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Features: DVD, Special Edition
One of the greatest anti-war thrillers ever, Fail Safe stars Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Dan O'Herlihy, Larry Hagman and Fritz Weaver (in his film debut) as a group of military men on the verge of World War III. When a military computer error deploys a squadron of SAC bombers to destroy Moscow, the American President (Fonda) tries to call them back. But their sophisticated Fail Safe system prevents him from aborting the attack, so he must convince the Soviets not to retaliate. In desperation, the President offers to sacrifice an American city if his pilots succeed in their deadly mission over Moscow. A four-star techno-thriller that builds tension and suspense with every tick of the nuclear clock.
"Highly suspenseful!" The New York Times
"High tension drama done with taste and intelligence." Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide
Editor's Note
Following closely on the heels of Stanley Kubrik's DR. STRANGELOVE (all too closely for Kubrick and company, who quickly filed a lawsuit alleging plagiarism), Sidney Lumet's FAIL-SAFE employs a similarly stylized and heightened dramatic structure in its nerve-crushing moral tale. Taking place over the course of a single day, the film follows government and army officials in Nebraska, New York City, and Washington, D.C., as they go about their day supervising, examining, and speculating on the fragile state of affairs engendered by the tense nuclear standoff between the U.S. and Russia. When an off-course commercial airplane triggers the Pentagon's complex "fail-safe" maneuver, leaving an arsenal of nuclear-bomb-carrying jet fighters at the ready, a mechanical error puts the entire world in danger of destruction. Riveting performances from a rich cast are pushed even further by Lumet's stark and ominous direction. Walter Matthau gives an uncharacteristic turn as a cold and contemptuous political scientist unswerving in his convictions that the U.S. must stand strong against the communist menace. Henry Fonda plays the American president who must navigate the complex and urgent political trauma and prevent total destruction, even at an unthinkable price.
| Features | Production Notes | | Scene Selections | | Theatrical Trailers | | Talent Files | | Interactive Menus | | Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai | | Exclusive Featurette: "Fail-Safe Revisited" | | Director's Commentary | | Digitally Mastered Audio & Anamorphic Video | | Widescreen Presentation | | Audio: English (Mono), French, Spanish |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Columbia Tri-Star |
| Release Date: 5/13/2008 |
| Running Time: 111 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1964 | | Catalog ID: 05424 | | UPC: 00043396054240 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English | | Video: B&W |
Aspect Ratio | | 1.85:1 |
| Cast & Crew
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| | Professional Reviews | Sight and Sound
"...[Frears] makes a sterling job of reviving the original film's taut, monochrome claustrophobia. A compelling exercise in human drama..." 10/01/2000 p.65 |
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