Day the World Ended
Day the World Ended

Movie spotlight

Day the World Ended

1955
Movie
79 min
English

After a nuclear attack, an unlikely group of survivors, including a geologist, a crook and his moll, and a prospector, find temporary shelter in the remote-valley home of a survivalist and his beautiful daughter, but soon have to deal with the spread of radioactivity - and its effects on animal life, including humans.

Insights

IMDb5.1/10
Director: Roger CormanGenres: Science Fiction, Horror

Plot Summary

Following a nuclear holocaust, the few survivors grapple with the aftermath and the emergence of mutated creatures. A small group of disparate individuals, including a rancher and his daughter, a scientist, and a couple on their honeymoon, find themselves holed up together. They must fight for survival against the unknown dangers of a radiated world and the terrifying, unseen monsters that now roam the desolate landscape.

Critical Reception

As a low-budget B-movie from the 1950s, 'The Day the World Ended' received modest attention upon its release, typical for films of its genre and budget. It is now largely remembered as an early example of Roger Corman's directorial work and a staple of 'drive-in' cinema, appreciated for its camp value and its representation of post-apocalyptic anxieties prevalent during the Cold War era.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its pioneering role in the sci-fi genre of its time.

  • Often cited for its creative monster design despite its limited budget.

  • Criticized for its straightforward plot and sometimes stilted acting.

Google audience: Audience reviews highlight the film's nostalgic appeal and its effectiveness as a cult classic, with many appreciating its vintage B-movie charm and the imaginative creature effects achieved with minimal resources. However, some viewers point out the simplistic narrative and dated special effects as drawbacks.

Fun Fact

The iconic creature, the 'Rul', was designed and built by Paul Blaisdell, a pioneering creature fabricator in Hollywood, who also briefly appears in the film.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Former sailor and father, "Jim" (Paul Birch) and his daughter "Lori" (Louise Maddison) are all set to hunker down and sit out the aftermath of a nuclear attack when two folks arrive at their door. He is all for ignoring it - they have limit...

talisencrw

talisencrw

I really enjoyed this a lot more than I had anticipated. Early Corman films are great fun to watch, as he's just bursting with ideas and is filled with reckless abandon. The film would make an intriguing twin-bill with Vincent Price's 'Last...