Hottest Cold War Movies
This article will take you through some of the Hottest Cold War Movies of our time! Some movies are old. Some are relatively new. Yet all of them are timeless classics. In a time when the citizens of America feared nuclear warfare daily, these movies offered brief reprieve. America has long had a fascination with actors and cinema. These Cold War movies fulfilled that deep fascination.
8) Funeral Berlin
Funeral Berlin was a movie based on Len Deighton’s novel under the same name. The novel was released in 1964. Only two years before the movie hit screens. Funeral Berlin was a story about British and Soviet spies operating in Germany during the Cold War. This film starred Michael Caine, Oscar Homolka, and Eva Renzi. The Funeral Berlin film was a hit. At that time, much of the world had a fascination with spies following the James Bond films. The movie’s release was very timely in that respect.
7) The Beast
The Beast was a movie about a young Soviet tanker with a conscience. As they rolled through Afghanistan he was ordered to commit atrocities. He refuses a direct order and is left to die in the deserts of Afghanistan. Just as he was about to be killed, Mujahideen fighters come to his aid. They took him in as a guest under their code of honor, the Pashtunwali. This movie was directed by Kevin Reynolds and stars Jason Patric and Stephen Baldwin.
6) Thirteen Days
Thirteen Days is a true story based on the Cuban Missile Crisis. Those Thirteen Days were the most tense in American history. Our nation was on the brink of nuclear war as the Soviets placed missile silos in Cuba. It all came down to a showdown as a US Fleet held a blockade over Cuba. History will tell the rest. Thirteen Days stars Kevin Costner, Bruce Greenwood, and Steven Culp. The movie was directed by Roger Donaldson and released on January 12, 2001.
5) Charlie Wilson’s War
Charlie Wilson’s War was an amazing film that put the Cold War in an entirely new perspective for many. In this movie Tom Hanks stars as House Representative Charlie Wilson. Charlie Wilson orchestrates one of the largest most covert arms deals in US history. During this deal, weapons are funneled to arm Afghan fighters warring against the Soviet Union. Based on a true story, the lingering effects of Charlie Wilson’s War are still felt today by our troops.
4) Spies Like Us
Spies Like Us brought a little comedy to the Cold War. Starring Chevy Chase and Dan Ackroyd, this film paid homage to “Road To…” Starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. In the movie Spies Like Us Chevy Chase and Dan Ackroyd are a couple inexperienced misfit spies. They are sent behind Soviet lines as an expendable diversion tactic. Of course, in the end, the duo end up saving the day!
3) Hunt for the Red October
The Hunt for the Red October originally started out as a novel by best-selling author Tom Clancy. The Hunt for the Red October has an all-star cast. This includes Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glen, Sam Neill, and James Earl Jones. The story was a suspenseful game of cat-and-mouse. As the US Fleet hunted the infamous Soviet nuclear submarine Red October. The Hunt for the Red October was directed by John Teirnan and was released March 2, 1990.
2) Red Dawn
Red Dawn is a Cold War movie that poses the “what if” question. “What if the Soviets invade the USA?” Some high school kids in a small town end up becoming insurgents after Soviet airborne put boots-on-deck in American soil. The movie starred Patrick Swayze. He made the Soviets pay for every inch of ground they took. A band of high school student commenced a ruthless guerrilla campaign to take back their town.
1) Rambo 3
Coming in at number “1” Rambo 3 is a no-brainer! The name Rambo became synonymous with bad-ass warfighter. This was due to the character, played by Sylvester Stallone, John Rambo. John Rambo was a Vietnam vet that had seen some stuff overseas on his double-digit deployments. He battles with his own personal demons as he continues to merc the enemy unceasingly. In Rambo 3, John Rambo proceeds to help the Mujahideen defeat an entire Soviet division almost single-handedly. Looking at this in hindsight, maybe it wasn’t a good idea?