The Day the Earth Caught Fire
S'funny how an old favourite can sometimes let you down.
I hadn't seen this in thirty years and then a friend said he'd bought it.
So, like friends do he lent it to me. Oh dear.
It's not travelled well over time. If you have not seen the film then the plots central premise is a good one. Back in 1961 there was a lot of nuclear testing going on and the superpowers did nottalk to each other much. Bad luck and poor timing meant two huge explosions occurred simultaneously and they were a big enough jolt to nudge the earth off its axis.
Spinning all awry, our planet was edging ever closer to the sun. Blimey!
What I found lamentable was not the plot - a really good idea - the problem was the script. The whole sorry saga was seen through the eyes of a Fleet Street hack played by he late Edward Judd. In fact the backdrop of Fleet Street as it was almost fifty years ago was rather interesting.
If Journalists really did used to talk in this manner though - half jokey one liners, always trying to put each other down with unfunny asides then maybe I didn't want to be a reporter after all! (fat chance anyway).
The special effects were obviously quite crude but were semi-effective.
In fact the more I write as I'm sat here the more I'm beginning to revise my opinion. :confused
It disappointed me, sure - but you might like it if black and white British made movies are your bag - they are mine.....usually. Hell Drivers anyone?
Confused
Tonbridge Wells
