Episode 54: The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) & Long Weekend (1978)

Welcome to episode 54 of The Horror Double Bill the podcast where each week we pair two movies to create something greater than the sum of their partsThis week we are plunging into the world of ecological horror, with two films that suggest that unless we learn to learn more harmoniously with the planet, we will suffer the consequences – one way or anotherFirst, we have The Day the Earth Caught Fire from 1961. This was written and directed by Val Guest and stars Edward Judd, Janet Monroe, Leo McKern, Michael Goodliffe, and Bernard Braden.Then we follow this with our first Australian movie on the podcast, which is Long Weekend from 1978. This was written by Everett De Roche, directed by Colin Eggleston and stars Peter Hargreaves and Briony BehetsAlong the way, we’ll be discussing the career of writer director Val Guest, British nuclear test in the 1950s, why Australia banned horror for 20 years, the birth of the Australian horror movement, the career of screenwriter Everett De Roche and much much more.RecommendationsThe Quatermass Xperminent (1955)Quatermass 2 (1957)The Twilight Zone – episode The Midnight Sun (1961)Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense – In Possession (1984)The Last Wave (1977)ReferencesBritish Science Fiction Cinema, edited by I. Q. HunterThe Day the Earth Caught Fire BFI blu ray – interviews, commentaries and special featureshttps://historyproject.org.uk/interview/val-guesthttps://www.ajb007.co.uk/discussion/56473/interviews-with-cast-and-crew-non-bond-filmshttps://nzpetesmatteshot.blogspot.com/https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/panic-streets-london-filming-day-earth-caught-firehttps://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/may/16/guardianobituaries.obituariesAustralian Horror Films 1973 to 2010 by Peter ShelleyAustralian Gothic: A Cinema of Horrors by Jonathan Raynerhttps://www.naa.gov.au/blog/exit-ghoulshttps://www.sensesofcinema.com/2008/dossier-on-australian-exploitation/everett-de-roche/https://www.cine-excess.co.uk/down-under-rises-up-naturersquos-revenge-in-ozploitation-cinema.htmlhttps://cinemaaustralia.com.au/2015/10/11/5-things-you-never-knew-about-long-weekend/https://lwlies.com/home-ents/long-weekend-ozploitation-classichttps://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hargreaves-john-william-31765https://newtheatrehistory.org.au/wiki/index.php/Person_-_John_Hargreaveshttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm0362970/bio/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Weekend_%281978_film%29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_the_Earth_Caught_Firehttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm0066909/  Instagram: @thehorrordoublebillemail: [email protected]: @thehorrordoublebillartwork by Justin Parker (IG jpkr_illustration.com)