Jason Kottke talks about a trailer he saw for a movie called “The Day After Tomorrow.” The plot centers around some sort of disaster that hits the United States (Kottke says it’s due to global warming) and how it affects the people who survive. Looks like a lot of special effects.
The plot and title looked really familiar. And now I remember why. There was a made-for-TV movie 20 years ago called “The Day After.” It starred Steve Guttenberg and Jason Robards and it centered on the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust. It didn’t matter the reasons or who launched the bomb, just that it happened and how it affected a group of people in middle-town USA. It was a big deal in 1983, and I clearly remember discussing it the day before in English class (I was a high school senior). The teacher had instructions from the administration to talk about the movie and direct anyone adversely affected by it to school counselors. It was a haunting movie to watch, and one of those that when it was finished you kind of feel strange being back in your normal world. I’m sure if I watched it now, it wouldn’t be nearly as effective…it would probably look cheesy.
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I actually think I saw this movie when I was in high school (I guess I was 15 – about 10 years ago). We saw it in English class, and it scared me to death. I think it would still scare me if I saw it today.
I don’t remember the movie so much as the hype surrounding it. I like the idea though. Perhaps someone needs to make another!
While I haven’t seen either movie (and probably won’t see them), I’d have a hard time watching them without thinking of a short story by Isaac Asimov, “Nightfall”. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend either it or the novelized version by Robert Silverberg.
I remember that movie. It was effective. Cheese or not, it gives one pause in a world where nuclear ’solutions’ get tossed about from time to time with casual abandon.
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