SUPERNATURAL THEATER: DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE & THE CRAWLING EYE.

BLOG ENTRY # 3 --- DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE and THE CRAWLING EYE!

2 Sci-Fi Classics!!!!

Here at Supernatural Theater, I will discuss two films that I still love after a kazillion years.

Hey, they gotta be good! Catch them on DVD, cause you won't see them on TV anymore. Unfortunately, I sold off my 16mm film prints of them long ago too. The last TV showings in the US, were on the Chiller, Supernatural, & Creature Feature kinda shows way back when.

One of the best movies ever made! ------- DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE

Directed by Val Guest

Screenplay by Wolf Mankowitz & Val Guest

Starring Edward Judd, Janet Munro, Leo McKern, & Arthur Christiansen

England --- 1961

"The time is now 10:41 ..... 19 minutes before countdown".

At the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union and the United States set off nuclear bomb tests unknowingly at the same time. This shifts the Earth's axis, and starts moving the planet toward the Sun. The temperatures rise, and the world begins to change.

The film opens with color being a reddish tint, and we see Peter Stenning, a reporter for London's Daily Express newspaper walking down a deserted Fleet Street. The Thames is dried up. Boats on dried mud. The heat is unbearable. He goes to type probably his last article. The typewriters' keyboard is hot to the touch, and the rubber paper roller is melting.

The story goes back to recreate the buildup the unnerving, hopeful finale. Pete Stenning is a divorced, disenchanted reporter. Beat up, smoking & drinking too much. His best friend covers him at work. He meets a young and pretty Jeannie Craig at the publicity office for the government. He breaks the story of the simultaneous bomb tests, after strange weather starts to happen around the world. The heat rises, along with people wild in the streets of London, typhoid, and lack of water supply.

Jeannie and Pete also find each other. They now have something to live for.

I first saw this film on the premeire NY showing in the mid 60's, on Channel 9. It passed the test of time. It haunted me then, and still does today. It's not the radioactive monster in a rubber suit film. But totally realistic for that time in London, and has ring true characters that we can relate to, even today. Every time I hear the words global warming, I think of this film. The images of dried river beds, communal washing centers, strange weather, strange changes in people, and the buildup of unnerving heat, will stay with you long after seeing it.

The writing is superb, with realism coming first. The great acting follows, even the newspaper editor was a real editor at the time. Edward Judd as Peter, was also known for the First Men in the Moon, & Island of Terror. Janet Munro also in the Crawling Eye, and fellow reporter Leo McKern was in Rumpole of the Bailey. Keep an eye out for an unknown Michael Caine as a policemen. Long before his debut in the fabulous film, Zulu.

One unique thing with this film is the buildup of the heat with the acting, and settings.

Talk about atmosphere. You almost perspire along with them.

Recently a new DVD release fully restored from the original negatives, also had the sepia red tinted sequences in the opening & end of the film. One thing to note, the film has no The End, or ending credits. Just a fade to black.

This film will keep you thinking for a long time to come..

My rating ----- A Plus

One of the best films ever made.

Five original pin-ups of pretty Janet Munro.

Leo McKern as Bill Maguire, friend, senior writer, and life teacher for Stenning.
Below, a final toast for the survival of humans.

Two newspaper editions ready --- World saved or it's final obituary?

Varied posters and newspaper ad.----- Rare off camera production shots below.
Even Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine featured the film.

Up next ---- The "Eye" has it !!!
Another classic with Janet Munro!

The next oldie but goodie here at SUPERNATURAL THEATER,

is the ever popular crazy eyeball with tentacles!

Great story, good acting, along with the cheesiest effects.

Ya just gotta love ----

THE CRAWLING EYE

THE TROLLENBERG TERROR

Directed by Quentin Lawrence

Screenplay by Jimmy (Hammer films) Sangster

Starring Forrest (F Troop) Tucker, Jennifer Jayne,

Janet Munro, Laurence Payne, & Warren Mitchell

England -- 1958

Up in a small Swiss mountain town, Trollenberg, a rash of decapitations occur with mountain climbing accidents. Sure normal stuff. The mayor's not worried. There's even a mysterious fog that moves up and down the mountain, then a new killing takes place.

Well good ole Forrest Tucker arrives by train, along with a nosy reporter, and two attractive sisters, Sarah & Anne Pilgrim. They have a fake mind reading act to earn some cash. The Pilgrim sisters. But now Anne gets real, creepy psychic vibes from the alien monster up on the mountain. OMG, the CRAWLING EYE!!!!! With long tentacles too.
Long enough to snap some heads.

Well... it turns out these eyeball creatures appeared once before on a mountain top in Peru. Sgt. O'Roarke, I mean Forrest Tucker, and a wacky scientist were part of a top secret United Nations paranormal investigating group. checking this stuff out. Shhh... keep the secret.

Well....the eyeball sends down a former victim, now a zombie to start ax hacking away. He goes after pretty Anne. I mean who could blame that monster. It must be hard just being an eyeball. You know, you can look, but you can't touch. Sorry, poor joke.

Finally a whole bunch of Crawling Eyes come down the mountain to wreck havoc! You know, 1950's monsters tend to do that sort of thing.

The very lovely Anne Pilgrim (Janet Munro). The "Eye" has it for her!

The Eye is sending thoughts to Anne. Ooooh.

Please note: The high tech equipment they have in 1958.

Every Baby Boomer saw this on TV a kazillion times, but did you ever notice where that nasty tentacle is? ---- I mean that is too much, even for an alien. Luckilly Sgt. O'Roarke is saving her.

MY RATING ---- C PLUS

(Get it? "See" Plus. A very small eye joke. lol.)

This film was a staple on Chiller Theater on Channel 11 in NYC from the 60's to the 80's.

It's still a favorite of mine. I have no idea why! I mean come on, who could hate a film with psychic sisters, decapitations, a zombie dead guy, spooky fog, a battle on top of a mountain in a big fortress, and a BIG eyeball that kills ???

Filmed in glorious Black & White, with sub par effects, even for 1958.

I've loved it since I was a kid here in New Joisey!

On VHS, on DVD. --- Real cheap.

Original US newspaper ad (remember newspapers?) and British magazine from 1958.
Is that the best "Double Feature" of all time? The Eye & Ed Wood!!!

The lovely Jennifer Jayne. She also starred in "They Came From Beyond Space",

and was a sexy vampire in "Dr. Terror's House of Horrors".

Publicity shots with Janet Munro above.

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