An overview of The Day the Earth Caught Fire, including cast and credit details, a review summary, and more.
Mar 3, 2015.. An all-time great London film, The Day the Earth Caught Fire sets the stage for the end of the world in real-life locations around the capital.
Nov 15, 2014.. 1961, THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE Edward Judd, Janet Munro and Leo McKern in The Day the Earth Caught Fire. Photograph: ..
When the USA and Russia test atomic bombs at the same time, it knocks the Earth out its orbit and sends it spiraling toward the Sun.
"The Day the Earth Caught Fire" (1961) is one of my most eagerly awaited DVDs ever - a terrific, thoughtful and all-around superb movie (winner of the 1961 BAFTA for best screenplay) which has only been available on mediocre pan & scan VHS in the past. And now the DVD is out... I AM IN HEAVEN! The picture quality is stunning, no exaggeration, and the original tints have been restored to different segments of the black-and-white film. Anamorphic widescreen at about 2.33:1. The photo section is surprisingly extensive, lots of good publicity stills, although I was surprised to see a bit of nudity in a few of them (parents be cautioned if necessary). The disc contains tv and radio spots, a Val Guest biography, theatrical trailer and a commentary from Val Guest and journalist Ted Newsom (which I haven't had time to sample yet). A nice brief essay is inside the 4-page booklet and there's a reproduction of the movie's one-sheet poster too. Don't hesitate to buy this one, even if you've never seen the movie before. To quote a bit from the back cover: "When the United States and the Soviet Union simultaneously set off nuclear explosions, the London Daily Express begins to report on bizarre weather changes around the world. But when the reporters dig deeper, they discover that the blasts have knocked Earth off its axis and sent it hurtling towards the sun." As sensationalistic as that sounds, the concept is handled very realistically. Edward Judd is outstanding in the lead role, supported nicely by Janet Munro and Leo McKern. This movie is one of the world's overlooked gems. You won't regret buying it! The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1962) has impressive credentials, given that it was co-written and directed by Val Guest, the man who brought to the screen such classic films as The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) and The Abominable Snowman (1957). Peter Stenning (Edward Judd) is a down on his luck newspaper man, struggling with the difficulties of his recent divorce, maintaining a relationship with his young son, and taking up the drink a bit more often than he probably should, all having a negative effect on his once upwardly mobile career and his life in general. To top things off, London begins suffering a heat wave like it's rarely seen before. Not only that, but it seems all around the world strange phenomena has been occurring from flooding, earthquakes, drought, freak snowstorms, typhoons, etc. All coming on the heels of news that within the past week the Soviets and the Americans both detonated atomic devices larger than had ever been seen before. Leo McKern plays Bill Maguire, an associate and close friend at the newspaper where Peter works, and begins to develop a theory about what's going on, but is not able to confirm anything as the government has kept a tight lid on what it knows, handing out canned responses to an ever questioning press and public. Peter, while trying to squeeze some information out of a government office, meets Jeannie Craig (Janet Munro), a worker within the office who sometimes operates the switchboard receiving calls. Peter starts putting the moves on her, but she isn't very responsive...at first. Soon the temperature starts rising, lakes and rivers start drying up, and government enforced water rationing measures are put into effect.Read more › This is one of my all-time favorite films, available at long last in widescreen format on DVD! Intelligent and classy, The Day the Earth Caught Fire isn't my usual so-bad-it's-good fare, but a movie you'll actually enjoy watching. Reporter Edward Judd uncovers a nefarious cover-up on the part of the government: the Earth's been knocked out of orbit by atom bombs, but the powers that be want to keep the lid on the news to avoid mass panic...which of course happens anyway. Janet Munro sets the screen on fire as the sexy temp who spills the beans to Judd, doing her first nude scene after leaving Disney. Leo (Rumpole) McKern as Judd's fellow reporter is his excellent, lovably irascible self. Some very effective special effects The DVD includes commentary by producer/director/co-writer Val Guest, and features tinted opening and closing scenes as shown in some theaters. Very highly recommended.
The Day the Earth Caught Fire is a British science fiction disaster film starring Edward Judd, Leo McKern and Janet Munro. It was directed by Val Guest and ..
Amazon.com: The Day The Earth Caught Fire: Janet Munro, Leo McKern, Edward Judd, Val Guest, Wolf Mankowitz: Movies & TV.
When the USA and Russia test atomic bombs at the same time, it knocks the Earth out its orbit and sends it spiraling toward the Sun.
Certainly watching The Day the Earth Caught Fire again after forty-four years takes me into a deep time-slip, a strange overlap of worlds. In 2005, the film seems ..
Despite its come-on title, The Day the Earth Caught Fire is an intelligent, disturbing piece of speculative fiction. Through the eyes of British reporter Peter ..
