The Day The Earth Caught Fire [VHS] [1961]: Edward Judd, Janet Munro, Leo McKern, Michael Goodliffe, Bernard Braden, Reginald Beckwith, Gene Anderson, Renée Asherson, Arthur Christiansen, Austin Trevor, Edward Underdown, Ian Ellis, Harry Waxman, Val Guest, Bill Lenny, F. Sherwin Green, Wolf Mankowitz: Amazon.co.uk: Video

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Synopsis

This tale is told through the eyes of three people: Peter Stenning, a reporter for a national newspaper, Jeannie Craig, Stenning's girlfriend and Bill Maguire, a science correspondent. Nuclear tests have caused the Earth to be knocked off it's axis and it is heading at speed towards the sun...

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

4.7 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best British thrillers ever, 16 Nov 2003

By	S. Hapgood "www.sjhstrangetales.com" - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

I know that's a pretty grand claim of mine in the title, but I really believe this is one of the most intelligent, well-acted, and chillingly effective films we've ever made. Made at the height of concern about nuclear warfare (this was the era of the CND Aldermaston marches), it takes the idea that by detonating two massive nuclear bombs at once we have caused the Earth to shift off its axis and ... gulp, we are now heading towards the sun! Much of the unfolding terror is seen through the eyes of journalists in a newspaper office covering daily what could be the oncoming end of the world. These scenes are highly effective indeed, most particularly the briefings in the Editor's office, and Leo McKern is splendid as a jaundiced hack getting his biggest (and most unwelcome!) story. As the days click on and society begins to unravel, with water rationing causing riots and old diseases making a comeback, you even get reminded of later terrifying docu-dramas like "The War Game" and "Threads". On a lighter note look out for a before-he-was-famous Michael Caine appearing briefly in one scene as a policeman doing traffic duty.

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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel . . ., 31 Jul 2002

By	"uaithne_clairseach" - See all my reviews

This film is possibly one of my favourite black and white films.

It works on several layers including social commentary; moral philosophy; environmental destruction which includes Humankind's innate desire to experiment with forces it does not really understand.

The Nuclear Age began at Trinity, New Mexico USA at 05:30am on July 17, 1945, with Robert Oppenheimer quoting from the Bible on seeing the first mushroom cloud: "I am become Death - the shatterer of worlds."

The film uses the cinematic and narrative tool of the anti-hero in which we encounter a jaded journalist who discovers that without each others' knowledge Russia and America have conducted simultaneous nuclear detonations at the North and South poles. The result of these detonations is catastrophic with the Earth's axis being sent out of alignment and sending Earth on a one-way journey towards the sun.

Our protaganist has relationship and alcohol problems but is spurred into action in trying to discover why the weather has changed so dramatically in recent times.

As the film progresses we see in a sub-parody of Golding's 'Lord of the Flies' how civilisation can adopt anarchistic tendencies when faced with oblivion. Watch out for the scene with the young Beatnik crowd journeying through London as water rationing is imposed on London's citizens.

The film has a cliff hanger ending which should never be divulged to non-initiates but overall this film comes highly recommended by me as thought-provoking and a piece of cinematic excellence for the discerning and intelligent lover of good cinema.

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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great writing, great atmosphere, great DVD, 7 Jan 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Day The Earth Caught Fire [1961] [DVD] (DVD)

I'd forgotten just how good this film is. Fine performances bring to life a very good script and the setting is brilliantly realised. This isn't just British SF at its best, its SF at its best. OK so some of the science is cobblers but the story is stylish and clever.

The DVD is excellent. A good range of extras and, most importantly, a brilliantly clear print of the film itself. The sepia tinged opening is particularly effective and looks better than ever.

And this is a film with one of those endings that you can never get out of your mind.

Highly recommended.