[.ca] Day The Earth Caught Fire

Amazon.com Essential Video:
Despite its melodramatic title, which carried on a '50s doomsday naming convention, this taut 1961 English science fiction thriller offers an object lesson in the power of story over special effects. When both the Soviets and the West detonate nuclear tests simultaneously, the seismic double whammy jolts the earth off its axis and onto a new orbit sending it fatally closer to the sun--a fate that writer-director-producer Val Guest views from the street-level perspective of its principal characters, rather than an off-world vantage point. The street in question, however, is London's Fleet Street, the venerable hub of its newspaper and tabloid publishers, and the hard-nosed reporters growing realization that their number is up carries its own stark punch. Edward Judd is Peter Stenning, a rugged, appropriately grim reporter, Leo McKern is tough but compassionate editor Bill Maguire, and Janet Munro is Stenning's love interest, in an elfin, sexy turn that's a striking contrast to her best-known turn in Disney's Darby O'Gill and the Little People. With an effects arsenal that consists largely of a spray bottle to apply beads of "sweat," Guest and his small but crack cast are surprisingly effective, and the cold war plot hook still works, thanks to its uncomfortable proximity to more contemporary environmental terrors. --Sam Sutherland

One of the greatest early disaster films ever made!:
It's London, England in the early 1960's and both the United States and The Soviet Union have simultaneously set off nuclear explosions. At The London Daily Express news of weird and strange weather happenings around the world begin being reported to the public. However, as Science Reporter Bill McGuire and other reporters at the newspaper begin digging deeper into the story, they are shocked to discover that the explosions set off by the US and Soviet Union have knocked the earth off it's axis and sent it hurtling towards the sun. Now, the world's best scientists must find some way to prevent the Earth from being destroyed by the sun...but will they find it in time? and, more importantly, will it save the Earth from being destroyed by the sun?? This is another classic Sci-Fi film produced, directed and co-written by Val Guest (The Quartermass Xperiment). The situations surrounding the chaos are portrayed very realistically for it's time. What really surprised me about this film is it's use of Special Effects. Unlike today's ecological disaster films, like The Day After Tomorrow and The Core , The Day The Earth Caught Fire doesn't overwhelm you with Special Effects; they're used just enough to relate the gravity of the situation. The main focus of this movie is it's in-depth characterizations of the people involved and how they react to the idea that they may be living their last days on earth. Edward Judd (Carry On Sergeant, I Was Monty's Double) as newspaper reporter Peter Stenning, Janet Munro (Darby O'Gill and the Little People) as Jeanne Craig ,his source and love interest, Leo McKern ( The Prisoner, Rumpole Of The Bailey) as Science Report Bill McGuire and just-then-retired Chief Editor of The London Daily Express Arthur Christiansen as Chief Editor Jeff give performances that make you believe in the characters they're portraying. Look out for some steamy sex scenes with a teasingly naked Janet Munro and Edward Judd, pretty daring for it's time! If you look carefully near the end of the film, you'll see a young Michael Caine as a policeman directing traffic! This film was released on DVD in 2001 and has been restored for the first time since it's release in 1961. The results of that restoration are marvellous, as not a bit of grain nor age spots can be found in the picture,. The sharpness and contrast are excellent, especially in the tinted scenes at the beginning and end, deliberately done that way to show the effect the sun is having on the Earth as it gets nearer! The Dolby Digital Mono soundtrack that accompanies the movie also sounds great! As for the extras, you'll get TV and Radio Spots for the film, A bio of Val Guest, the original theatrical trailer, and audio commentary by Val Guest and journalist Ted Newsom. So, if you're looking to see a truly original Sci-Fi film that pre-dates today's Sci-Fi disaster flicks you'll certainly want to give this a try. You may even want to add it to your collection!

long afternoon of earth:
The late great VAL GUEST did a spot on job with this terrific doomsday thriller. Guest worked as a newspaper man during his early years and he gets the details of the journalism business just right.It is this characteristic that helps ground the film in a believable reality;the science is a bit wonky but who cares? This film has got some excellent performances, especially from Leo McKern and (in his 1st and only acting job) real life newspaper king Aurthur Christiensen (who I think gives a marvelous performance--i was surprised to hear Guest comment that he had a difficult time memorizing his lines) The main character played by Edward Judd is a bit of an irritating jerk--sunk in self pity and equipped with a series of annoying one-liners that are designed to show everyone how "hip" and "edgy" he is, but he just comes across as unlikable. The SPFX are not too shabby considering the miniscule budget. The DVD version of this film has an excellent commentary by Mr Guest who provides a lot of interesting information. The very first shots of this movie--with Edward Judd plodding thru an empty sun-blasted London to his newspaper offices downtown--is still a benchmark for low budget ingenuity and it is really a treat to seeTHE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE with the original red-tinted bookends; I first saw this film in the early 90's on VHS and even without them it was impressive--butit looks even better with the colored gels! THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE will remain one of the best apocalyptic films ever made.Its an enduring testament to the talent of VAL GUEST,who has recently shuffled off this mortal coil... may he rest in peace.

