Michael_Elliott Red Nightmare (1962) *** (out of 4)Jerry (Jack Kelly) is the proud father of three and has a loving wife but he wants to let up on his PTA and union responsibilities. He then gets a chance to see why all Americas should stay focused as he has a nightmare about being control ed by Communists.George Waggner (THE WOLF MAN, HORROR ISLAND) directed this twenty- eight minute short that tries to scare Americans into making sure they understand the horrors that would face them if they were under Communist control. The film plays out like an episode of The Twilight Zone and it's actually a lot more entertaining than most propaganda films.This one works well because Kelly gives such a good performance in the lead. I thought he sold his role quite nicely and there was some nice narration by Jack Webb who also hosts this. Another thing that works is that the material is quite over-dramatic but the director manages to sell it without it coming off as being too silly. RED NIGHTMARE isn't a masterpiece or even a very good movie but it's an interesting piece of history at at time when these type of fears were quite strong.

icoa9125 I too am a history teacher, specializing in postwar American history. This IS a glimpse into history - not the history of the Soviet Union but of the United States and the very worrying extent of the irrational hysteria about Communism in that period. I don't think it is very relevant to talk about how realistic this is as a portrayal of the USSR as the point is that this is a portrayal of a Communist takeover of the USA and that was just never going to happen, either by external invasion or internal subversion. To understand a film like this we are better off looking at domestic American politics and to the advantages this bogey- man (a negative mirror-image of what America was understood to be) afforded various groups, and the need for others (like film executives who were not from Anglo-Saxon Protestant backgrounds and who wanted a handy baton to beat Unions with) to present themselves as "100% American". There are lessons to be learned here but not about the USSR.

MartinHafer I am a history teacher and I find a few of the comments about this movie disconcerting. While I am quick to admit that this film goes way overboard and is a good example of a propaganda film made during the so-called "Red Scare", the fears concerning Soviet domination were not unfounded--though some other reviews seem to indicate this. I remember the era and there were genuine reasons to be afraid--nuclear war seemed imminent and the Stalin years were a recent memory when the film was made, so I can see the context for RED NIGHTMARE (by the way kids, Stalin was bad...okay!). Now the likelihood of the US being invaded and everyone becoming "good little Commies" was incredibly remote to say the least, though the film did a good job showing some of the ways that a totalitarian Communist system would affect the life of a common man or woman. Of course, Jack Webb's deadly earnest delivery and style is incredibly dated when seen today--but back in 1962, the film probably did a great job of scaring the pants off the average viewer. Seen today, it's a quaint but interesting history lesson--showing insight into the thinking and fears of the average American. Because of this, I don't think just laughing the film off does justice to this well-made but a tad preachy short film.

Andy Sandfoss I got this expecting a camp riot. What I found was a fairly standard propaganda piece, a bit confused at times but generally aware of itself enough to stay "on message" as the phrase goes these days. Jack Webb, though obviously rightist, was too knowledgeable and talented to let things get completely out of control. As a result, the film isn't as funny as originally billed; it really provokes no strong response in me at all. Ho-hum.