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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Apocalyptic Examples

As a follow-up to the post on types of post-apocalypse settings, here's a brief list of examples.

Panic in Year Zero -- (Semi) Mid Fast Near Apocalypse. The destruction isn't as widespread as the characters believe, and although the explosions happen too fast for anyone to stop, like most nuclear apocalypse situations, it's about the fallout and the lack of a support system.

Forbidden Planet -- The Krell suffered a Total Fast Remote Apocalypse, presumably. The humans are just there to sift through the ruins.

When Worlds Collide -- Total Mid Fast Near Apocalypse. The lucky few start over on another planet.

Melancholia --  Total Mid Fast Near Apocalypse. Sorry, no lucky few this time.

On the Beach -- Fast Near Apocalypse. In a sense, it's Mid Apocalypse; most of civilization is dead, but it is assumed that fallout will inevitably claim the rest.

Planet of the Apes -- Fast Far to Remote Apocalypse, with sapient humans completely replaced by apes or reduced to savagery, depending on whether you are talking about the first movie or the TV series. Charlton Heston's appearance triggers the final Total Fast (Near?) Apocalypse.

Omega Man -- Fast Near Apocalypse. Mostly true of other adaptations of I Am Legend, too, although the novel is, in a sense, mid-apocalypse.

Battlestar Galactica -- Fast Near Apocalypse, originally, but becomes Mid Apocalypse in the reboot.

AI -- There's a Mid Slow Near-to-Far Apocalypse in progress at the beginning of the film, which turns into a Total Slow Remote Apocalypse at the end.

Mad Max -- Mid Slow Near Semi Apocalypse (dwindling resources.) Possibly regional?

Road Warrior/Thunderdome -- Fast Near Apocalypse. Definitely not regional.

The Postman -- Fast Near Apocalypse. Possibly regional (US only?) I don't even remember if an excuse was given.

Waterworld -- Slow Remote Apocalypse. Definitely not Mid Apocalypse, since the waters seem to be subsiding.


2 comments:

  1. I thought The Postman was a fast far apocalypse. The main character's jacket was taken from a skeleton, after all.

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    1. Quite a few people remember what it was like before the apocalypse, so that is what I would call "near". The Postman recognizes the uniform on the skeleton and recalls as much of the Postal Motto as he can. And Tom Petty plays himself. The apocalypse happened only fifteen years before the events of the film, after all.

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