Dr. Strangelove vs Fail Safe

With Oppenheimer blowing up theaters, we’ve decided to look at two other films about atomic bomb warfare: Fail Safe and Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Both movies debuted in 1964, both were made by iconic directors for Columbia Pictures, and their strikingly similar subject matter even sparked a lawsuit. But which one is better? Duck and cover because it’s time to talk about movies!

BRAD’S GOLDEN IDOLS

1. Best Location: Strange The War Room

2. Best Character: FS Professor Groeteschele

3. Best Kill/Death/Defeat: Strange Maj. T.J. “King” Kong

4. Best Score or Soundtrack: Strange Music by Laurie Johnson

5. Best Screenplay: FS Walter Bernstein & Peter George

6. Best Special Achievement: Strange Inspiring actual changes in international policy

7. Best Scene: FS First Strike

8. Defining Moment/Attribute/MVP: FS Nuking NY

9. Best Director: TIE Strange & FS: Stanley Kubrick & Sidney Lumet

10. Wildcard: TIE FS & Strange Best President Award & Peter Sellers Award

11. WTF: FS General Blackie?

12. Best Picture: Fail Safe

• Dr. Strangelove: 6

• Fail Safe: 7

KYLE’S GOLDEN IDOLS

1. Best Location: Strange The War Room

2. Best Character: Strange Dr. Strangelove

3. Best Kill/Death/Defeat: FS Blowing up plane of American pilots

4. Best Score or Soundtrack: FS No music heightens the tension

5. Best Screenplay: Strange Stanley Kubrick

6. Best Special Achievement: FS Fail Safe coming in 2nd

7. Best Scene: FS Wife pleads for her husband to abort the mission

8. Defining Moment/Attribute/MVP: Strange Peter Sellers in 3 different roles

9. Best Director: Strange Stanley Kubrick

10. Wildcard: Strange The Perfect Phone Call Award

11. WTF: FS Live remake of Fail Safe

12. Best Picture: TIE Dr. Strangelove & Fail Safe

• Dr. Strangelove: 7

• Fail Safe: 5

NATHAN’S GOLDEN IDOLS

1. Best Location: TIE Strange & FS The War Room

2. Best Character: Strange Dr. Strangelove

3. Best Kill/Death/Defeat: Strange Maj. T.J. “King” Kong nuclear rodeo

4. Best Score or Soundtrack: Strange Music by Laurie Johnson

5. Best Screenplay: FS Walter Bernstein & Peter George

6. Best Special Achievement: Strange Peter Sellers playing multiple roles

7. Best Scene: FS President and the interpreter negotiate with the Soviet chairman

8. Defining Moment/Attribute/MVP: Strange We’ll Meet Again by Vera Lynn

9. Best Director: TIE Strange & FS: Stanley Kubrick & Sidney Lumet

10. Wildcard: FS Best President Award

11. WTF: FS Audiences didn’t understand the sexual themes and undertones in Dr. Strangelove

12. Best Picture: Fail Safe

• Dr. Strangelove: 7

• Fail Safe: 6

JEREMY’S GOLDEN IDOLS

1. Best Location: Strange The War Room

2. Best Character: FS The President

3. Best Kill/Death/Defeat: Strange Maj. T.J. “King” Kong

4. Best Score or Soundtrack: Strange Music by Laurie Johnson

5. Best Screenplay: FS Walter Bernstein & Peter George

6. Best Special Achievement: Strange The Lawsuit: Agree with it or not Kubrick knew what he needed to do to make his film a success. And history is written by the victors.

7. Best Scene: Strange Dr Strangelove Suggests living underground for 100 years

8. Defining Moment/Attribute/MVP: FS General Black Ending

9. Best Director: TIE Strange & FS: Stanley Kubrick & Sidney Lumet

10. Wildcard: Strange The Peter Sellers Award

11. WTF: Strange 55% of Dr Strangelove’s budget went to Peter Sellers. Sure he plays 3 parts but seriously that is a WTF budget decision

12. Best Picture: TIE Dr. Strangelove & Fail Safe

• Dr. Strangelove: 8

• Fail Safe: 5

Golden Idol Winner: Dr. Strangelove