Thursday, July 11, 2013

It's the End of the World as We Know It!

The end of the world is a always a popular subject. After 2012, however, it seems that we are home free, for at least a while. Until that asteroid hits or that supervolcano in Yellowstone takes us all down, we have to turn our attention to the silver screen for all of our apocalyptic needs. There are my favorite films about the End of the World.

1. The Apocalypse Trilogy (The Thing, Prince of Darkness, In the Mouth of Madness)

The Apocalypse is a scary thing, but it will effect us all. The thing that makes John Carpenter's Apocalypse Trilogy so scary is that it the source of the end only effects a certain group. A personal apocalypse, if you will. From aliens to otherworldly forces to powerful fiction, you cannot escape from the evil of these films.

2. The Day The Earth Stood Still

Technically, more of a cautionary tale, The Day The Earth Stood Still is paranoia at it's finest. From the end of WWII in 1945 to the Roswell Incident in 1947, war and the idea of an extraterrestrial invader were very much on the minds of the American public in the 1950's. Playing like an extended episode of Tales of Tomorrow, the story of an martian landing on Earth to warn us that if we continue to be destructive, we will be destroyed.

3. The Last Man on Earth

After the deadly plague that effects mankind, turning them into vampire creatures, one man is saved. Thankfully, that man in played by Vincent Price! Adapted from I Am Legend (Which I tend to enjoy all adaptations of), the movie plays on a one of our most primal fear...being alone. To watch a man delve deeper into isolation is fascinating, yet maddening.

4. The Asteroids of '98 (Armageddon/Deep Impact)

As much as I hate to lump these together, it almost feels wrong not to. Released in 1998, only a few months apart, both films deal with an asteroid hurtling towards Earth and mankind's mission to stop it. While Armageddon focuses more on the science-fiction/action, Deep Impact is the more dramatic film. Also, Armageddon has a happy ending, while Deep Impact shows a more realistic ending. It really all depends upon your tastes.

5. The Dead Saga (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Day, Day of the Dead, Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead, Survival of the Dead)

Credit must be given to this series. Night of the Living Dead, in my opinion and most others, created a genre that still thrives today. The Living Dead films have become cherished by many horror fans over the years as a result of smart writing by Romero and beautiful effects/make-up. If you have ever seen a zombie movie, you have George A. Romero to thank for that.

Hopefully I have covered all the bases. Aliens, vampires, natural disasters, the undead and more. The world might not be ending just yet, but that doesn't mean you can't scare yourself thinking about it!

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