Documentary-style movie from veteran filmmaker David Hoffman tells the story of America’s growing fear and panic following the 1957 launch of Soviet satellite Sputnik
June 1, 2007 (Press Release) --
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. and SEATTLE – May 31, 2007 – One of only a few never-before-screened feature films at the 2007 Seattle International Film Festival, “The Fever of ’57”from veteran filmmaker David Hoffman is a documentary-style movie that will have its world premiere screening on Friday, June 1, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. at the SIFF Cinema theater. Hoffman will hold a Q&A session immediately after the screening.
“The Fever of ’57” tells the gripping story of America’s reaction to the Soviet Union’s successful launch of Sputnik in October 1957. According to Hoffman, America’s initial reaction of wonder and awe quickly turned to fear and widespread panic as the people were told by political and military leaders that the same rocket that carried Sputnik to space could also be used as an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) capable of delivering nuclear weapons to American soil.
“This movie is a labor of love, and it’s an exciting pleasure to present its world premiere at the Seattle International Film Festival,” Hoffman said. “I uncovered a story that has never been told and got unprecedented access to people who told me parts of the story that allowed me to put the whole thing together. It shocked me, and I hope it shocks audiences as well.”
Notably, “The Fever of ’57” was made by only three people: Hoffman, editor John Vincent Barrett and 24-year-old, first-time producer Eric Reid. They uncovered never-before-seen films and recently declassified government documents that proved crucial in capturing the feelings of the day and telling the story. Such facts included
*
An April 1958 Gallup poll showed that more than 60 percent of Americans believed that nuclear war was imminent and that half the nation’s population would be killed.
*
Throughout 1958, a hydrogen bomb was exploded every three days in the atmosphere by the United States or Soviet Russia.
*
In mid-1958, the Soviet military was placed on Full Alert status (its highest level of military readiness) for a 10-month period.
In addition to its world premiere, “The Fever of ’57” will have an encore screening at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 3, 2007 at the Festival’s Neptune Theatre. This screening will also be followed by a Q&A session with the director. Both screenings are open to the public and tickets may be purchased online at www.seattlefilm.org or by calling 206-324-9996.
About “The Fever of ’57”
“The Fever of ’57” is a documentary-style feature film by veteran director and filmmaker David Hoffman that tells the never-before-told story of how close the United States and the USSR came to starting World War III in 1957-1958. A key revelation of the movie is that a secret agreement between two former generals (President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Premier Nikita Khrushchev) played a major role in preventing the possible outbreak of global thermonuclear war. Based on the book “Sputnik: The Shock of the Century” by Paul Dickson, “The Fever of ‘57” uses recently
“The Fever of ’57” tells the gripping story of America’s reaction to the Soviet Union’s successful launch of Sputnik in October 1957. According to Hoffman, America’s initial reaction of wonder and awe quickly turned to fear and widespread panic as the people were told by political and military leaders that the same rocket that carried Sputnik to space could also be used as an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) capable of delivering nuclear weapons to American soil.
“This movie is a labor of love, and it’s an exciting pleasure to present its world premiere at the Seattle International Film Festival,” Hoffman said. “I uncovered a story that has never been told and got unprecedented access to people who told me parts of the story that allowed me to put the whole thing together. It shocked me, and I hope it shocks audiences as well.”
Notably, “The Fever of ’57” was made by only three people: Hoffman, editor John Vincent Barrett and 24-year-old, first-time producer Eric Reid. They uncovered never-before-seen films and recently declassified government documents that proved crucial in capturing the feelings of the day and telling the story. Such facts included
*
An April 1958 Gallup poll showed that more than 60 percent of Americans believed that nuclear war was imminent and that half the nation’s population would be killed.
*
Throughout 1958, a hydrogen bomb was exploded every three days in the atmosphere by the United States or Soviet Russia.
*
In mid-1958, the Soviet military was placed on Full Alert status (its highest level of military readiness) for a 10-month period.
In addition to its world premiere, “The Fever of ’57” will have an encore screening at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 3, 2007 at the Festival’s Neptune Theatre. This screening will also be followed by a Q&A session with the director. Both screenings are open to the public and tickets may be purchased online at www.seattlefilm.org or by calling 206-324-9996.
About “The Fever of ’57”
“The Fever of ’57” is a documentary-style feature film by veteran director and filmmaker David Hoffman that tells the never-before-told story of how close the United States and the USSR came to starting World War III in 1957-1958. A key revelation of the movie is that a secret agreement between two former generals (President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Premier Nikita Khrushchev) played a major role in preventing the possible outbreak of global thermonuclear war. Based on the book “Sputnik: The Shock of the Century” by Paul Dickson, “The Fever of ‘57” uses recently
Email
Print
SPAM
