OT: your favorite apocalyptic book, story, movie
No particular reason, just curious what apocalyptic stories you like. For variety, we may as well open it up to dystopian fiction as well.
The Stand of course is going to be discussed, as well as The Road. 1984, Handmaid's Tale. These are all famous works that most of us will be familiar with, but what are your personal recommendations?
I recently read Alas, Babylon and really loved it. Depressing and frightening, but a landmark for the genre. On the Beach is on my reading list, and I've heard it's great. I'd love to hear yours.
March 13th, 2020 at 12:34 PM ^
Andromeda Strain.
Movie version of On the Beach is very good, made in the 1960s.
Also, another movie made in the 1960s was Fail Safe.
There are several early 1960s Twilight Zone episodes about nuclear apocalypse. (During the height of the cold war era)
March 13th, 2020 at 12:48 PM ^
Non Fiction - "The Hot Zone" Ebola virus is found in Chimps at a lab on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. It was a scary read.
The first couple hundred pages of Neal Stephenson's Se7en Eves are outstanding for their depiction of how society grapples with the onset of a sudden-but-not-instantaneous apocalyptic reality (caused -- on the first page, so no spoiler -- by a never-explained shattering of the moon).
28 Days Later
28 Weeks Later also good
I support the British influence... yup, both very good!
Der Ring des Nibelungen... specifically Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods)
(I'll wait for the Michigan grads to go look it up)
More pop culture: "Klaatu: I am leaving soon, and you will forgive me if I speak bluntly"
Andromeda Strain followed by Omega Man (both 1971)
Both entertaining movies, both better books!
On the Beach. Nightmares.
Idiocracy
A Clockwork Orange
Dr Strangelove.
World War Z. Even better on the audio book.