of building a Soviet SDI using the space station and its nuclear reactor as a cover.
Wagner and Velikhov silently try to grasp about the implications of these new developments.
After a brief moment, they agree on a possible plan to break the SDI deadlock. Telling the truth to Reagan himself, however, is beyond their responsabilities, and they decides it will be Gorbachev himself that must reveal the truth to Reagan in a face-to-face meeting. The two men separate with great hopes for the future.
Late in the month of august Velikhov and Gorbachev start planning a different kind of summit, very unlike Geneva the year before. Gorbachev suggests Reykjavik as a middleplace between Washington and Moscow, in a neutral, disarmed country: Iceland.
A formal invitation is send to Reagan, explicitely calling for an early October meeting, which will be prepared in a (deliberate) haste. Wagner will be part of the summit as an advisor, just like Stillwater, Velikhov and Akhromeyev.
At the movie climax, the two delegations meet in Hofdi House for three days of intensive negociations. Things goes as planned, at least initially: Stillwater brief Reagan about the ballistic missile plan, which collides head-on with Gorbachev nuclear disarmement proposal.
To their advisors surprise the two leaders goes into a nuclear disarmement brickmanship discussion, soon casually speaking about the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and missiles. then, just as Stillwater planned, the discussion stalls on SDI. With everybody in state of despair, Wagner smiles, to Stillwater surprise.
A last ditch meeting is organized on Sunday afternoon, October 12, 1986, with Reagan and Gorbachev asking for a face to face discussion. Whether Wagner passed the truth to Reagan is never made clear: but one hour later, the two leaders get out of the room. As Dire Straits "Brother in arms" starts playing as background, the two leaders start a press conference.
They first ensure that all ballistic missiles will be eliminated. To Stillwater surprise, however, the two leaders soon announce they will build a limited SDI shield together, as a last ditch insurance if some madman ever bring back, build and launch ballistic missiles.
Reagan and Gorbachev then make clear SDI is only the second-line option, the prefered solution to prevent any nuclear war being to destroy every single ballistic missile – hopefully within the next decade. They conclude by saying that they also agreed on the next logical step beyind the elimination of ballistic missiles: that is, to destroy all remaining nuclear weapons before the year 2000.
The conference concludes on a stunned silence, then people start an undending thunder of aplause as the two leaders stand on the front porch of Hofdi House, shaking hands for the photographs.
Meanwhile inside Hofdi House an angered Stillwater corners Wagner and yells in his face that Congress will never allow this to happen. Wagner answers him maliciously that Stillwater himself proposed the initial deal to eliminate all ballistic missiles, and walks away confidently.
The movie concludes by examining what happened over the next decade.
Two years later, as the nuclear disarmement deal was finalized in Washington, Kryuchkov and Baklanov staged a failed coup against Gorbachev, a failure that led to the breakup of the Soviet Union. Unable to pick a side in the coup, and unable to withstand the collapse of the regime, Akhromeyev committed suicide, to the great chagrin of the American delegates in Reykjavik.
Gorbachev was unable to prevent both coup and collapse, with Russia and a new leader taking the helm. Russia new leadership however remained faithfull to the Reykjavik agreement and build a (very) limited space shield with America. Meanwhile all ballistic missiles were destroyed, the last of them in 1997 in Iceland, in a moving ceremony attended by a suffering Reagan (he has Alzheimer disease) and a nostalgic Gorbachev.
Apalled by his findings in the Chernobyl inquiry, Legassov also committed suicide, but his courage got the very designer of the Chernobyl nuclear plant, Dimitri Medvedev, to publish a first-rate, chilling, detailed story of the catastrophe and why it happened.
One by one, China, France and Great Britain gave up their nuclear arsenals, with aspiring nuclear powers like India following them. Major crisis still happened: in 1994 North Korea nuclear reactor was bombed before completion by America, Russia and China bombers altogether (triggering a Great Leader heart attack and the unexpected, bloodless collapse of the regime within weeks). In 1996 Pakistan was caught selling nuclear knoweldge to Iran and elsewhere, and was severely embargoed until they detained and extraded the culprit.
In the wake of Chernobyl major investments were made on civilian nuclear power to make it safer, proliferation-proof, and provides jobs to all the military nuclear scientists. The MKBS nuclear reactor was never flown, the space station military mission was scrapped, and joint space missions were made with NASA, to the Moon and beyond.
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Archibald
Banned
I'm open to any help about such a movie cast. I'm thinking about Anthony Hopkins as Gorbachev, but who would you cast as Reagan ?
