Besides Dr. Strangelove, there were 40 nuclear armaggedon movies were identified and posted after I asked readers to send me the names of movies in which atomic detonations occur on screen. The list is as follows:
1. The Day After*
2. Threads*
3. Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie
4. The Mouse That Roared
5. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines*
6. Red Dawn
7. Big Trouble
8. True Lies*
9. A Boy and His Dog
10. Six String Samurai
11. Terminator 2
12. Broken Arrow*
13. Sum of All Fears*
14. Special Bulletin
15. Countdown to Looking Glass
16. Dawn's Early Light
17. The Peacemaker
18. Chain Reaction
19. Goldeneye
20. Crimson Tide
21. Miracle Mile
22. Testament*
23. A Boy and His Dog
24. On the Beach
25. Special Bulletin
26. When the Wind Blows
27. Beneath the Planet of the Apes
28. The Bedford Incident
29. Pisma myortvogo cheloveka
30. Fifth Element
31. The War of the Worlds
32. Colossus: The Forbin Project*
33. The Andromeda Strain
34. Silent Running
35. Aliens
36. The Dead Zone
37. 2010
38. Ice Station Zebra
39. Superman 1
40. Atomic Cafe
I put asterisks next to movies that either I've seen or could otherwise say with certainty that nuclear detonation does occur on screen. As far as the others, I don't know -- that's a lot of movies to watch.
If anyone can add to my store of knowledge, and tell me if they know for sure that a blast occurs screen or not, I'd appreciate it.
What about Independence Day?
ReplyDeleteThe scene when they try to blow the ufo up, which totally ignores this torchlight..
Definitely includes a blast:
ReplyDelete1) GoldenEye
2) Terminator 2
Definitely does not:
1) Crimson Tide
2) The Mouse that Roared
In your list of nuclear detonation movies:
ReplyDelete3. Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie
Yes: this is a documentary partially on the above-ground tests.
9. A Boy and His Dog
This title is repeated in #23.
14. Special Bulletin
Yes: TV movie where a group steals enough fissile material to make a small device which is detonated in Charleston, South Carolina (if I recall correctly).
It is also repeated in #25.
17. The Peacemaker
Yes: a rogue Russian general detonates one warhead to cover up his theft of other warheads.
20. Crimson Tide
No: the action takes place aboard a US submarine where a partial launch code is received, but no warheads are detonated.
23. A Boy and His Dog
This title is repeated in #9.
25. Special Bulletin
This title is repeated in #14.
30. Fifth Element
Kinda-sorta: there is an explosion, but it is due to something beyond a thermonuclear device.
33. The Andromeda Strain
No: the biological station is set to be destroyed by a thermonuclear device, but it is stopped.
34. Silent Running
Yes: the device which was to destroy the biodomes is used to destroy the ship instead.
35. Aliens
Maybe: the fusion power plant of the terraforming station is set to overload.
37. 2010
I guess so: Jupiter is turned into a star by the aliens who left the Monoliths, so I guess this counts.
39. Superman 1
Yes: Lex Luthor detonates a nuclear warhead to destabilize the San Andreas Fault.
To Anonymous poster above:
ReplyDeleteYou really know your movies!
Oh, missed one... "The Iron Giant", the 1999 animated film. Near the end, a submarine launches a nuclear missile at the robot, and the robot intercepts it in midair -- but it does go off, destroying the robot.
ReplyDeleteSix String Samurai
ReplyDeleteYes -- actual footage of nuclear blasts featured in first few minutes during description of how things turned into a wasteland.
you guys forgot one,
ReplyDeletewhen austin powers infiltrates Dr. Evil's secret lair, the Dr. sets a nuclear device to detonate, destroying the complex. Dr. Evil himself is unharmed, having cyrogenically frozen himself and blasted off in a spacecraft.
The explosion footage of the secret base is taken from US nuclear test site stock footage
you forogt about independence day!
ReplyDelete