Sputnik Mania
Fifty years ago, at the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first satellite to orbit the earth, bringing America to its knees in awe—then fear. Initially thrilling as a marvel of science, Sputnik was soon viewed by America a weapon of mass destruction. Sputnik Mania explores the fast-moving series of events that brought the world's super-powers to the brink of nuclear war, and includes the story of two ex-generals whose private agreement prevented World War III.
The film leads us through the first year following the launch of Sputnik. In 1958, a nuclear weapon was tested in the atmosphere by either Russia or the United States every three days. By the end of that year, nothing was the same. Sputnik spurred us into an arms and space race, necessitating the creation of an academic army of scientists and engineers. This led to the development of NASA, massive reforms in our education system, and the discoveries that enabled many of the consumer technologies on which we depend today (the Internet, cell phones, global positioning systems, credit card verifications and high-definition televisions). The launch of Sputnik also led to widespread panic, fear and anxiety as leading politicians and the media whipped the public into an escalating mass frenzy; only months after Sputnik's launch, 60 percent of Americans thought that nuclear war was imminent and that 50 percent of the American population would likely die.
Sputnik Mania sings an uncannily prophetic song of the past to the tune of the present. It tells a story of great relevance to issues facing the 21st century.
Trailer
Credits
Director/Producer/Writer/Cinematographer: David Hoffman
Producer/Editor: John Vincent Barrett
Producer: Eric Reid
Executive Producer: Jay Walker
Writer: Paul Dickson
Running time: 87 min.
Website: SputnikMania.com
About the Filmmaker
DAVID HOFFMAN is one of America's veteran documentary filmmakers. Many of Hoffman's reality-style films present a view of recent American events and how the American people experienced them. During his 40-year career, he has made four feature-length documentaries -- King, Murray; It's All Good; Sing Sing Thanksgiving with BB King; and Earl Scruggs: His Family & Friends. King, Murray earned the Critics Award at the 1970 Cannes Film Festival.
Hoffman has also made more than 100 primetime documentary television specials and series, mostly for PBS and Turner Broadcasting. Among his most notable projects include the acclaimed 10-part Ten Who Dared; the landmark six-part PBS series Making Sense of the Sixties; Turner Broadcasting's Moon Shot, which earned a George Foster Peabody Award; and episodes of the PBS series American Experience and NOVA.
Hoffman has founded several startup companies and is founder and CEO of Sagas, for locally based remote video interviewing. Hoffman founded his production company, Varied Directions, 35 years ago and spent much of his career making films in Camden, Maine. Today he lives and works in Santa Cruz, California.