@breadandcircuses this was and is my favorite movie of all time. I agree, funny and terrifying. Lived in Chicago area and toured a Nike base installation there via friends of grandfather. Unfortunately they were military and I always knew they were just like the fanatics in this movie. So it is even more grim for me. Was even given a ceramic Oozlefinch figurine by a general there. Creepy as hell.
@breadandcircuses My dad, not a film buff at all, remembers this movie very well and that the balance at the time was definitely more towards terrifying in the aftermath of Cuban missile crisis (I suspect this was particularly true for audiences outside USA who then and now find hyper-patriotism bewildering). My fave movie of all time, I think.
From what I've read people had NO idea to take it when it came out. It was hard for them to believe it was supposed to be funny, as it was very "too soon". But it's supposed to be funny AND terrifying. I love it so much.
The fanaticism, the bad timing of "we would have revealed this critical information next week when it would have been a good political move".
The only thing missing to apply 100% today, which "Don't look up" does have, is the deluded corporate oligarch who sold them a solution that doesn't work.
It was big news; I read about it, heard about it, but never saw it.
Back then movies were released in limited numbers. I don't know if making more copies was too exepensive, but the deal was you waited for it to come to your theater. My city had 3 theaters. This would have hit our biggest maybe 6-9 months after release. Then the 2nd run another 6-12 months later. I graduated high school in '65, started college 2 weeks later, did not see a movie for several years.-geezer
"But today, war is too important to be left to politicians. They have neither the time, the training, nor the inclination for strategic thought." — General Jack D. Ripper