That’s great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and snake and aeroplanes, and Lenny
Bruce is not afraid. It’s the end of the world as we know it,
and I feel fine. Fine enough to make up this list of movies
to keep your mind otherwise occupied while the world churns relentlessly outside your
window! It’s hard to imagine what might happen next,
but you can be glad that none of the scenarios from these movies are currently playing out!
Hello horror heads, and welcome back to the scariest channel on YouTube: Top5ScaryVideos.
I’m your horror host, Keegan Hughes, and today we’re counting down the Top 5 Scary
End of the World Horror Movies. Light a candle, light a motive, and call Bernstein,
because we’re about to enter the eye of a hurricane.
Before getting started, make sure to give this video a big thumbs up, and subscribe
more more turbulent tales. Outstanding, let’s get going.
NUMBER FIVE: DAWN OF THE DEAD We can look at Romero’s or Snyder’s version
here, they’re both quite good. However, I’m a sucker for the classics,
so we’ll delve deeper into the classic 70’s zombie flick.
A follow up to 1968’s Night of the Living Dead, we’re thrust into that same world,
somewhere down the line. The zombie virus has spread, and the flick
is much larger in scale than its predecessor. Three weeks after the outbreak, we find out
that millions have died and been reanimated. Large parts of society have been replaced
with the undead. All in all, humanity has collapsed.
It’s rough. However, is also gave birth to one of the
most iconic, comfiest zombie outbreak shelters of all time: THE SHOPPING MALL.
Oh hell yeah. Who wouldn’t want to be trapped in a gigantic
showroom for all things stylish and deadly? Grab a pair of ski poles! Tie some ice skates
to the end and then grab a cinnabon to celebrate your fantastic new zombie killer!
It’s just a great time. Dawn of the Dead is a quality mix of action,
horror, and comedy, with additional excellent gut-squishing gore.
So many iconic bits in this flick: the basement full of zombies, people being torn into like
fleshy cherry pies, biker gangs taking over as the powers that be.
That was a big thing in 70’s movies, eh? That and not trusting the military and the
police and the useless government to help out.
The everyman, taking over and using violence as a way of staying safe and keeping autonomy.
Huh. Wonder if that’ll make a comeback. We got this, man! We got this by the ass!
NUMBER FOUR: THE WORLD’S END When the world seems like it’s empty of
meaning, start with a good old fashioned pub crawl, and end with blue, goo-filled aliens
completely taking over the world. And STILL manage to goof it all up.
This cap to the Cornetto trilogy is equal parts funny, poignant, and terrifying.
Where the first two flicks saw a zombie plague conquered, and a small-town cult shut down,
The World’s End really does end the world. We’re not sure how or why until the end,
though, so uhhhhh spoilers! In among all of the Edgar Wright visual gags
we’ve come to know and love, we find a group of good pals from way back in the day.
The boys! The lads! But like, 20 years later, trapped in the muck and mire that is adult
living. Once at the top of the world, these fellows
are experiencing midlife in the worst possible way.
Existential crises abound, unfulfilled in many different ways.
They can’t see the ways their friends remain low, though, as they’re all experiencing
different types of problems. Romantic issues, career standstills, general
aspirations being dashed, classic life! We’ve all been there.
Honestly, it’s kind of like if IT: Part 2 got its adult characters right. And then
didn’t spend 2.5 hours doing what it could have in 95 minutes.
Well, what better way to get over a slump and feel like yourself again than fighting
off an alien invasion all while pounding beers in your hometown?
So how is all of this dealt with? They can’t keep fighting forever!
The characters are forced to reckon with some heady questions, ones you might have to reckon
with some sunny day: Is it worth it to be replaced?
What do you gain or lose by pushing forward? What constitutes a fulfilling life?
Does alcohol really solve all your problems? That last one hits home especially hard.
It’s a wicked movie, with some scary overtones: and the way I see it, it lands on this theme:
the only life worth living is a post-apocalyptic one.
