On the Beach ( 1959 ) - 4 stars out of 5 stars

I had to read the book written by Nevil Shute back in HS and this first film version released  in 1959 and running a little long at 134 minutes was the first film by director Stanley Kramer I ever saw.The only issues today might be black and white filmed and a little long and slightly dated.Thus 1 star off.This might be the first REAL post apocalyptic  film ever made.A truly scary and eventual story of the impending death of the survivors of a nuclear exchange who try to live a "normal"life down under in Australia while the radiation slowly approaches to eventually kill them as well.Unlike the fantasy films of today with vast wastelands and comic almost old west good and bad guys trying to live in the new world,this is instead a facade of normalcy hiding the slow inexorable march to death by radiation of untouched survivors of a nuclear war.Grade "A" cast and acting just heighten the eventual doom.Thats why we had to read it back in the day to avoid such a war were the dead of the exchange were the lucky ones.The trailer is actually the opening scene with the acting credits and that fab aussie song Waltzing Matilda,follows the pix.Depressing but still possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMzEWpKKOZs