The heat is on: THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE(1961)

One of the best things I ever did as a person who watched movies almost solely based on monsters and special effects was to expand my proverbial movie watching horizons. It took me a while and it wasn't until I was in my forties that I decided to give sci-fi and horror movies without the top heavy special effects a try. I'm sure glad I did! One movie that I find very entertaining despite its lack of big budget special effects is 1961's The Day The Earth Caught Fire, directed by Val Guest. This film has a great cast including Edward Judd, Janet Munro and Leo McKern.

In The Day The Earth Caught Fire(1961) a determined reporter encounters a vast government cover up while learning that atomic bomb testing by the United States and Soviet Union at the Earth's poles has altered the axis of the planet with the Earth now moving towards the sun! The Earth will literally be scorched by our sun unless world leaders and the scientific community can get the planet back on its normal axis. Ultimately a solution is reached by scientists: detonate more atomic bombs to move the Earth back to a normal rotation around the sun. Will this plan work? Or is Earth doomed to obliteration as it moves closer to the sun! (no other spoilers)

This film is all about the story and is a gripping, suspenseful tale of how the impending end of our planet effects a small group of people struggling to come to terms with the potential calamity.

The Day The Earth Caught Fire has no Blu Ray release (I wish it did) but can be purchased on DVD from Amazon by clicking the link: THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE on DVD

Here's a trailer: