Virtual Friday Night Films at the Wende: The Day the Earth Caught Fire

Exploring prescient themes such as news media and climate change, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was made at a time when the nuclear threat of the Cold War loomed large. Shot on location in London and Brighton, the film depicts what happens when the USA and Soviet Union simultaneously test nuclear bombs, knocking the Earth off its axis and setting it on a collision course with the sun. As the planet inexorably heats up and society breaks down, a washed-up newspaper reporter breaks the story and investigates the government cover-up. The Atlantic calls it one of the “cleverest, soberest” examples of the apocalyptic movie genre.

Watch for free on Kanopy. Available to rent on other platforms.

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Virtual Film Picks are inspired by the in-person Friday Night Films at the Wende program series. This selection is part of a curated list of weekly movie suggestions that can be watched at home, in conjunction with #WendeOnline.