(hopefully Hopkins won't ate other actor livers with fava beans and a nice chianti)
As for the events shown, they mostly happened OTL, albeit in a slightly different order. Nuclear scientists from both sides had some kind of umprobable alliance even in the worst days of the Cold War.
The names are intentional - Reed Stillwater is a nod to Bush 41 infamous advisor, wile Wagner is a nod to Eugene Wigner and Charles Townes, plus Wagner is an appropriate name when discussing apocalypse (just ask Hitler).
Also Stillwater is the name of the band in that awesomely good Cameron Crowe movie, Almost famous https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almost_Famous
As for Brothers in arms, it is all because of this. (now that's an idea, Sheen as Reagan)
although I don't like the version of the song they used on The West wing.
I'd ask Dire Straits for a studio variant of the extended (9 mn !) On the night live album - this one
(hopefully Hopkins won't ate other actor livers with fava beans and a nice chianti)
As for the events shown, they mostly happened OTL, albeit in a slightly different order. Nuclear scientists from both sides had some kind of umprobable alliance even in the worst days of the Cold War.
The names are intentional - Reed Stillwater is a nod to Bush 41 infamous advisor, wile Wagner is a nod to Eugene Wigner and Charles Townes, plus Wagner is an appropriate name when discussing apocalypse (just ask Hitler).
Also Stillwater is the name of the band in that awesomely good Cameron Crowe movie, Almost famous https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almost_Famous
As for Brothers in arms, it is all because of this. (now that's an idea, Sheen as Reagan)
although I don't like the version of the song they used on The West wing.
I'd ask Dire Straits for a studio variant of the extended (9 mn !) On the night live album - this one
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Anthony Hopkins playing Gorby is a great idea Archibald- I can't think of anyone else
who could play him! As for your other char-
acters, I've racked my brain in vain to figure
out who could play Ronnie- that's a tough one! But I've got some ideas for some other
cast members-
For Wagner I'd go with Bryan Cranston(he can do world-weary better than anyone). For
Stillwater I'd pick Ted McGinley(I know he
usually plays jovial, rather happy-go- lucky
characters, like on MARRIED WITH CHIL-
DREN but that's why I'd cast him here; I
see Stillwater as someone you start off
liking but soon realize is an absolute creep).
Velikhov would be played by Robert Redford
(now that he's no longer a pretty boy I think
he's become a pretty good character actor).
For Kryuchkov you need someone who looks
tough, can be quite chilling @ times, & yet
is also a good talker. Michael Keaton fits the
bill(don't believe me look @ his performance in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING).
I'd like to add a character. Emma Thompson
would play a BBC news woman. Her periodic
reports would serve to summarize the story
@ each part of the film, thus keeping the
audience from getting confused.
Anyway Archibald let me know what you think of my suggestions. If I have any more
brain-storms I'll share them with you.
who could play him! As for your other char-
acters, I've racked my brain in vain to figure
out who could play Ronnie- that's a tough one! But I've got some ideas for some other
cast members-
For Wagner I'd go with Bryan Cranston(he can do world-weary better than anyone). For
Stillwater I'd pick Ted McGinley(I know he
usually plays jovial, rather happy-go- lucky
characters, like on MARRIED WITH CHIL-
DREN but that's why I'd cast him here; I
see Stillwater as someone you start off
liking but soon realize is an absolute creep).
Velikhov would be played by Robert Redford
(now that he's no longer a pretty boy I think
he's become a pretty good character actor).
For Kryuchkov you need someone who looks
tough, can be quite chilling @ times, & yet
is also a good talker. Michael Keaton fits the
bill(don't believe me look @ his performance in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING).
I'd like to add a character. Emma Thompson
would play a BBC news woman. Her periodic
reports would serve to summarize the story
@ each part of the film, thus keeping the
audience from getting confused.
Anyway Archibald let me know what you think of my suggestions. If I have any more
brain-storms I'll share them with you.
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Archibald
Banned
Bryan Cranston - nice. One of the best actor of our times.
Velikhov - Redford - excellent. I think about his performance in Spy games (2001 - with Brad Pitt - another Cold War thriller) Interstingly enough in Spy games you can heard, if briefly, the Dire Straits song I mentionned. It should help getting them aboard Reykjavik.
Ted McGinley - don't know about the fellow, but you make a convincing case.
Now we need someone to play Marshall Akhromeyev. It is a very Clint Eastwood role: a man that look like Dirty Harry at first glance (hard as steel), but is in fact a Walt Kowalski (Gran Torino) and dies at the end.
By God, the cast is going to be insanely expensive. Then again, ITTL Reykjavik is 20th Century landmark moment, so Ridley Scott will have a big budget and all the actors he needs.
