Watch The Atomic Cafe

The Atomic Cafe is a groundbreaking documentary film that was released in 1982. Directed by Jayne Loader, Kevin Rafferty, and Pierce Rafferty, the film is a compilation of newsreels and government-produced films that were created during the 1940s and 1950s. The film takes a critical look at the United States' efforts to develop and promote nuclear power during this period, and it offers a startlingly candid and often unsettling view of the nation's obsession with atomic energy.

At the heart of The Atomic Cafe is a simple but powerful thesis: that the propaganda films produced by the US government during the Cold War era were not only intended to promote atomic power, but were also used to shape public opinion and to justify the country's nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union. The film uses a variety of techniques to drive its point home, including interviews with military and government officials, footage of nuclear bomb tests, and excerpts from instructional films that teach schoolchildren how to "duck and cover" in the event of an atomic attack.

One of the most striking features of The Atomic Cafe is its use of irony and satire to illuminate the absurdity of the government's nuclear propaganda. For example, the film shows a training film that instructs soldiers on how to use a flamethrower to destroy any crops and livestock they may encounter in a foreign country – a tactic that would not only destroy the local food supply, but also potentially contaminate the area with radiation. Similarly, the film includes an interview with Paul Tibbets, the pilot who dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, in which he describes the experience as "just another bombing run." The juxtaposition of Tibbets' cavalier attitude and the terrible destruction that he caused is both shocking and illuminating.

Another key aspect of The Atomic Cafe's critique is its focus on the government's efforts to minimize the dangers of atomic power. The film shows footage of officials repeatedly insisting that nuclear power plants are perfectly safe, despite evidence to the contrary. For example, the film highlights the 1957 fire at the Windscale nuclear plant in the UK, which spewed radioactive waste into the atmosphere, and includes clips of US officials dismissing the incident as a minor mishap. The film also features interviews with people who were affected by nuclear testing, such as the Marshallese islanders who were evicted from their homes so that the US could conduct bomb tests in the Pacific.

However, despite its critical stance, The Atomic Cafe is not a polemic. The film is structured as a series of vignettes, with each segment offering a snapshot of a particular aspect of the atomic age. The filmmakers allow the images and the words of the government officials and experts to speak for themselves, without overtly condemning or praising them. This approach allows the audience to draw its own conclusions, and it underscores the complexity of the issues that the film addresses.

Overall, The Atomic Cafe is a powerful and thought-provoking film that offers a unique perspective on a pivotal period in US history. Its use of irony and satire to critique the government's nuclear propaganda is both effective and disturbing, and its emphasis on the human cost of the atomic age is sobering. The film is a compelling reminder of the need for critical engagement and dialogue in the face of complex and pressing issues, and it is a must-see for anyone interested in the history of the Cold War and the role of media in shaping public opinion.

The Atomic Cafe is a 1982 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 26 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.6.