Scariest Apocalypse/Nuclear War Movie

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054743/
"A troublemaking student at a girl's school accuses two teachers of being lesbians" ???

 

The classic in this genre was the 1959 release "On the Beach," from the novel of the same name by Nevil Shute. Stanley Kramer directed, starring Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner. At the height of the Cold War, its anti-war message was so resounding that the Dept. of Defense and U.S. Navy refused to cooperate in its filming, and a British Royal Navy sub was used for interior scenes. Fred Astaire made his dramatic debut in a supporting role, and Anthony Perkins (later of Psycho) has a haunting role here as well. And, yes, the world ends.

 

"Wolverines!!!!!"

 

Hey, the kid's father turned him in.

 

I remember one critic pointed out how strange it was how in movies like Mad Max after a nuclear holocaust, there were shortages of everything, but there always seemed to be plenty of bullets.
I always got a kick out of that observation.

 

Personal favorite of this genre will always be Fail-Safe. Great cast. Great, riveting drama. Aside from his comedic work, it's Walter Mattahu's best role.

I've never seen Testament, but I've heard that is pretty good, too.

If you want to see something truly dark and disturbing, I'd suggest The War Game. It was a BBC pseudo-documentary that was supposed to air on the anniversary of the Hiroshima boming in the mid 60s. After a couple theatre screenings, in which audiences left horrified, the BBC decided not to air it for nearly 20 years.

You can find The War Game in five parts on You Tube. If you're interested in the genre, you should watch.

 

Except in Mad Max, there weren't plenty of bullets and they used a lot of alternative weapons. They actually handled that particular issue fairly well in Mad Max.

 

I always wonder if some people walked out of the Dawn of the Dead remake as soon as the credits started and never realized there was more to the movie. Anybody here do that?

 

Does "The Terminator" count?

 

I'll second F_H's mention of "Fail-Safe".
CBS butchered it a few years ago when they tried to do it live.

Also, anyone ever see "Special Bulletin"?
If I remember correctly, it was about Charleston, SC being destroyed, but since it was in the form of a newscast, NBC had to run all kinds of disclaimers prior, as to not cause a "War of the Worlds"-type panic.

 

I kinda liked the Clooney version. Wasn't as strong, but the fact they performed it live gave it a nostaligic feel.

I remember Special Bulletin but it's been a while. I think it's available on DVD.

Here are my top 5 nuke films

1. Fail-Safe
2. Dr. Strangelove
3. Day After
4. By Dawn's Early Light
5. Colussus: The Forbin Project (sleeper pick)

 

Serious answer: Fail-Safe -- wonderfully tense film.

Bullshit answer: Them! GIANT FUCKING ANTS!!!!