Ep. 07-20: Fail Safe (1964) & Dr. Strangelove… (1964)

FAIL SAFE (1964), directed by Sidney Lumet, is a gripping Cold War thriller about a U.S. bomber crew accidentally ordered to attack Moscow due to a technical glitch. As officials race to prevent global nuclear annihilation, tensions soar in this stark and unsettling drama. Featuring Henry Fonda as the President and Walter Matthau as a hawkish strategist, the film explores the harrowing fragility of technology and the devastating consequences of human error in a nuclear age.

DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964), directed by Stanley Kubrick, is a biting satire of Cold War paranoia and nuclear warfare. When a deranged U.S. general orders a nuclear strike on the Soviet Union, politicians, military leaders, and the eccentric Dr. Strangelove scramble to prevent Armageddon. With Peter Sellers in multiple iconic roles, this dark comedy skewers the absurdities of war and the fragile balance of global power.

Welcome to our latest double feature, where tension meets satire in the Cold War crucible. Fail Safe (1964) and Dr. Strangelove (1964) showcase two sides of nuclear anxiety—one a grim procedural, the other a biting black comedy. Join us as we explore various aspects of these films, from their contrasting tones and tight screenplays to their iconic performances. Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys grapples with doomsday dilemmas, pondering control, chaos, and human folly.

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Ep. 05-05: 2010 The Year We Make Contact (1984)

2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984)—Brave explorers travel the far reaches of the solar system, continuing the story of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). The destination is Jupiter, where a joint effort of Russian and American astronauts journey. Drs. Heywood Floyd (Roy Scheider), Walter Curnow (John Lithgow), R. Chandra (Bob Balaban), and Russian commander Tanya Kirbuk (Helen Mirren) aim to uncover what happened to Dave (Keir Dullea) and seek answers for both past and present mysteries.

05-05 2010

Space… where no successful sci-fi movie can resist returning for a sequel. In the case of 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984), however, it is a welcome return. Join us as we discuss the film’s stellar cast, Hyams vs. Kubrick’s directing, the script, special effects, and more. Listen as Johnny Has the Keys returns to Jupiter, seeking answers for Hal’s murderous motives and what happened to Dave while encountering present dangers in the ever-evolving mystery of the monolith.

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Ep. 04-40: A Clockwork Orange (1971)

In future England, Alex (Malcolm McDowell) and his “Droogs” spend their nights getting high at the Korova Milkbar before embarking on “a little of the old ultraviolence.” After he’s jailed for bludgeoning a woman to death, Alex submits to a behavior modification technique to earn his freedom. He’s conditioned to abhor violence, returned to the world defenseless, and becomes the victim of a prior victim.

04-40 A Clockwork Orange

Stanley Kubrick’s films are lush, meticulously executed, brimming with beautiful color, and incredibly cold. A Clockwork Orange (1971), based on the popular novel by Anthony Burgess, is no exception. Join us for our season finale, as we discuss this controversial movie—its origins, the magnificent Malcolm McDowell, and the public response. Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys journeys to dystopian London, where violent thugs terrorize the streets and science provides a unique twist on conversion therapy.

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Ep. 04-35: A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

A robotic boy, the first programmed to love, David (Haley Joel Osment) is adopted as a test case by a Cybertronics employee (Sam Robards) and his wife (Frances O’Connor). Though he gradually becomes their child, a series of unexpected circumstances make this life impossible for David. Without acceptance by humans or machines, David embarks on a journey to discover where he truly belongs, uncovering a world in which the line between robot and machine is both vast and profoundly thin.

A.I. – Artificial Intelligence

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) is really the vision of two different directors, Steven Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick. Join us as we discuss the evolution of this project and its collaborative progression from one director to the other. Join us as we discuss the pros and cons of the movies including, the screenplay, the talented cast (especially Osment and Law), and special effects. Listen, as Johnny Has the Keys, ventures into a robotic future where again we ask that common sci-fi question… What does it really mean to be human?