On The Beach

[Oh Shoot]

Not exactly "survival", just as The Road isn't either, but just watched it again on TCM; probably seen it 10 times through my life ... always such an impact. Doesn't hurt that I've always thought Ava Gardner (along with Sophia Loren) was one of the loveliest examples of female pulchritude ever in the history of the species.

Just hard to believe sometimes that we still retain the capability to completely eradicate ourselves, really is.

Anyway, for anyone who has never seen it, highly recommended. 1959, but not the least bit dated. And you'll never hear Waltzing Matilda in the same way again.

- OS

Edited April 2, 2011 by OhShoot

[Mike.357]

that is a GREAT flick.

Gregory Peck may well be the most underated actor ever.

And thanks Mac, Waltzing Mathilda is not stuck in my head.

[Moped]

The book as always was better. But that was a good movie. Didn't much are for the remake. Came out several years ago. Saw it on TV.

[Oh Shoot]

The book as always was better. But that was a good movie. Didn't much are for the remake. Came out several years ago. Saw it on TV.

Be damned, I'd never heard of it.

On the Beach (TV 2000) - IMDb

- OS

[Defender]

There's actually two of these, both good, but the original is better IMO.

[hipower]

Ditto.^^^^ Seen both. Number 2 ok, but Rachael Ward is no Ava Gardner. And you can't beat Gregory Peck with a stick.

[Moped]

The book was by Nevil Shute and had the same title. I read it and then found out it was a movie. Here is the Amazon link.

Amazon.com: On the Beach: Nevil Shute: Books

I also read Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank at much the same time. I actually liked this better than On the Beach, which was darker and bellicose.

Lucifer's Hammer was one of my favorites and like One Second After, really makes you think about what you need to survive and what is needed to save civilization as we know it. Lets just say that if TEOTWAWKI was to ever happen, one of my salvage runs will be to as many libraries as I can find to save as many books as I possibly can. In that situation, knowledge is going to extremely important. Maybe not at the beginning, but once everyone gets back on their feet it will be priceless.

Edited April 3, 2011 by Moped

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Yes On the Beach original movie and novel are good. As is Lucifer's Hammer. Never saw the movie remake of On The Beach.

A "kill the entire world" On the Beach scenario would likely require global thermonukular war with lots of big cobalt bombs. But OTOH strategists were talking cobalt bombs at the time so it wasn't out of the question.

Massive dirty fallout bombs were also integral to Dr. Strangelove, another cold war classic. Dr. Strangelove had some survival-relevant sections--

[Defender]

The book was by Nevil Shute and had the same title. I read it and then found out it was a movie. Here is the Amazon link.

Amazon.com: On the Beach: Nevil Shute: Books

I also read Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank at much the same time. I actually liked this better than On the Beach, which was darker and bellicose.

Lucifer's Hammer was one of my favorites and like One Second After, really makes you think about what you need to survive and what is needed to save civilization as we know it. Lets just say that if TEOTWAWKI was to ever happen, one of my salvage runs will be to as many libraries as I can find to save as many books as I possibly can. In that situation, knowledge is going to extremely important. Maybe not at the beginning, but once everyone gets back on their feet it will be priceless.

I agree. I've loved reading this genre ever since as a kid I read Andre Norton's Daybreak 2250 A.D...Have read most similar opns since then...One Second After was very well written. Would love to read an updated Lucifer's Hammer, set in more modern times...