Having a bad day? Spilt coffee over your new shoes? Neighbours playing loud music? Computer on the blink? No matter how bad your day gets, take pity on the poor inhabitants of Earth in The Day The Earth Caught Fire. In their version of the early 1960s, massive nuclear tests have sent the planet spiralling to a fiery death in the Sun, which kind of puts your bad day to shame really. Also, in this weird alternative Earth, the Daily Express is actually a well-respected, hard-news-focused quality newspaper. Strange eh?
Join us as we celebrate all things Leo McKern, swoon over the lovely Janet Munro and marvel at how simple matte paintings of ruined London actually look a darn sight better than most contemporary CGI imaginings of the apocalypse. Also, find out how queuing has a key role in the end of the world (in Britain at least). We also manage to not talk about the ending, despite that being one the things people always talk about when they discuss this film. Well done us!
Without further ado, here’s this week’s feature presentation… Click below:
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101 Films Podcast 015 – The Day The Earth Caught Fire
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Director: Val Guest Year of release: 1961 Studio/Distributor: British Lion Films (UK), Universial International Pictures (USA) Country: UK
101 Films You Should Have Seen 
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