APOCALYPTIC
FILM

The book begins by providing a history of apocalypticism, spanning everything from the dawn of apocalyptic thought (200 BC) to the birth of the apocalyptic film genre in the early twentieth century. Part two analyzes the history of apocalyptic cinema from the pre-cinematic influences through the first one hundred years of apocalyptic film (1916–2016) by exploring the key films, forms, and styles from the genre.

Every apocalyptic film subgenre is examined, including cosmic catastrophes, environmental emergencies, atomic weapons, alien invasions, pandemics, scientific error, zombies, religious and supernatural, aftermath and survival films, and comedies. Along the way, significant themes in each subgenre are explored, as are historical events that influenced the rise and growth of each subgenre. At the same time, the author investigates how the genre as a whole uses aesthetic means to pose important social and political questions. Part three covers special topics, such as apocalyptic television series and the functions of apocalyptic cinema in American film. All in all, this is one of the most comprehensive approaches to the topic that’s ever been written, sure to satisfy the interests of film scholars and film geeks alike.