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Trailer

The Day the Earth Caught Fire

1961Movie1 h 38 min

Drama
80
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.2Rotten Tomatoes86%84%

A relentlessly bleak, nerve-racking sci-fi movie about society and mystery.

Good for friends night · teens · thought-provoking

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood

Where to watch

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Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Movies with

Story

The INCREDIBLE becomes Real! The IMPOSSIBLE becomes Fact! The UNBELIEVABLE becomes True!

British reporters suspect an international cover-up of a global disaster in progress... and they're right. Hysterical panic has engulfed the world after the United States and the Soviet Union simultaneously detonate nuclear devices and have caused the orbit of the Earth to alter, sending it hurtling towards the sun.

Feels like

  • Post-Apocalyptic
  • Cold War Anxiety
  • British Cinema
  • Environmental Disaster
  • Journalism
  • Cover-Up
  • Hysteria
  • Bleak

Cast

24 of 35

Crew

Directed by
Val Guest
Written by
Val Guest, Wolf Mankowitz
Produced by
Val Guest
Music by
Stanley Black

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

November 1, 1961 · 1 h 38 min · Science Fiction, Drama

Released
November 1, 1961
Runtime
1 h 38 min
Genres
Science Fiction, Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United Kingdom
Available in
27 countries

Tropes

After the End, Oh, Crap!, World War III +9

  • After the End
  • Oh, Crap!
  • World War III
  • Hidden Depths
  • And Starring
  • There Is Only One Bed
  • Toplessness from the Back
  • Meet Cute
  • Disneyland Dad
  • Green Aesop
  • The Missus and the Ex
  • Apocalypse Anarchy

12 of 62 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream The Day the Earth Caught Fire?"

Questions about The Day the Earth Caught Fire

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Day the Earth Caught Fire?

PhiloKanopyHooplaFandorDarkroomFawesomeCohen MediaBFI Player

In the United States, The Day the Earth Caught Fire streams on Philo, Fandor, Cohen Media, BFI Player, and Midnight Pulp, and it is free with ads on Kanopy, Hoopla, Darkroom, Fawesome, and Tubi TV. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 21 other countries.

Is The Day the Earth Caught Fire worth watching?

80
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 80 (IMDb 7.2 and Rotten Tomatoes 86%).

Will I feel good after watching The Day the Earth Caught Fire?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 10 of 10 for bleakness and 8 for melancholy, against 1 for hopefulness.

Will The Day the Earth Caught Fire scare me?

Not scaryTerrifying

At times: scares are rated 6 of 10.

What tropes does The Day the Earth Caught Fire use?

After the EndOh, Crap!World War IIIHidden DepthsAnd StarringThere Is Only One BedToplessness from the BackMeet CuteDisneyland DadGreen AesopThe Missus and the ExApocalypse Anarchyand 50 more

TV Tropes lists 62 tropes for it, including After the End, Oh, Crap!, and World War III.