Five Excellent Apocalyptic Films

It's the end of the world as we know it! Or at least, movies about the end of the world. One of the most cherished themes in science fiction is the apocalypse - in plain terms, an event that brings about the end of civilization. Apocalyptic stories are a natural vehicle to express doubt about the value of modern society and explore alternatives. There's such a wide variety in settings, tone, events, and timing that the storyteller has an almost limitless palette with which to weave the tale. Following are five examples of top-notch movies with apocalyptic themes.

Monsters - Night of the Living Dead (George Romero, 1968). They're coming to get you, Barbara! Night of the Living Dead, though definitely not the first zombie film, was notable for taking zombies out of the typical Haitian setting film makers had reserved it for and serving it up to a largely unsuspecting mainstream American audience with a generous helping of gore. This grisly and harrowing tale about zombies overcoming the living was notable for its ambiguous and depressing ending. It also marks the first time a black actor (Duane Jones) was cast as a lead in a major film. One particularly great thing about Night of the Living Dead is that it was shot in black-and-white during a time in which color films were long the standard. It was done, much like Hitchcock's Psycho, for budgetary reasons but the end result was that it lent the film a gritty, authentic feel. Honorable Mention goes to The Birds (Alfred Hitchcock, 1963).

The Dystopian Society - The Handmaid's Tale (Volker Schlöndorff, 1990). Ninety-Nine percent of the female population is sterile. In this fundamentalist society, "handmaids" are fertile concubines kept by wealthy couples for purposes of procreation. Although the film differs considerably from the novel in tone and ending, it is still a wonderfully feminist take on post-apocalyptic fiction and a scathing criticism of rigid societal mores. Honorable Mention goes to Children of Men (Alfonso Cuarón, 2006).

Religious - The Seventh Sign (Carl Schultz, 1988). A pregnant woman begins to believe that she is witnessing the seven signs listed in Revelations and attempts to prevent the end of the world in order to protect her unborn child. While largely forgotten by critics, The Seventh Sign treated 80s moviegoers to a crash course on biblical prophesies as well as touching performances by Demi Moore and Jurgen Prognow. Honorable Mention goes to The Stand (Mick Garris, 1994).

Nuclear War - The Day After (Nicholas Meyer, 1983). The Day After aired on American network television at a time when US and Soviet Cold War relations were at high levels of tension. It deals with the events immediately after impact and follows survivors as they deal with radiation sickness, lawlessness, and starvation. Ronald Reagan wrote in his diary that the movie "left me greatly depressed" (Reagan, An American Life, p 585). Honorable Mention goes to Threads (Mick Jackson, 1984).

Post Apocalyptic Survival -Akira (Katsuhiro Otomo, 1988). Set in futuristic and post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo, this landmark anime film set the state for mainstream awareness of anime. Neo-Tokyo is a cyberpunk, rebuilt post-war society beset by violence, corruption, and terrorism. Tetsuo is a young man with gang ties who may have psychic powers great enough to destroy Tokyo - a second time. Honorable Mention goes to: The Postman (Kevin Costner, 1997).

There are so many excellent films within the apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic genres that it's hard to select just five - On the Beach, Dr. Strangelove, even Planet of the Apes are a few outstanding examples. It's a sad indication of the world's state that the genre continues to grow...but, wonderful for those who love a good doomsday film.