JohnDoe
Bryn
Brenton
On The Beach (1959)
On The Beach
DVD Cover
Director: Stanley Kramer
Writer: John Paxton
Starring: Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins, John Meillion,
Length: 134 mins
Picture: B&W
**After seeing the ads for the new TV series Jericho, I started thinking about this under discussed post apocalyptic drama and had to take the DVD off the shelf for a screening.
“The war started when people accepted the idiotic principle that peace could be maintained by arranging to defend themselves with weapons they couldn't possibly use without committing suicide.”-Julian
Socially conscious Director Stanley Kramer (Judgement at Nuremburg, Inherit The Wind, The Defiant Ones, Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner) adapts the famous Neville Shute novel and the result is a film you will never forget, with a distinctly Aussie flavour.
On the Beach opens to a rousing version of “Waltzing Matilda”, Armageddon has become a reality; Gregory Peck commands a lone nuclear submarine searching for safe harbour, free of radiation. With fall out everywhere the world as we know it has ended, due to weather patterns Australia is the last bastion of civilization.
The crew make their way to the land down under and with the last survivors of the human race wait for inevitable death from exposure.
“We're all doomed, you know. The whole, silly, drunken, pathetic lot of us. Doomed by the air we're about to breathe”- Julian
Partly shot on location around the small town of Berwick, outside of Melbourne this hollywood film is a thoughtful meditation on our self destructive nature and at the same time the power of the human spirit to continue on despite insurmountable odds.
Relationships are formed and broken, routines are maintained, some live in denial, others strive to tackle the problem head on.
“There isn't time. No time to love... nothing to remember... nothing worth remembering.”- Moira
John Doe says:
It has always surprised me that this film is a not an Australian household name. It is undoubtedly one of the highest quality productions to ever come to our shores, it serves as a postcard to a somewhat forgotten time in our cinematic history.
The intelligent screenplay, gives us fully formed characters and an all to believable scenario. As a child this movie haunted me, as a writer it inspires me, this is a film that makes a difference and rather than tell you what to think, just what to think about.
The performances all round are of a high standard, Gregory Peck (Guns Of Navarone, Cape Fear, Abaresque, Gentlemens Agreement, Big Country) plays Commander Dwight Towers a dedicated professional who has lost his entire family.
Ava Gardner (Night of The Iguana, The Killers) is the troubled good time girl who just wants something genuine. Anthony Perkins (Catch 22, Desire Under The Elms) plays a gentle caring husband and father that is a lifetime away from his role a year later as Norman Bates in Psycho.
Future local stars litter the background and foreground, if you look close you will even see Graham Kennedy. The film is beautifully shot and adds an extra dimension to this rich text.
On The Beach will engage your mind and stands the test of time as drama and Anti War Science Fiction of an exceptionally high order. For those wanting to know more, Phillip R Davey wrote the book “When Hollywood came To Melbourne: The Making of On The Beach”, an informative companion piece to this thought provoking film.
The DVD:
I had never seen this film in its original aspect ratio and thanks to this restoration it is presented in widescreen with a clear mono soundtrack.
The difference is huge, the deliberate framing becomes obvious and elevates the more emotional scenes substantially.
Sadly no making of or commentary, I would have loved a retrospective from an Australian POV, but film is reason enough for this to be a must own.
Writer: John Paxton
Starring: Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins, John Meillion,
Picture: B&W
**After seeing the ads for the new TV series Jericho, I started thinking about this under discussed post apocalyptic drama and had to take the DVD off the shelf for a screening.
“The war started when people accepted the idiotic principle that peace could be maintained by arranging to defend themselves with weapons they couldn't possibly use without committing suicide.”-Julian
Socially conscious Director Stanley Kramer (Judgement at Nuremburg, Inherit The Wind, The Defiant Ones, Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner) adapts the famous Neville Shute novel and the result is a film you will never forget, with a distinctly Aussie flavour.
On the Beach opens to a rousing version of “Waltzing Matilda”, Armageddon has become a reality; Gregory Peck commands a lone nuclear submarine searching for safe harbour, free of radiation. With fall out everywhere the world as we know it has ended, due to weather patterns Australia is the last bastion of civilization.
The crew make their way to the land down under and with the last survivors of the human race wait for inevitable death from exposure.
“We're all doomed, you know. The whole, silly, drunken, pathetic lot of us. Doomed by the air we're about to breathe”- Julian
Partly shot on location around the small town of Berwick, outside of Melbourne this hollywood film is a thoughtful meditation on our self destructive nature and at the same time the power of the human spirit to continue on despite insurmountable odds.
Relationships are formed and broken, routines are maintained, some live in denial, others strive to tackle the problem head on.
“There isn't time. No time to love... nothing to remember... nothing worth remembering.”- Moira
John Doe says:
It has always surprised me that this film is a not an Australian household name. It is undoubtedly one of the highest quality productions to ever come to our shores, it serves as a postcard to a somewhat forgotten time in our cinematic history.
The intelligent screenplay, gives us fully formed characters and an all to believable scenario. As a child this movie haunted me, as a writer it inspires me, this is a film that makes a difference and rather than tell you what to think, just what to think about.
The performances all round are of a high standard, Gregory Peck (Guns Of Navarone, Cape Fear, Abaresque, Gentlemens Agreement, Big Country) plays Commander Dwight Towers a dedicated professional who has lost his entire family.
Ava Gardner (Night of The Iguana, The Killers) is the troubled good time girl who just wants something genuine. Anthony Perkins (Catch 22, Desire Under The Elms) plays a gentle caring husband and father that is a lifetime away from his role a year later as Norman Bates in Psycho.
Future local stars litter the background and foreground, if you look close you will even see Graham Kennedy. The film is beautifully shot and adds an extra dimension to this rich text.
On The Beach will engage your mind and stands the test of time as drama and Anti War Science Fiction of an exceptionally high order. For those wanting to know more, Phillip R Davey wrote the book “When Hollywood came To Melbourne: The Making of On The Beach”, an informative companion piece to this thought provoking film.
The DVD:
I had never seen this film in its original aspect ratio and thanks to this restoration it is presented in widescreen with a clear mono soundtrack.
The difference is huge, the deliberate framing becomes obvious and elevates the more emotional scenes substantially.
Sadly no making of or commentary, I would have loved a retrospective from an Australian POV, but film is reason enough for this to be a must own.
Other Recommendations:
Nicholas Meyer's The Day After
Sidney Lumet's Fail-Safe
Geoff Murphy's The Quiet Earth
"All I want to do is go up to schoolies week"
Film & TV on DVD
I like all movies from any era, as long as they are done well. I have no predjudice against new or old, but I do find that before the FX and sound revolution they had to rely purely on story, character and performance.
This is one of those films that with the exception of some technical advances could have been made last year. The subject matter has seldom been presented with more class.
Film & TV on DVD
Im so happy people are giving these films a chance. Thank You.
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Film & TV on DVD
I got my copy from JB for $13.99
The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.