Welcome Back to My Dark Corner of this Sick World.
'Hang on baby.'
We’re looking at Damnation Alley.
‘You poor fool’
Which was due to be Fox’s big release of 1977,
and was given a more substantial budget than their other sci-fi film which everyone knew was nothing special.
There were certainly good films that failed because they had the misfortune to come up against Star Wars at the box office, was Damnation Alley one?
‘This whole town is infested with killer cockroaches’
My gut reaction is not.
The Day the Earth Stood Still’s Robert Wise was offered the project but lived up to his name by declining.
‘Damnation Alley, who named it that?’
Anyway, George Peppard’s Major Denton arrives for work not knowing that today will see the end of the world.
‘Hostile missiles heading for US population centres’
Or at least of America, which is the same deal,
and I do like the quiet, composed depiction of devastation.
‘Missiles strikes confirmed; Boston, Philadelphia, Trenton, Washington DC’
As well as radioactive fallout, this knocks the world off its axis making everything go to hell and the survivors hunker down in their fall-out shelters until...
And here’s George again,
'How far do you think we'll get?'
unaged by the intervening epoch, which we later learn was 2 years.
More than enough time for radiation to go away, just ask the residents of Chernobyl.
'You don't like admitting you're wrong do you Major.'
The world has changed, there are giant scorpions,
and most states are now attractively tinted.
Following an accident in the military bunker, four survivors decide to head out, but in what?
Well this is what happens if you leave a member of the A-Team in a garage with some sheet metal, a blowtorch and a handful of elastic bands.
'As long as it's clear, I'm in charge.'
I love it when a plan comes together.
One of the team buys it early on but when they stop in Vegas...
I understand they cut the bit where all three men say ‘dibs’
'Hot Damn.'
Janet here was an aspiring singer/songwriter given a break by a casino owner.
But, how did she survive?
‘He brought me down to the fall-out shelter so I could do him a favour for the favour he did for me’
All this talk about Me Too, no one mentions the women who survive nuclear holocaust because of sexual harassment.
'As usual.'
Now if you’re talking Damnation Alley, sooner or later you encounter the elephant in the fall-out shelter.
‘Armour plated cockroaches’
Arriving in town the team find the bones of the inhabitants,
but…
'Well they're awfully clean, like they;ve been polished.'
and this is worth mentioning because when the man-eating cockroaches attack.
I’ll just seal myself in here cos it certainly worked for the last people.
We’ll find someone to replace you. Someone more likely to live to the credits.
'I'll go with you if you teach me to ride.'
Yeah, the white kid is probably safe.
Even though they stop at Rasputin’s gas station.
This is a film with narrow vision, which is a good thing;
these people aren’t trying to save the world, they are trying to survive,
'Well are you going continue your life of non-conformity or are you going to come with us.'
it’s about the characters not the big picture.
Great. But, there is a reason I haven’t talked about the characters; the interaction is almost non-existent.
'I don't care.'
Denton is by the book military, hero Tanner is counter-culture; the conflict is set up...
'I just don't think we are suited as a work team.'
but never delivered on, two men and one woman; set-up...
'Aint that just our luck.'
never delivered on. Perhaps because...
'going to give my wife an anniversary present.'
Mentioned before the bombs drop, never mentioned again.
'See you on the other side.'
I’m not saying they should have gone with those cliché plotlines,
but they chose to put the focus on character and there are no character plotlines.
'You son of a...'
This film should be a sci-fi Stagecoach;
when you put differing characters in a confined space and dangerous situation,
stuff has to happen between them.
'I don't know.'
Ironically, it would matter less if it was about the situation, if they were trying to save the world.
But, after they drive into the end of 2001 A Space Odyssey.
Everything just goes back to normal,
which is odd.
‘Nothing good ever happens by itself’
I would agree but there we go.
Thanks for watching. For more post-apocalyptic reviews, click here.
Damnation Alley is a film defined by a single scene – the killer cockroaches –
what other movies have that one scene that hangs over them?
Let us know your favourites in the comments below.
'Lets get out of here.'