Day the World Ended (1955)

Director:

Roger Corman

Writer:

Lou Rusoff (original story and screenplay)

Release Date:

December 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

ATTACKED... by a creature from hell!

Plot:

After a nuclear war, an unlikely group of people, including a rancher, a geologist, a crook and his girlfriend...

Plot Keywords:

Holocaust | Radiation | Nuclear War | Mutant | Fistfight

Cast

Richard Denning	...	Rick
Lori Nelson	...	Louise Maddison
Adele Jergens	...	Ruby
Mike Connors	...	Tony Lamont (as Touch Connors)
Paul Birch	...	Jim Maddison
Raymond Hatton	...	Pete
Paul Dubov	...	Radek
Jonathan Haze	...	Contaminated Man
Paul Blaisdell	...	Mutant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roger Corman	...	Nelson, Louise's Fiancee in Framed Photograph (uncredited)
Chet Huntley	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Roger Corman

Writing credits
Lou Rusoff		(original story and screenplay)

Produced by
Roger Corman	....	producer
Alex Gordon	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Ronald Stein

Cinematography by
Jockey Arthur Feindel		(photography) (as Jock Feindel)

Film Editing by
Ronald Sinclair

Set Decoration by
Harry Reif		(as Harold Rief)

Makeup Department
Steven Clensos	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Bartlett A. Carre	....	production supervisor (as Bart Carré)

Art Department
Karl Brainard	....	property master

Sound Department
Jean L. Speak	....	sound (as Jean Speak)

Special Effects by
Paul Blaisdell	....	special effects

Stunts
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunt double
Tom Steele	....	stunt double: Mike Connors (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Hannawalt	....	key grip (as Charles Hanawalt)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gertrude Reade	....	wardrobe
Paul Blaisdell	....	mutant costume (uncredited)

Music Department
Ronald Stein	....	conductor
Samuel Hoffman	....	musician: theremin (uncredited)

Other crew
Samuel Z. Arkoff	....	presenter
Barbara Bohrer	....	script supervisor
James H. Nicholson	....	presenter

Production Companies

• Golden State Productions

Distributors

• American Releasing Corporation (ARC) (II) (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Treeline Films (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Ryder Sound Services  sound recording

Also Known As:

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #17722)

Filming Locations:

Bronson Caves, Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Golden State Productions

Trivia:

Was shot in nine days.

Goofs:

Continuity: Toward the end of the film, Louise places a photo of herself with her former boyfriend on the nightstand, angled away from her. When she wakes, it is angled toward her.

Quotes:

Radek:I just can't help it, I have this uncontrollable urge to eat meat. Red... raw... meat.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Monster Man: Wee Boots (#1.5)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

The S.F. Blues

Atmospheric, claustrophobic and creepy

The Day The World Ended was released by American Releasing Corporation, which soon would be known as American International Pictures. AIP became one of the most interesting film-making and releasing companies of all time, and The Day The World Ended is one of AIP's best horror/sci-fi efforts from the 1950's. The movie was also director Roger Corman's first effort in science fiction. This movie horrified me as a child with its nuclear doom, and its three-eyed monster with horns and pointed ears. As an adult I find I am still very fond of this movie. Upon my recent screening I have realized what an exceptional acting job Lori Nelson does as she plays Louise. Her facial expressions are perfect as she plays the different emotions her character goes through. Paul Birch plays her father, Jim Maddison. He's a man who is most gloomy over the aftermath of the (offscreen) nuclear war, and under the pressure of running his household with the uninvited survivors who show up. Richard Denning plays Rick, one of the survivors of the atomic bombings who shows up carrying a man named Radek (Paul Dubov.) Rick soon becomes involved with Louise, while Radek, contaminated with nuclear poisoning is not only beginning to lose his mind but his body is becoming mutated as well. Mike Connors (billed here as Touch Connors) and Adele Jergens also show up at the house in the valley which escaped the nuclear doom. They play Tony and Ruby; a couple who certainly have their problems. Tony is a bickering thug, and Ruby is a striptease dancer who's too good to be bad and too bad to be good. The problems increase for the couple when Tony seems to have Louise on his mind constantly. Also retreating to the house is an old timer named Pete (well played by Raymond Hatton) with his burro. The movie then shows the interactions, problems and emotions of the characters as they try to survive in the limited space of their post-atomic world. There is also discovered a mutation from the radioactive war lurking closer and closer to the house as time goes by. The Day The World Ended is a low-budget movie, and uses that low-budget to accomplish some good results. The only indoor setting is the house, which seems claustrophobic with the survivors. The limited, radioactive-free area of the outside world is atmospheric; especially the pond where Louise gets spooked while swimming with Ruby, and the night woods. The hills surrounding the house are covered with a radioactive haze, which adds nicely to the atmosphere and feeling of claustrophobia. The sci-fi music is creepy, and the beginning credits roll in a fashion that adds a nice touch. Ruby seems to have her own theme with the grind-instrumental record she plays while passing time in the house. There's a hint of ESP in the movie as the three-eyed mutant (possibly Louise's fiance', who was believed to have been killed when the atomic bombs exploded) seems to be making contact with Louise. Louise claims the mutant talks to her at times. The mutant (created and played by monster-maker Paul Blaisdell) often disappoints viewers. I still find the mutant to be sheer ugliness although I no longer cover my eyes as I did when I was a child (LOL.) The Day The World Ended is a fine and interesting low-budget movie with a serious, but somewhat unrealistic approach to nuclear horrors. I still find this to be a gem of a movie.