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The Day The Earth Caught Fire [1961]


RRP: £9.99
Our Price: £7.00 (subject to change)

Before Greenpeace was invented...
Review date: 2008-11-20 Rating: 10 out of 10

I wonder if Al Gore has seen this film? 'An Inconvenient Truth' was a worthy attempt to highlight the plight of our fragile planet that ultimately failed because it contained too may factual inaccuracies and was delivered by a man who subsequently served Mexican Sea Bass (one of the rarest fish in the world) to several hundred guests at his daughter's wedding.

Although blighted by a 50's sci-fi B-movie title, The Day the Earth Caught Fire is in actual fact also a film about environmental disaster. The year is 1961 and, it is implied, excessive nuclear weapons testing all around the world has caused a significant shift in the Earth's axis meaning we are now considerably closer to the Sun than all but the most hard core tanning addict would feel comfortable with.

The story is seen through the eyes of employees at a Fleet Street newspaper office and this provides an interesting device to show not only the impact on a human level but also, as they have the task of reporting what's happening, on a wider scale too. We get to see the effects of what the individual will suffer AND we hear about how the authorities intend to deal with it.

This is not the only reason why this movie is so good though. The Acting is excellent from all involved, Leo McKern, Eddie Judd and Janet Munro in particular. The Script is word perfect and the story moves at just the right pace to keep you gripped without skipping any of the science stuff. And that ending will haunt you for many nights after seeing it!

I think that the lesson here, beyond the currently fashionable environmental issue, is that there are many examples out there such as this film to prove that the UK used to make good films. Why we forgot I have no idea but it's not like film makers can't watch them again, learn what is required and repeat the formula. Instead though they want to churn out the same Guy Richie clones, bodice ripping period romances and Hugh Grant style foppishness instead. The National Lottery has a lot to answer for.

That dear reader is my half baked rant over for this review!

Watch The Day The Earth Caught Fire, it is excellent.

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Reviews


A modern movie
Review date: 2008-01-23 Rating: 10 out of 10

This 1960s sci-fi is a compelling and interesting watch. You are sucked into period London and the lives of the young reporters, by the combination of the intriguing story and the broken life of the the leading man. The film addresses the 'do it now, think later' nature of man and some key issues are raised for the time, such as the nuclear weapons programs and the fear of the cold war. However the film still has a message for man of today, although I'm sure unintended by the director. It contains warnings of the effect of climate change and melting the polar ice caps, a very modern problem. The combination of enjoyable story and thought provoking subjects make this a five star film.

A Hot Film
Review date: 2007-09-30 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is simply the best Sci-Fi movie ever made (and that's coming from someone who has been a Sci-Fi nut since 1959!) It was also President Kennedy's favourite movie.
The Earth is knocked off its axis by two massive H-Bombs exploded at the same time on opposite sides of the planet, thus causing it to fall towards the sun.
It's the story of a reporter and his girlfriend trying to find out what has happened and then reporting it to the world (whatever happened to Edward Judd? He was a good actor)
Good story, good effects, good acting and interesting ending.
Buy and enjoy

Hot, hot, hot!
Review date: 2007-08-16 Rating: 10 out of 10

In an episode of "Cheers" Norm and Cliff are arguing at the bar about the sweatiest films ever made. I think they decide the winner is "Cool Hand Luke". There is sadly no mention of this simply superb film "The Day The Earth Caught Fire"! Shame on those beer guzzling anoraks for having this gap in their movie knowledge.

Nuclear tests have sent the Earth heading towards the Sun, and as the temperature rises so does the tension in this masterfully created and executed story. The film focuses on the London reporters covering the catastrophe itself, and there are simply dozens of scenes of old Fleet Street press offices, all cigarette smoke and hassled editors. Edward Judd and Leo McKern are ideally cast as the leads, and they are well supported throughout.

And, set as it is in the 1960s, all the men wear suits and ties and thus sweat profusely. Was the film EVER seen in Boston?? I think we should be told...



British Anti Nuclear Film
Review date: 2005-06-15 Rating: 10 out of 10

I remember seeing this film on Saturday afternoons when I was a kid and rewatching as an adult made me appreciate just what this film has to say. The day the Earth caught fire was made at a time when people lived with the fear that world could at any time be decimated by nuclear war, even when I was a child it seemed quite probable yet people doggidly went on with there lives. There's an element of this in The day the Earth caught fire as people continue to live their lives as the earth rocked by nuclear tests hurtles towards the sun.
Edward Judd plays a reporter for a london newspaper who through bouts of drinking discovers that similtanious nuclear tests by the americans and russians have dislodged the earth from it's orbit and have set it on course to hit the sun, Judds not bad in the role and Janet Munro makes an excellent and sexy female interest but Leo McKern can't help but steal the show. His grizzled portrayal of Judds friend and newpaper journo is electrifying to watch. It's worth the money just to see him but you won't have wasted any cash on this film even if he hadn't been in it. The day the Earth caught fire is an intelligent taught and highly entertaining film, to call it Sci fi would be wrong, It's just an excellent drama with a slightly far fetched plot. Although at the time it really didn't seem that far fetched living under the shadow of the bomb.
The end is particularly un Hollywood as it leaves you hanging, never finding out the fate of the characters.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Michael Goodliffe
Leo McKern
Janet Munro
Bernard Braden
Edward Judd

Creators:
Edward Judd (Primary Contributor)
Janet Munro (Primary Contributor)
Harry Waxman (Cinematographer)
Val Guest (Producer)
Val Guest (Writer)
Bill Lenny (Editor)
F. Sherwin Green (Producer)
Wolf Mankowitz (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: Network
Manufacturer: Network
EAN: 5027626113834
Binding: VHS Tape
Number of items: 1
Format: Black & White, PAL,
Release date: 2001-08-27
Number of discs: 1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Running time: 99 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1962-05

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