The Day The Earth Caught Fire
Watched this last night (new blu ray release out tomorrow).
I can distinctly remember watching this on TV way back and being quite disappointed in it, primarily because it was not a special-effects disaster/sci fi movie, as I had thought. Found it quite talky and dull.
But viewing it now, it's something of a masterpiece.
It centres primarily around the newsroom of the Daily Express, and how they break and run with the story of drastic changes to the worlds climate following the detonation of two atomic bombs. Edward Judd stars, along with Leo McKern and Janet Munro.
The dialogue is witty, snappy and quickfire, and for a movie made in 1961 has a surprising amount of nudity (mainly from Munro, ) and promiscuity, chauvinism and sexism are rife. The workings of the Express newsroom are very realistically portrayed.
The effects are ambitious if somewhat amateurish, but that is part of the charm, and can be forgiven considering the low budget and the era in which the film was made.
And it's a very good new 4K transfer as well. Plus a ton of extras including a new making of doc, interview with Leo McKern from 2001, commentary, Guardian lecture with Val Guest, and 3 archival British nuclear docs. Icing on the cake is Edward Judd's infamous 'Think Bike' public information film.
A classic little British movie, and a breath of fresh air compared to the recent spate of effects heavy, overblown fare.
I can distinctly remember watching this on TV way back and being quite disappointed in it, primarily because it was not a special-effects disaster/sci fi movie, as I had thought. Found it quite talky and dull.
But viewing it now, it's something of a masterpiece.
It centres primarily around the newsroom of the Daily Express, and how they break and run with the story of drastic changes to the worlds climate following the detonation of two atomic bombs. Edward Judd stars, along with Leo McKern and Janet Munro.
The dialogue is witty, snappy and quickfire, and for a movie made in 1961 has a surprising amount of nudity (mainly from Munro, ) and promiscuity, chauvinism and sexism are rife. The workings of the Express newsroom are very realistically portrayed.
The effects are ambitious if somewhat amateurish, but that is part of the charm, and can be forgiven considering the low budget and the era in which the film was made.
And it's a very good new 4K transfer as well. Plus a ton of extras including a new making of doc, interview with Leo McKern from 2001, commentary, Guardian lecture with Val Guest, and 3 archival British nuclear docs. Icing on the cake is Edward Judd's infamous 'Think Bike' public information film.
A classic little British movie, and a breath of fresh air compared to the recent spate of effects heavy, overblown fare.
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Comments
Yes, though it's the unmistakeable voice that gives it away, you don't really see his face that much (scene takes place at night), and it's only a few seconds.
Another interesting piece of casting was Arthur Christiansen, the real-life editor of the Express at that time playing himself. He was no actor, and it certainly showed.
And it was Edward Judd's only significant film role, and should have propelled him onto better things (it's a very good performance), but he spent most of his career in TV guest star roles, soaps etc.
That film was made, quite fortuitously, right at the start of the great smog of London, and by luck was able to use the actual footage of smog rolling up the Thames, and the streets of London with policemen holding lighted burning torches. You might have thought it amateurish but in fact it was real.
Anyone who lived in London at the time will remember it, and it directly led to the passing of the Clean Air Act, put through Parliament by Robert Maxwell, who was a Labour minister and who said that was the biggest achievement of his life.
Some would say it was all downhill after that, for him. He of course started the great pension robbing which all companies did and which has led to the current rubbish pension schemes we have generally.
A pretty good film I agree.
Yes, you could see that footage was real, and they also used a lot of stock footage from the blitz, with buildings on fire, lots of rubble, devastation etc
As I said though some of the model work and backdrops now look a little cheesy, it must have looked quite realistic back in the day.
Very different from the film version of Day Of The Triffids (released the year after) which was given a happy ending completely out of kilter which the book's ending
Peter Butterworth (Carry On) and Bernard Braden (big on TV in the 60's) can be seen too (just)
I saw it again this year and enjoyed it much more.
So can John Barron aka CJ from The Fall And Rise of Reginald Perrin
I didn't get where I am today by spotting actors in minor roles before they were famous.
Super!!