Matt’s review of On the Beach > Likes and Comments
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Read this last February, Matt, when I was in Melbourne visiting our youngest son. I'll be interested to know what you think. I've got the movie downloaded and ready to watch sometime, too. Cheers from Canada!
Thanks a plenty, Matt, especially your take on Herman Kahn. I recently viewed PANIC IN THE YEAR ZERO, loosely based on ALAS, BABYLON: Nice, placid, loving father Ray Milland goes ape when the nuclear destruction of Los Angeles destroys all social ties; much nearer to the truth than Shute's community sing-a-long.
Michael wrote: "Read this last February, Matt, when I was in Melbourne visiting our youngest son. I'll be interested to know what you think. I've got the movie downloaded and ready to watch sometime, too. Cheers f..."
It's really good! Movie is great too, but you'll have Waltzing Matilda stuck in your head for days!
Julio wrote: "Thanks a plenty, Matt, especially your take on Herman Kahn. I recently viewed PANIC IN THE YEAR ZERO, loosely based on ALAS, BABYLON: Nice, placid, loving father Ray Milland goes ape when the nucle..."
I think I caught Panic in the Year Zero when Turner Classic Movies was doing a postapocalyptic marathon. I really wouldn't mind some rich streaming company shelling out for a miniseries version of Alas, Babylon set in the original time period of the novel.
First encountered this not via the 1950s movie but rather the circa 2000 made for TV one, updated to the modern day with Bryan Brown playing Osborne. I didn’t think it was half bad - it does show society slipping into a bit more of the chaos you mentioned, I guess we’d become a more pessimistic society by then? Also distinctly recall a scene in which the sub sails into Port Philip Bay with the crew standing to attention only to be met with civilians in tinnies hurling beer cans and abuse at them, as the Australian public blames America for the war, which struck me as realistic.
Another excellent review Matt. I truly admire your writing skill.
I always enjoy reading your reviews on books
I've read -or thinking about reading. Excellent.
Mitchell wrote: "First encountered this not via the 1950s movie but rather the circa 2000 made for TV one, updated to the modern day with Bryan Brown playing Osborne. I didn’t think it was half bad - it does show s..."
I agree - the 2000 version isn't bad! It certainly made enough changes to justify its existence. I don't recall the beer cans, but it would make sense, since the nuclear war in the 2000 edition is much more black-and-white about blame, whereas the book/1959 movie is pretty convoluted. I'm still partial to the older On the Beach, mainly because Armand Assante is no Gregory Peck, and the ending of the 1959 version - with the empty streets and the sign "There is still time...brother" - is more effective than the poorly-CGI'd, proto-Walking Dead carnage of the modern entry.
Jack wrote: "Another excellent review Matt. I truly admire your writing skill."
Thanks Jack! Appreciate it!
Dmitri wrote: "Great book! Great review too,"
Thanks Dmitri!
Wallaby wrote: "really great review"
Thank you!
Yes, the Salvation Army sign at the end of the 50s film is IMO one of the most haunting yet affirming images in apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic literature - I think of it almost every time I pass the State Library. There is always still time, brother…
I viewed this book as one of the Kubler-Ross's stages of dying. There is no anger. There is no bartering. Perhaps a bit of denial. But at the point in the story where this picks up--and perhaps they've had more time since the community in Australia is the last to turn the lights out-- everybody seems to have embraced acceptance.
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Read this last February, Matt, when I was in Melbourne visiting our youngest son. I'll be interested to know what you think. I've got the movie downloaded and ready to watch sometime, too. Cheers from Canada!
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Thanks a plenty, Matt, especially your take on Herman Kahn. I recently viewed PANIC IN THE YEAR ZERO, loosely based on ALAS, BABYLON: Nice, placid, loving father Ray Milland goes ape when the nuclear destruction of Los Angeles destroys all social ties; much nearer to the truth than Shute's community sing-a-long.
Michael wrote: "Read this last February, Matt, when I was in Melbourne visiting our youngest son. I'll be interested to know what you think. I've got the movie downloaded and ready to watch sometime, too. Cheers f..."It's really good! Movie is great too, but you'll have Waltzing Matilda stuck in your head for days!
Julio wrote: "Thanks a plenty, Matt, especially your take on Herman Kahn. I recently viewed PANIC IN THE YEAR ZERO, loosely based on ALAS, BABYLON: Nice, placid, loving father Ray Milland goes ape when the nucle..."I think I caught Panic in the Year Zero when Turner Classic Movies was doing a postapocalyptic marathon. I really wouldn't mind some rich streaming company shelling out for a miniseries version of Alas, Babylon set in the original time period of the novel.
First encountered this not via the 1950s movie but rather the circa 2000 made for TV one, updated to the modern day with Bryan Brown playing Osborne. I didn’t think it was half bad - it does show society slipping into a bit more of the chaos you mentioned, I guess we’d become a more pessimistic society by then? Also distinctly recall a scene in which the sub sails into Port Philip Bay with the crew standing to attention only to be met with civilians in tinnies hurling beer cans and abuse at them, as the Australian public blames America for the war, which struck me as realistic.
Another excellent review Matt. I truly admire your writing skill.
I always enjoy reading your reviews on books I've read -or thinking about reading. Excellent.
Mitchell wrote: "First encountered this not via the 1950s movie but rather the circa 2000 made for TV one, updated to the modern day with Bryan Brown playing Osborne. I didn’t think it was half bad - it does show s..."I agree - the 2000 version isn't bad! It certainly made enough changes to justify its existence. I don't recall the beer cans, but it would make sense, since the nuclear war in the 2000 edition is much more black-and-white about blame, whereas the book/1959 movie is pretty convoluted. I'm still partial to the older On the Beach, mainly because Armand Assante is no Gregory Peck, and the ending of the 1959 version - with the empty streets and the sign "There is still time...brother" - is more effective than the poorly-CGI'd, proto-Walking Dead carnage of the modern entry.
Jack wrote: "Another excellent review Matt. I truly admire your writing skill."Thanks Jack! Appreciate it!
Dmitri wrote: "Great book! Great review too,"Thanks Dmitri!
Wallaby wrote: "really great review"Thank you!
Yes, the Salvation Army sign at the end of the 50s film is IMO one of the most haunting yet affirming images in apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic literature - I think of it almost every time I pass the State Library. There is always still time, brother…
I viewed this book as one of the Kubler-Ross's stages of dying. There is no anger. There is no bartering. Perhaps a bit of denial. But at the point in the story where this picks up--and perhaps they've had more time since the community in Australia is the last to turn the lights out-- everybody seems to have embraced acceptance.
