The end is nigh!
Nigh is a lovely word that has fallen out of use, but it means near or almost.
And thats what were here to talk about what the movies tell us about the end of the world.
Actually, what constitutes end of the world is open to interpretation.
It rarely refers to the planet Earth being totally destroyed, Alderaan style.
There is some variety in the period that is examined in each scenario but some combinations are unusual.
These days are called Mondays.
Imagine what would happen if everyone else on Earth suddenly disappeared.
The New Zealand filmThe Quiet Earth(1985) is a fairly pure example of this setting.
Theres an experimental aspect to the proceedings as we watch him as he finds interesting things to do.
After a while, though, the loneliness becomes unbearable and he starts to go mad.
But, who will our hero encounter?
A friend with whom to save the world?
The focus of most of these films is the period leading up to the disaster.
This means that there is something of a niche amongst made for TV and straight to DVD thrillers.
For one thing, its possible to put together such a science fiction film without an enormous budget.
But what could we actually do if this really happened?
That is, unless we hired Ben Affleck, Bruce Willis and Aerosmith to do it.
That this was the tack taken byArmageddon, the 1998 Michael Bay guilty pleasure.
Its a film that even has star Ben Affleck mocking its plot on the commentary track.
More sedate and sensible,Deep Impactwas released the same year.
Whats not to like?
Thats just his toupee in this one.
This scenario has actually happened before it probably wiped out the dinosaurs.
If it happens again, lets just hope Affleck and Willis are still around to save us.
So, somewhere between perfectly likely and completely impossible.
Its a mixture of patriotic pluck and technological sneakiness that beats the alien foe inIndependence Day(1996).
The second punch in of invasion film involves an insidious takeover.
Its difficult to think of a more paranoia inducing scenario, and it was probably paranoia that produced it.
Zombie apocalypse
How likely is it?Very likely.
Were coming to get you, readers.
Just why is the first zombie movie still considered one of the best?
The film has an oddly realistic atmosphere given the subject matter.
No doubt, budgetary issues actually helped the film in this area.
Secondly, the characters are well-defined, giving the audience an investment in their respective fates.
So, if youre ever IN a zombie apocalypse, keep an eye on other members of your party.
This last point serves as test.
The classics are all about good characters and fascinating situations.
Zombie films that rely on simple gore and action tend to fail that test.
Nuclear war
How likely is it?Its been a constant threat since the 1950s.
As becomes apparent, part of the problem with nuclear weapons is that they dont kill enough people.
Its just that the film is so… damn fantastic.
Almost no filmmaker seems to have addressed the funny side of nuclear war.
Economic breakdown
How likely is it?It happens all the time around the world.
Without them, infrastructure, law and order and public services crumble.
At that point, what we think of as normal life becomes impossible.
This in turn caused riots in most industrialized nations followed by declarations of martial law.
Before long in Australia, fuel was the most valuable commodity and the highways degenerated into a warzone.
The cause seems to be massive overcrowding that has led to depletion of resources along with global warming.
That one may have wiped out as much as 60% of the European population.
The same goes for electrical power plant workers.
Zombie flick28 Days Later(2002) is an example.
Makes you think who knows what governments around the world have sat around in secret laboratories?
The Bible was the first mass printed book, and it features at its climax an apocalypse.
However, people are, in general, less religious than they used to be.
PerhapsThe League Of Gentlemens Apocalypse(2005) belongs in this category?
In that film, the monsters and crazy characters from the writers imagination cross over into the real world.
We tend to take the environment for granted; it is, after all, the world around us.
Go, put the DVD in, you know you want to.
No Blade Of Grass(1970) is an adaptation of a novel by John Tripods Christopher.
Some films show the long-term results of massive environmental disaster.
The fear factor from scenarios like these comes from the fact that the computerisation of society is gradually happening.
Australian creepfestLong Weekend(1978) is a fairly pure example of this scenario.
In common with films about environmental disasters, theres an element of punishment for disrespecting nature.
Some films involving an apocalyptic threat to humanity are difficult to categorize.
Its not a perfect movie, but the hate that its been subjected to is difficult to justify.
In all fairness, that one is grown-worthy with not much going for it.
In that film, all of the vehicles have become hostile to human beings.
For example, how are the controls of vehicles held down and manipulated?
Scientists are unable to say whether viewingAfter Earthis the cause of this.
Sometimes a film doesnt tell us what causes the breakdown of civilization.
