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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a great film. I saw this at the cinema when it first came out - boy, does that date me! I think that it is a very atmospheric film and, even with all the CGI that they have to work with today, I doubt very much if it could be bettered. I find the re-makes of some films are too frenetic, while this film is very low-key, which makes it all the more frightening. You can feel the temperature rising while the actors are sweating it out on screen, and the fog rolling up the Thames is a great effect. If you only buy one DVD of an old film, make it this one, you won't regret it.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Gosh - where to start!
`The Day The Earth Caught Fire' is one of the most intelligent science-fiction/apocalypse movies ever made, and that's that. If you can live with the completely absurd premise that our planet could be knocked over by 2 simultaneous atom-bomb tests, when the Chuxulub impact of 65 million years ago didn't even make it sneeze, then the rest is easy-peasy.
Set in London, and mostly from the standpoint of the `Daily Express' newspaper office, the disaster unfolds with frightening plausibility. Most movies of this genre usually had (and still have) a political, military or scientific overview with the media presented as little more than a side-issue, a baying mob. here, we see the story breaking from the actual standpoint of the media, a premise to which the Daily Express gave substantial support. It is the other instiutions that are marginalised.
Seldom-seen Edward Judd won his first starring role as a journalist on the skids. His marriage has broken down, he has limited access to his estranging son, he has become disillusioned, bitter, and wobbles on the threshold of alcoholism and dismissal. He now holds women in contempt. But although obnoxious, he is desperately vulnerable. Judd was a big man and handsome in the traditional British way. He had tremendous screen presence, not unlike Richard Burton. His character is kept in some sort of order by the science correspondent, an indulgent uncle-figure here played by excellent Leo McKern, who always brought a solid lump of gravitas to every role. See his conniving `Cromwell' in `A Man For All Seasons', not to mention his enduringly humorous `Rumpole'. Janet Munro is `the girl'. She is marked to bring salvation to Judd's character - if they survive. And a very fiesty heroine she presents. These three are core to a host of decent character actors, with cameos from Bernard Braden and a juvenile Michael Caine.
The climate-change effects are simple, but believable and harrowing. Clear genuine disaster footage is incorporated seamlessly. The sweaty spell is never broken by clumsy editing.
But the real high-point is the script. It's as sharp and witty as those of the best film-noir. Some have criticised it for being too smart; however, I don't agree. These people are journalists, wordsmiths; their business is the witty summation, the one-line header. And it keeps the story moving at a fast, intelligent pace.
It is surely a measure of the adult theme of this movie, that despite its vintage, and despite the absence of any graphic violence or explicit sex, it still commands the same `15' rating as the Coens' recent and extremely brutal `No Country For Old Men'. On a couple of occasions there is swearing. McKern utters the `B' word once.
The `Network' DVD is satisfactorily clear both visually and aurally. There are no extras.
`The Day The Earth Caught Fire' is one of the most intelligent science-fiction/apocalypse movies ever made, and that's that. If you can live with the completely absurd premise that our planet could be knocked over by 2 simultaneous atom-bomb tests, when the Chuxulub impact of 65 million years ago didn't even make it sneeze, then the rest is easy-peasy.
Set in London, and mostly from the standpoint of the `Daily Express' newspaper office, the disaster unfolds with frightening plausibility. Most movies of this genre usually had (and still have) a political, military or scientific overview with the media presented as little more than a side-issue, a baying mob. here, we see the story breaking from the actual standpoint of the media, a premise to which the Daily Express gave substantial support. It is the other instiutions that are marginalised.
Seldom-seen Edward Judd won his first starring role as a journalist on the skids. His marriage has broken down, he has limited access to his estranging son, he has become disillusioned, bitter, and wobbles on the threshold of alcoholism and dismissal. He now holds women in contempt. But although obnoxious, he is desperately vulnerable. Judd was a big man and handsome in the traditional British way. He had tremendous screen presence, not unlike Richard Burton. His character is kept in some sort of order by the science correspondent, an indulgent uncle-figure here played by excellent Leo McKern, who always brought a solid lump of gravitas to every role. See his conniving `Cromwell' in `A Man For All Seasons', not to mention his enduringly humorous `Rumpole'. Janet Munro is `the girl'. She is marked to bring salvation to Judd's character - if they survive. And a very fiesty heroine she presents. These three are core to a host of decent character actors, with cameos from Bernard Braden and a juvenile Michael Caine.
The climate-change effects are simple, but believable and harrowing. Clear genuine disaster footage is incorporated seamlessly. The sweaty spell is never broken by clumsy editing.
But the real high-point is the script. It's as sharp and witty as those of the best film-noir. Some have criticised it for being too smart; however, I don't agree. These people are journalists, wordsmiths; their business is the witty summation, the one-line header. And it keeps the story moving at a fast, intelligent pace.
