Post Apocalyptic Movies

[ARIES666]

Twenty years before "The Terminator", an episode of "The Outer Limits" aired entitled "Demon With A Glass Hand". For those who have seen it (VioletLightning, I bet), you can see where I am going with this. Anyway, without giving away too much of the plot/storyline, it involves some "baddies" from the future travelling back to the present to "terminate" another "time traveller". This "time traveller" is on a mission to save the human race of the future.

I have only seen The Terminator in the theatre, on cable and on VHS...I have not seen the DVD. I don't know if James Cameron or Gale Anne Hurd (they wrote the screenplay) discuss their influences and inspiration for The Terminator, but I'd bet a million bucks Cameron saw "Demon With A Glass Hand" as kid/teenager!

Anyway...if you want to see some incredible 60's SciFi TV...check out "The Outer Limits: Demon With A Glass Hand"

[violet lightning]

:D Hi!
I only vaguely remember the episode, but never connected that with "Terminator", but I bet you are right! ( I need to rewatch that episode)
One thing I know, is there are very few truly "original" ideas...
We all are influenced and tend to build on what we like or inspires us. (with our own unique twist of course) Might be conscious or unconsciously.
Some of the people who come to mind as being truly original in sci-fi or film were writers like Phillip K. Dick (Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report, etc) and Rod Serling and directors like Stanley Kubrik and Ridley Scott, but of course, they had their influences too.
I haven't seen the DVD, but I'd like to hear what did influence him.

I still haven't seen "Deathproof" or the other drive-in feature,(can't think of the name off hand) even though I own a copy of each.(gifts) I just can't seem to get in the mood. Old crappy drive-in movies were fun because they were unintentionally bad and exploitive, but when they purposely make ones like that, the kitsch factor is missing.
:D...Snake... he rocks! And he even hooked up with older woman Goldie Hawn!

[ARIES666]

Great post, VioletLightning....

Most directors are inspired or influenced by other great directors. Inspired to first...make movies, and then...to use them as a template for some of their own screen efforts. For example, George Lucas was influenced by the chariot race in Ben-Hur...he incorporated that into the first Star Wars film (I think it wa the first). The list goes on and on.

Agree with you on the "Deathproof/Planet Terror". Tarantino has access to millions of dollars of financing for his movies. The true "B" movies are made on "shoestring" budgets and many times they look it....hence their charm!

[cdp206]

Hi folks,

I'm relatively new to these boards so won't go barging in! Some good suggestions, although I'll admit, not being an avid film-goer ot TV watcher, some title have passed me by - sorry folks!

However, one film which seems to be missing from these lists is Barry Hines' "Threads". It's both pre- and post-apocalyptic, in terms of nuclear war and was for a long time, banned by the BBC. I think it was shown recently on BBC 4 though. The full movie is on Google movies but I don't think I can due to lack of posts (or dare, in case I'm modded off!) put up a link to it. For the time (1984) and it's very low budget, it's quite a thought provoking piece of work.

What makes it chilling is, it centres around the ordinary lives of two families and the first half centres around them - you hardly notice the build-up to nuclear confrontation going on until it's too late. Unlike many post-apocalyptic films, the second half, after the bomb(s) have been dropped, it continues for ten years after, charting the progress of the daughter of one of the main characters.

Another aspect, which makes it more believable, is the science behind it. The battery of advisors listed at the end of the film, including Carl Sagan, is huge. It's also made like a documentary and uses real locations in a British northern industrial city. Also, what hammers things home is - there's absolutely NO music at all.

Just don't watch it before bed time. I'm in my mid-forties and it still scares the willies out of me!

A Google search for "Threads+nuclear war" should find it

It's also listed on IMDB. The user comments are very telling.

Now to try and think of something to lighten the tone...........

[violet lightning]

No worries, join in on the fun!:D

I looked up "Threads" (1983 BBC Teleplay)and indeed, it sounds very scary. It looks like they really made an effort to be realistic and do some deep research on the aftermath effects on society, individuals, etc. (the play goes 13 years after nuclear war)

Interestingly, it also came out at around the same time as the U.S. "The Day After" (also 1983) which also made a strong impact on people who saw it.

Posters for each....