- Directed by Roger Corman
- Written by Lou Russof
- Stars Richard Denning, Lori Nelson, Adele Jergens
- Run Time: 1 Hour, 19 minutes
- Trailer: Day the World Ended 1955 (Trailer)
Spoiler-Free Judgement Zone
We both thought this post-atomic survival drama was “just ok.” It’s pretty dated, and the science is all wrong. The acting is fine, but the story and character interactions are really cliche and predictable. Still, if you really want to know what scared people during the Cold War, this is worth a peek.
Synopsis
We start with an atomic explosion. Eerie synth music plays as credits roll.
The narrator explains that the ozone has burned off and the world no longer exists. We are told the atomic haze of death hangs over the entirety of the Earth. A few humans have been spared, but only a few.
An overdressed couple, Tony and Ruby, drive up in a convertible through the atomic haze. They make their way to a building. Another man, Rick, carries a contaminated man with radiation wounds toward the building as well.
Jim and Louise Maddison live in that house, and they have a radio and Geiger counter. Jim’s a doomsday prepper, but he only packed provisions for three, not four. Rick arrives, and he is the expected third member of the household, and a geologist. An old cowboy arrives; now there are seven. Plus a donkey.
Jim and Louise explain the situation. There’s no radio signal from anywhere in the world. “Seven of us in this room may be the beginning of a new era in civilization.” There are only two women, I should probably point out, so good luck with that.
Jim talks to Rick about mutant animals in the area. Three weeks later, Radek, the sick man, is still alive, but he hasn’t eaten in three weeks. He goes out every night and does something mysterious. Jim thinks he’s dangerous and should be destroyed. Radek is sneaking out at night and eating contaminated animal meat, but this time, he sees something bigger than he is out there.
Tony has eyes for Louise, which makes Ruby jealous. It’s been several weeks, and it’s finally going to rain, which is going to be bad.
Ruby and Louise go swimming in the river, but something is in the bushes watching them. They see huge clawed footprints in the mud. Old cowboy Paul brought his donkey which stays outside all night. He’s an old prospector, and he says he finally found gold, but now it’s not much good for anything.
Tony grabs Louise and the smooches start, but not willingly on her part. Ruby tries to change his mind, but he’s preoccupied with their situation anyway. He figures if they kill the other four people, they can live for three months on the supplies, and by then all this will be over.
Rick follows Radek, and watches him walk right through toxic fog. Jim explains about the nuclear tests he used to be involved with. Three test animals survived the experiments, and he has pictures. One monkey grew armor plating and extra arms. They find another contaminated man in the woods who dies quickly but says there are stronger people where he came from. Radek can go up there, and he says wonderful things are happening up there.
Tony tries to steal Jim’s gun, but Rick intervenes, and there’s a fight. Tony then smacks Ruby and tells her to get lost. Louise thinks something outside is trying to talk to her. The mutants are coming closer to the house each night.
Radek steals the donkey and heads up the hill to the toxic zone. Rick and Jim follow him and find a human skeleton; Radek ate him. Radek’s still got the donkey, but something big kills him from behind and takes the donkey. Rick finds Radek’s body. The next day, Paul goes up the mountain to his certain death.
Ruby’s skin is starting to get rough, just like Radek’s was. Tony grabs a knife and forces Louise to go into the woods with him. Ruby follows and fights with Tony until he stabs her to death and throws her off a cliff.
Louise continues to hear the thing calling to her, and she looks at the photo of her dead fiancé. One night, it comes into her bedroom. She wakes up and goes outside, where it grabs her. Rick goes out looking for her.
Jim’s been sick, so he stays behind with Tony. Tony gets Jim’s gun, The monster has three eyes and little arms growing out of its shoulders. It’s armor-plated, of course, but Rick shoots it repeatedly. It is, however, afraid of the water. As Louise and Rick stand in the pond, it begins to rain, which drives the monster off.
Jim tests the rain water, and it’s all clear now; pure water. The mutant staggers through the woods, collapses, and dies from the rain. It can’t handle uncontaminated rainwater. As Rick approaches the house, Tony plans to shoot him. Jim shoots Tony in the back (finally!). Jim dies after telling them he heard a radio signal from other survivors. They aren’t alone. Louise doesn’t quite figure out (but we do) that the mutant was her fiancé all along— He never made it to the house before the attack, but he made it afterward.
Commentary
It’s creative, but it’s clear they didn’t really understand the severity of a nuclear blast. Or how radiation poisoning works. They really thought seven people would rebuild the human race and the air would clear up in a matter of weeks. Where did this house get the electricity? After they kill the mutant, is that all? Was it the only mutant? Seems unlikely.
It’s tense, it’s suspenseful, but it’s very predictable. You know something’s out there, but we don’t see it until the end.