Hammer sometimes made good movies....:
Val Guest's script and direction are effectively handeled in this movie, that looks a bit more like an expanded Twilight Zone episode, rather then a movie, but the strength of the screenplay and cast make this a good movie to watch as the Earth's days are numbered in a story that is an effective protest against nuclear weapons testing.

Amazing Film:
Imagine, an adult sci-fi film! What a concept. Not a single B.E.M. in sight. Easily one of the top ten sci-films of all time. Considering the ridiculously low budget they had to work with and made by the British not a giant American studio, this is a phenomenal movie. Do not hesitate to get this one if you are over 20. Great idea, terrific build-up. Leo McKern is tops. Now, if they would just re-release Val Guest's "The Quatermass Experiment" on DVD.

A disaster classic from England...:
With the summer hoopla of the end-of-the-world saga "The Day After Tomorrow" smashing theaters, I'm reminded of one of the great disaster films of all time. You probably haven't heard of the 1962 flick, as it was made in England of all places. But it was a brilliant little suspense drama, told from the viewpoint of a bustling London newsroom. Called "The Day the Earth Caught Fire, this terrific disaster drama did not have great box office success, but critics rightfully regarded it as a diamond awaiting discovery. The special effects are minimal, as we see littered abandoned streets, thick London fogs, a few burning buildings and drunk beatniks dancing on cars. The beauty of this film is emphasis on story and character rather than special effects. British science fiction from this period leaned towards respectability, and "The Day the Earth Caught Fire's" writer/director Val Guest was responsible for many of these films. His "The Quatermass Experiment" began the trend in 1955, and he continued with "Quatermass II: Enemy From Space" (1957) and "The Abominable Snowman" (1957). "The Day the Earth Caught Fire" has been a favorite of mine because most of the intense drama is played out in the confines of the newsroom. Edward Judd plays a down-on-his-luck reporter suffering the trauma of divorce, writer's block and alcoholism. His buddy and mentor, wonderfully played by Leo McKern, covers for him and even writes a few stories under his friend's byline. The dialog crackles in "The Day the Earth Caught Fire," and alert viewers will find themselves rewinding the film just to catch lines a second time. Witty conversations move at a quick clip, reminiscent of Howard Hawks' classic overlapping dialog in "The Thing" (1951) or "His Girl Friday" (1940). Judd stumbles upon the story of the century as he discovers a paranoid meteorological scientist attempting a cover-up. With temperatures rising to record numbers, twisters forming in London and floods wrecking havoc across the globe, Judd realizes something is amiss. It appears the Soviets and the West detonated nuclear tests simultaneously, and the double-barreled explosion knocked the earth off its axis. Our doomed planet is moving closer to the sun. Judd finds time to romance the lovely Janet Munro, a part-time phone operator at the newspaper. The scene where she and Judd consummate their attraction is surprisingly sexy. Due to an oppressive heat mist fog which shuts London down, the two fledgling lovebirds find themselves stranded at Munro's apartment. With temperatures hovering around 90 degrees, they strip to their underwear as night begins to fall. A bedside phone rings, Judd speaks to the newspaper, and the sweaty pair end up in each other's arms. I love the frantic activity of the newsroom as reporters scurry to make deadline. These British reporters go about their job with energetic professionalism, the scenes as realistic as any seen in the classic newspaper film "All the President's Men." Arthur Christiansen, an actual newspaper editor, plays himself. He has the best line when he asks a reporter for a story. The reporter snidely replies, "Isn't it too late to still be writing stories?" Christiansen answers, "It's never too late for a good news story well written." "The Day the Earth Caught Fire" predates global warming and other environmental terrors by several decades. It's a shockingly good film for those unacquainted, with some of the best dialog ever written for the genre. By most accounts, "The Day After Tomorrow" is all special effects and little dialog. With "The Day the Earth Caught Fire," you get all dialog and little special effects. It's never too late for a good film well written.