Rating: 
Summary: It's GRRRREAT! Don't hesitate to get this one!
Review: "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!
Rating:
Summary: It's GRRRREAT! Don't hesitate to get this one!
Review: "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!
Rating:
Summary: smart sf drama...
Review: ..that has taken way too long to become available on the market. I originally saw this in a revival theatre some 10 years ago and was literally blown away by the exceptional quality in almost all aspects of the production. It's one of the great sf films of its era, a sadly neglected hammer production that has solid acting, smart and sassy dialogue, and startlingly good special effects. It works not as campy fun (as is the case with most sf movies) but as a solid dramatic effort - rather like the Quatermass films even if it is quite different in approach. All in all, a balanced and exciting mix that entertains you from the beginning to the end, and continues to show it's intelligence in the effective conclusion. First rate.
Rating:
Summary: intelligent sci-fi
Review: Director Val Guest delivers one of the finest science fiction films ever made.With its real locations,literate script, documentary feel and a complete lack of the usual blaring music typical of the period this is a stand out movie of the genre.
You can almost feel the temperature rising as the film progresses.A great demonstration of what may happen if mankind continues to stupidly detonate nuclear warheads.
Rating:
Summary: A great movie about the end of us all
Review: I have to confess the only reason that I bought "The Day the Eath Caught Fire" was due to its premsis of the end of the world. I LOVED IT! I thought that the acting and storyline was great. The Director is a excellent job. The movie kept the viewer guessing right end about the fate of the earth. A Great Job!
Rating:
Summary: A great movie about the end of us all
Review: I have to confess the only reason that I bought "The Day the Eath Caught Fire" was due to its premsis of the end of the world. I LOVED IT! I thought that the acting and storyline was great. The Director is a excellent job. The movie kept the viewer guessing right end about the fate of the earth. A Great Job!
Rating: 
Summary: A 1950s Story for Our Times
Review: I saw this film as a 15 year old in 1958 living in a west-of-London suburb and, with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmanent movement at its height, it resonated as loudly as a church bell. Not only that I was fascinated by how newspapers operated and this film gave me a, probably eroneous glimpse, inside that world, the film laid out a highly convincing scenario. Yes, the film suffered from a massive lack of budget but the British film industry was in crisis (when isn't it?) and there were no bankers for this type of honest story. And yes, Britsh actors were just coming out of the Noel Coward stereotype and finding their angry young man 'Look Back in Anger' feet, so weren't the hottest acts in town but this film made its own small contribution to honesty in acting as well as story telling. It's as much an anti-nuclear arms/war classic as "On The Beach". It's brilliant.
Rating:
Summary: A 1950s Story for Our Times
Review: I saw this film as a 15 year old in 1958 living in a west-of-London suburb and, with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmanent movement at its height, it resonated as loudly as a church bell. Not only that I was fascinated by how newspapers operated and this film gave me a, probably eroneous glimpse, inside that world, the film laid out a highly convincing scenario. Yes, the film suffered from a massive lack of budget but the British film industry was in crisis (when isn't it?) and there were no bankers for this type of honest story. And yes, Britsh actors were just coming out of the Noel Coward stereotype and finding their angry young man 'Look Back in Anger' feet, so weren't the hottest acts in town but this film made its own small contribution to honesty in acting as well as story telling. It's as much an anti-nuclear arms/war classic as "On The Beach". It's brilliant.
Rating:
Summary: Not A Lot Of People Know That
Review: It is good to see this film back in it's correct aspect ratio with original color tinted sequences. And not forgetting a very early appearance of Michael Caine! However, the sound seems slighlty strange with possible lip-sync problems. I hope Anchor Bay do an equally good job on "The Wicker Man", also out on DVD later this year in a wooden box!
Rating:
Summary: Quality Filmmaking Hides Small Budget
Review: Let's face it, most "end of the world" pictures are usually weak. This one is one of the most intelligent sci-fi films, in terms of dialogue and direction, ever made. The premise is a bit wacky: the earth is knocked off it's axis and hurling toward the sun. But it's handled with such care it becomes tolerable. The setting is a London newspaper. The story unfolds through the eyes of has been reporter Peter Stenning (played brilliantly by Edward Judd). He's an alcoholic getting his life together when he stumbles upon the story of a lifetime, with the help of a beautiful young lady he immediatley falls in love with (Janet Munro).
The acting, writing, direction are all superb. The films effects (provided by Les Bowie) are a bit obvious, but since they are NOT the focus of the film, you won't mind. A bit of trivia: JFK reportedly admired this film (released 1962).
There is speculation to this day about the film's end. Is the world saved or not? It is a bit ambiguous, and I won't spoil it for you here.
The film is beautifully restored for DVD. An orange tint is used at the beginning and end of the film to convey heat (as in the theatrical version). Val Guest's commentary is very interesting, and there's a photo gallery featuring Janet Munro's publicity shots. Fans of this talented actress (who tragicly died young in the early 70's) will especially appreciate this section.
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