It is surely a measure of the adult theme of this movie, that despite its vintage, and despite the absence of any graphic violence or explicit sex, it still commands the same `15' rating as the Coens' recent and extremely brutal `No Country For Old Men'. On a couple of occasions there is swearing. McKern utters the `B' word once.
The `Network' DVD is satisfactorily clear both visually and aurally. There are no extras.
26 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
First released in 1961, this classic sci-fi has stood the test of time. When two hydrogen bombs are detonated at the same time in different parts of the world, the result is that the Earth's tilt had been altered; or so it is thought.
Much of the story takes place within a newspaper office as a reporter played by Edward Judd suddenly finds himself the man of the moment when he discovers the real truth about what those two atomic detonations have actually caused. There are severe weather changes, storms, heatwaves, fog, floods and fires break out worldwide as the world population tries to come to terms with the knowledge that the earth is doomed unless scientists can come up with a solution which could save the world.
This is a fine film overall, well acted and directed, with decent special effects for its time. The scenes of London showing a dried up Thames are eerie, with added colour filters enhancing the heat as the world gradually comes to an end; or does it?
Actually the ending is left open for the viewer to decide whether the world is saved or not.
There is a great cast with many household names appearing throughout. Edward Judd's love interest is played by the lovely Janet Munro who died tragically young in 1968 of heart disease. Leo McKern, Austin Trevor, Bernard Braden, Reginald Beckworth, and before he became a Carry On regular, Peter Butterworth. A mention must also be made of Arthur Chrisitiansen, one time editor of Daily Express who was also Technical Advisor on the film.
I also believe that it remains to this day, one of the finest British films ever.
Much of the story takes place within a newspaper office as a reporter played by Edward Judd suddenly finds himself the man of the moment when he discovers the real truth about what those two atomic detonations have actually caused. There are severe weather changes, storms, heatwaves, fog, floods and fires break out worldwide as the world population tries to come to terms with the knowledge that the earth is doomed unless scientists can come up with a solution which could save the world.
This is a fine film overall, well acted and directed, with decent special effects for its time. The scenes of London showing a dried up Thames are eerie, with added colour filters enhancing the heat as the world gradually comes to an end; or does it?
Actually the ending is left open for the viewer to decide whether the world is saved or not.
There is a great cast with many household names appearing throughout. Edward Judd's love interest is played by the lovely Janet Munro who died tragically young in 1968 of heart disease. Leo McKern, Austin Trevor, Bernard Braden, Reginald Beckworth, and before he became a Carry On regular, Peter Butterworth. A mention must also be made of Arthur Chrisitiansen, one time editor of Daily Express who was also Technical Advisor on the film.
I also believe that it remains to this day, one of the finest British films ever.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
wonderful
This is a brilliant film ( with a very early Micheal Cane in a small roll). It is particularly good to be reminded of a time when Fleet Street was something to be proud of rather... Read more
Published 2 days ago by Sefton
Slow Pace
Disappointed by this movie for several reasons.
The story was slow, for example the first twenty
minutes were devoted to the news reels. Read more
The story was slow, for example the first twenty
minutes were devoted to the news reels. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Bookworm70
Get This Film- A disaster movie with conscience
This is one of cinema's unsung classics. So far ahead of it's time and yet still very relevant today. An early disaster movie with conscience. Read more
Published 15 days ago by Mr. E. Sierpowski
the day the earth caught fire
these classic sci fi movies with probably hardly any special effects are at least as good as the sci fi of toaday
Published 1 month ago by T. J. Day
Underrated classic..But !
I have seen this film Maybe 3 times in my life, It is very rarely on Television and I think the last time maybe 10 years ago.[That reminds me, I must buy it sometime! Read more
Published 3 months ago by baggy
The cheaper re-release from Network.
Great movie, sure... but be aware that the new, cheaper, Network Dvd version (the one with the newspaper headline and picture of the three main stars on the cover) is completely... Read more
Published 3 months ago by SeaWasp
sci-fi at it's best
Just how sci-fi should be made, well acted and directed with a good storyline, one I never tire of watching.
Oh to be trapped in a london pea super with Janet Munro.
Oh to be trapped in a london pea super with Janet Munro.
Published 8 months ago by John Lightfoot
X Certificate
I recently purchased this film and while it is quite dated in parts, it has generally stood up well for the year it was made. Read more
Published 9 months ago by rory100
Excellent purchase
I saw this film many years ago on television. On buying the DVD I realised that the cast has a host of figures familiar from film and television, most of them in unsung secondary... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Mark Richard Kidger
A funny film
I like the storyline, even though it is preposterous. It has a certain atmosphere (no pun intended) that makes it very watch-able. Read more
Published 13 months ago by richard8998
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