Your BBC idea is pretty good. I simplified the story and cut the number of characters to the minimum, but this is no summer flick either. It is not a movie that will attract a large audience and make millions.
Didn't saw that movie, too much Spiderman for my taste, I stopped at the second tobey McGuire movie... a decade ago. Whew.
alternative to Keaton: Kevin Spacey.
Kryuchkov would have loved House of cards, the KGB was very much like it. House of sharks.
Now we need a Reagan !
And the solution is brought to you by Wikipedia (as usual)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_depictions_of_Ronald_Reagan
James Brolin or Richard Crenna ? the problem was that Crenna was dying by 2002. So I suppose Brolin got the role.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Reagans
The controversy is unblievable. Those conservatives are really a bunch of [censored]
Velikhov - Redford - excellent. I think about his performance in Spy games (2001 - with Brad Pitt - another Cold War thriller) Interstingly enough in Spy games you can heard, if briefly, the Dire Straits song I mentionned. It should help getting them aboard Reykjavik.
Ted McGinley - don't know about the fellow, but you make a convincing case.
Now we need someone to play Marshall Akhromeyev. It is a very Clint Eastwood role: a man that look like Dirty Harry at first glance (hard as steel), but is in fact a Walt Kowalski (Gran Torino) and dies at the end.
By God, the cast is going to be insanely expensive. Then again, ITTL Reykjavik is 20th Century landmark moment, so Ridley Scott will have a big budget and all the actors he needs.
Your BBC idea is pretty good. I simplified the story and cut the number of characters to the minimum, but this is no summer flick either. It is not a movie that will attract a large audience and make millions.
Didn't saw that movie, too much Spiderman for my taste, I stopped at the second tobey McGuire movie... a decade ago. Whew.
alternative to Keaton: Kevin Spacey.
Kryuchkov would have loved House of cards, the KGB was very much like it. House of sharks.
Now we need a Reagan !
And the solution is brought to you by Wikipedia (as usual)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_depictions_of_Ronald_Reagan
James Brolin or Richard Crenna ? the problem was that Crenna was dying by 2002. So I suppose Brolin got the role.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Reagans
The controversy is unblievable. Those conservatives are really a bunch of [censored]
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Archibald
Banned
Cast
Anthony Hopkins as M. Gorbachev
James Brolin as R. Reagan
Bryan Cranston as Charles Wagner
Robert Redford as E. Velikhov
Clint Eastwood as Marshall S. Akhromeyev
Ted McGinley as Reed Stillwater
Kevin Spacey as KGB chairman Kryuchkov
Mikael Keaton as Oleg Baklanov
Emma Thompson as BBC news reporter
Paul McCrane as Legassov
Anthony Hopkins as M. Gorbachev
James Brolin as R. Reagan
Bryan Cranston as Charles Wagner
Robert Redford as E. Velikhov
Clint Eastwood as Marshall S. Akhromeyev
Ted McGinley as Reed Stillwater
Kevin Spacey as KGB chairman Kryuchkov
Mikael Keaton as Oleg Baklanov
Emma Thompson as BBC news reporter
Paul McCrane as Legassov
The film is produced in 2001-2 no problem casting Spacey at this time. Interestingly you could have him overdose post-production and end his disturbing behavior right there.
Good point- I didn't think of that. But how
severe do you want this overdose to be?
Perhaps John Hillerman(he's still alive in the time this movie would be made)could play one of the
Russians.
King Thomas
Banned
The Charge of the Light Brigade (2025)
Film about Brexit and it's consequences, with the Brexiteers being known as the "light brigade" because they were thought to be light on facts.
Film about Brexit and it's consequences, with the Brexiteers being known as the "light brigade" because they were thought to be light on facts.
King Thomas
Banned
Mercury Rising
Film about the dangers of global warming narrated by David Attenborough.
Film about the dangers of global warming narrated by David Attenborough.
Ice Cold in Alex
Sci Fi film with a sudden onset massive glaciation where the day if finally saved by the oil and coal industries massively expanding and with the resultant greenhouse effect halting the new ice age in its tracks. The film is found to be funded by those who deny global warming.
Sci Fi film with a sudden onset massive glaciation where the day if finally saved by the oil and coal industries massively expanding and with the resultant greenhouse effect halting the new ice age in its tracks. The film is found to be funded by those who deny global warming.
With Tom Selleck playing the head of Exon,
which is acclaimed @ the film's end as "the
savior of the human race." Any wonder that
Fox News pushed heavily(but unsuccessfully)
for the Academy Awards to name ICIA as the
year's best picture?