As a 20-year-old, Joe Amodei was in love with the Philadelphia Flyers. 

They had just won consecutive Stanley Cups and were now facing the Soviet Red Army in what was billed as hockey's version of the Cold War.

That was 50 years ago, in the bicentennial year, and Amodei, his parents and siblings were glued to their TV set in their Bucks County home when that epic game was played at the reverberating Spectrum on Jan. 11, 1976.

It left a lasting impression on the budding filmmaker.

"I remember that game vividly, as much as I remember the Stanley Cup games and going to the parades," Amodei said.

Fast forward to today, and Amodei, with lots of assistance from cinematographer Bert Archer and executive producer Brian Samelson, has put together a stirring and highly popular documentary that is his salute to the Broad Street Bullies of that era.

Amodei said he wanted to pay tribute to what the Flyers did for the city in their heyday and to give them "one last hurrah."

Since its release on May 27, Cold War in Philly has drawn sellout crowds to many theaters in the Philadelphia area and will continue to play to audiences throughout the summer and into October, when the new hockey season begins. You can check out theaters and dates at coldwarinphilly.com. 

The film is now available to prebook on Amazon, and it will be available to view on July 13. In mid-July, it will also be available for rent or purchase on other sites.

"Documentaries usually do not make much money; that's not why you make them," Amodei said in a recent interview. "I made this because I wanted to pay tribute to the guys for what they did for the city, something they can show their kids and grandkids. Film is everlasting, and this will be there for everyone to see and to remember what they did."

The fact that the movie has "touched the hearts of the players and the fans and has turned into a hit makes it even more rewarding," he said. "Theaters continue to play the film to packed houses."

In the game against the Soviets, the Flyers ignored the intense pressure they were under and saved face for the NHL – and all of North America – as they soundly defeated the Soviets 4-1 and outshot them 49-13.

The Soviets had not lost to an NHL team before their tour ended against Philadelphia.

The film has interviews with key members of the team, along with those with a strong connection to the club. 

At the showings, Dave Schultz and Larry Goodenough, players on the team that dominated the Russians, probably have drawn the most laughs with their engaging, deadpan comments.

The film is amusing and informative, and it also blends the Russian culture into the 80-minute show – and it gets serious when author Alan Bass talks about how Flyers owner Ed Snider used the game to make a political statement about how Russia mistreated Jews. 

Bass, who wrote a book on Snider (Ed Snider: The Last Sports Mogul), mentions the Refuseniks – Jews who were trying to leave the Soviet Union in the 1970s but were not allowed to do so.

Bass' interview gives the film context, explaining Snider allowed signs to hang from the top of the Spectrum for the game against the Red Army, denouncing Russia's anti-Semitism and sending a message to viewers of the international telecast.

In an old interview with the late Snider shown in the film, the owner said it makes him "very happy" that "the Russians who are bullying all the people and all the countries behind the Iron Curtain would be afraid of us."

Audiences have been very receptive to the film, chanting "Let's Go Flyers!" as it starts, cheering loudly for each goal scored against the Soviets, and giving the late Gene Hart, the iconic broadcaster, a roaring ovation as he appeared on the screen during the showing in Phoenixville, Pa.

At one point in the opening period, the Russians left the ice after Ed Van Impe – who plays a major role in the film – decked Valeri Kharlamov with a hit.

That caused the Soviet Red Army to leave the ice in protest, believing a penalty should have been called.

Several members of the Flyers' 1970s teams have attended the movie showings and taken part in a question-and-answer session after the film. They will continue to do so in select screenings over the next few months.

Joe Watson, the defenseman who never runs out of stories and does the unthinkable in the win over the Soviets, and his brother, Jimmy, have appeared at many Q&A sessions after the shows.

"They love to talk about that time," Amodei said of the Flyers of that golden era. "These guys are having the time of their lives."

So are the audiences.

See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.