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The portrayal of nuclear weapons in film, literature and music provides a view into the broader public perceptions of these weapons. Following is analysis and opinion from Ploughshares Fund staff, grantees and guests on the use of nuclear weapons in entertainment.
Summer Reading List: 2013
Summer. Time to think, time to go to the beach and time to catch up on some reading. This summer, staff at Ploughshares Fund is looking forward to several new foreign policy books, and squeezing in a couple novels that we’ve been meaning to read. Got some time coming up on a plane? We suggest you check out one of these. Read more »
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Posted by admin on June 3, 2013
Book Review, David Ignatius, Entertainment, Kevin Powers, Marc Eliot, Michael Douglas, Steve Pifer
The Starship Enterprise’s Dark Nuclear Past
Co-authored by Paul Carroll and Ben Loehrke Star Trek: Into Darkness is the latest in the decades-old Star Trek franchise. To date the film has grossed nearly $160 million at the box office. Not bad for its first week. After all, it cost about $190 million to make, so it seems poised to break even very soon. Read more »
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Posted by Paul Carroll on May 28, 2013
Entertainment, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, National Ignition Facility, Nuclear Budget, Star Trek, United States
Top 10 Books for Your 2013 Radioactive Reading Resolution
With a new year come exciting opportunities to expand your knowledge of nuclear issues. Since you have probably read through last year’s list (well done!) and our summer list (kudos!), we’re providing you with a brand new list to satisfy your reading resolution for 2013. Covering diverse topics from Hiroshima manga (Japanese graphic novels) to the development of the bomb in Pakistan there is something to satisfy the nuclear wonk in everyone. Read more »
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Posted by Jessica Sleight on January 22, 2013
Japan, Book Review, Entertainment, Nuclear Terrrorism, Nuclear Zero, Russia, Pakistan, Iran
Who's the Real Villain?
In the good old days, Superman fought villains like Parasite, the purple-skinned monster, and Titano, a giant ape with laser-beam eyes. Batman warded off evil-doers The Penguin and Mr. Freeze. Spiderman battled Doctor Octopuses’ eight lethal arms. Lately, the real enemies in superhero movies haven’t been scary monsters or disfigured madmen. In fact, they haven’t been living things at all. They’ve been nuclear weapons (which have fallen into the hands of the monsters and madmen). Read more »
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Posted by Megan Murphy on August 15, 2012
Entertainment, Nuclear Terrorism
12 Books on Nuclear Weapons That We're "(Summer) Loving"
Summer’s here! Time to kick back and… brush up on nuclear policy? Whether you’re looking for a beach read, or are from San Francisco like us – where summer proved to be Mark Twain’s “coldest winter” – these summer months are a great time to dive into a good book. Did our New Year’s list leave you hungry for more? These 12 books - from Shute’s science-fiction to Alibek’s science-all-too-real – should do the trick: Read more »
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Posted by Nora Wilkinson on June 14, 2012
Barack Obama, Cold War, Colin Powell, David Corn, Entertainment, Nuclear Weapons, Rachel Maddow
Nuclear Weapons: Hero or Villain in The Avengers
With Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, Captain America, Hulk, Hawkeye and Nick Fury facing off against Loki and a horde of Chitauri from another world one would not expect that the ultimate villain in the film, typically, is a nuclear weapon threatening to vaporize New York City under the auspices of saving the planet from invaders. Read more »
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Posted by Peter Fedewa on May 7, 2012
Entertainment, Nuclear Weapons
Changing the Tune on Nuclear Weapons - VIDEO
There are plenty of songs out there that reference some kind of nuclear holocaust but few, if any, are as up-tempo and cheerful as satirist Tom Lehrer’s “We will all go Together when We Go.” This performance was recorded in 1967, in the midst of the Cold War. Read more »
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Posted by Peter Fedewa on March 5, 2012
Cold War, Entertainment, Nuclear Posture, Nuclear warfare, Nuclear Weapons, Tom Lehrer, Video, United States
Our Oscar Pick: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
It might not have received a nomination for Best Picture, but ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ is our stand out film this Oscar season. Its on-point depiction of tension between the United States and Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War, not to mention the brilliant acting of Oscar-nominated Gary Oldman, make this spy thriller more than just an entertaining two hours of cinema. It’s a telling portrayal that makes reference to a problem that’s spanned decades – wasteful spending on nuclear weapons. Read more »
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Posted by Megan Murphy on February 24, 2012
Arms Control Association, budget, Ed Markey, Entertainment, Michael Douglas, Navy, Nuclear Budget, Pentagon, Russia, Soviet Union, United States
11 Essential Books on Nuclear Weapons
Was your New Year’s resolution to learn more about nuclear policy this year? Probably not. But just in case, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite reading on nuclear weapons. From well-loved classics, to the treasures of the past few years, we hope that this selection sheds some light on some of the most important issues of 2012. Read more »
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Posted by admin on January 3, 2012
Book Review, David Hoffman, Don Oberdorfer, Entertainment, Mohamed El Baradei, Nuclear Weapons, Richard Rhodes, Tom Zoellner
The X-Men Didn't Save Us
It wasn't the mutants. It was humans that caused the Cuban Missile Crisis. Only luck saved us from nuclear war. But other than that, the new film, X-Men: First Class, gets a lot right about the historic crisis that is central to its plot. Read more »
Posted by Joe Cirincione on June 16, 2011
Entertainment, Missile Defense, Nuclear Weapons, Russia, U.S. Foreign Policy, Nuclear Terrorism, U.S. Nuclear Policy, Military Strategy, Missiles & Space, Other, United States