No modern dullness, no societal expectations, just you and your truest way of being.
Are you ready for something like that? NUMBER THREE: INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS
A remake of a 1956 movie based on a 1955 novel, and somehow it’s just a relevant today.
Humans being replaced by aliens, aliens who have no concept of what it is to be human.
Biologically perfect, but entirely lacking human emotion.
Flying down to Earth in lovely pink flower pods, attractive to any and all who see them.
Hollowing out the original humans, taking over their duties, making the existence soulless
and efficient. What does this sound like to you?
Modern neoliberal society? Late-stage capitalism? Maybe I’m digging too deep here.
Back to the plot, the Pod People eventually want to take over the world, and do so quietly.
They’re ruthlessly efficient at this, and by the time some smart folks figure out what’s
happening, it’s too late: major players have already been assimilated.
Reporting the issues is a fool’s game: the government is already converted. They act
in the interest of the Pod People. The police and the military, too. Try telling
them that the Pod People are a danger to society at large.
It’s a hopeless, bleak movie. Fighting is hardly effective, as the damage is pretty
much already done. The main characters, as hard as they try,
are playing checkers against a chessmaster here.
Every step they take to prevent the annihilation and replacement of humanity is just a drop
of water in a lake. Another existentially scary movie about the
end of the world. I guess apocalyptic visions tend to cause existential dread, huh?
Plus the aliens do that Pod People point-and-screech when they see someone non-assimilated, and
that’s pretty freaky. And a dog with a human face shows up at one
point. Scares the socks off of you, for real. NUMBER TWO: CHILDREN OF MEN
It still blows my mind that Alfonso Cuaron managed to direct this, Roma, Harry Potter
and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Gravity, and Y Tu Mama Tambien.
The man is a genius, a filmmaker extraordinaire. Give him the resources, he will make a fantastic
flick. No doubt. The cinematography in this flick is top-notch.
Famous for it’s one-takes, and realistic, newsreel style, Children of Men is a sight
to behold, and presents lots of compelling ideas to turn over in your head for ages.
Ok, on to the end of the world. In Children of men, human infertility is absolutely
destroying birth rates. Society is crumbling, and humanity is facing
extinction. Of course, this makes everyone very testy,
and a whole lot of wild fighting occurs. The UK has one of the remaining functioning
governments, and as such is seeing a huge influx of refugees.
Folks trying to escape the radiation and plague that have rendered the rest of the world basically
unliveable. In light of these new developments, the once
democratic nation becomes a police state, and enacts martial law.
Hell, they even kill a bunch of immigrants to prove a point.
This does not sit well with a whole slew of insurgent groups, leading to plenty of combat.
In among all this chaos, a young immigrant woman is found to be pregnant.
Now, instead of immediately taking her to safety and studying her for the good of humanity,
she’s bounced around and exploited for political gain.
Veiled references to modern and historical events are sprinkled throughout, and the anti-immigration
sentiment feels especially important now. Themes of faith are front and centre here,
focusing on the people struggling for a better future, even if they themselves don’t get
to see it. This is an important idea to consider in the
face of world-changing circumstances. In fact, Cuaron addressed this head-on in
an interview once. He claimed to have left the movie open-ended,
in order to let the audience decide whether it was bleak or hopeful.
If you can fight for something, and die while doing so, is that a worthy sacrifice, or a
foolish loss of life? Watch this movie, see the end of the world,
and find out where you stand. NUMBER ONE: NO BLADE OF GRASS
This 70’s sci-fi classic doesn’t feel too far flung.
There are no high-tech billboards, or laser-based weapons, or alien robots relaxing among the
criminals. No, it feels more like speculative fiction
than anything. A fictional London has been overwhelmed by
a plague. It’s not just London, either. The whole world is experiencing a food shortage
thanks to a disease that affects all members of the grass family.
Food riots, global famine, some countries executing their own citizens in a desperate
bid for survival. Cannibalism, anarchy, roving bands of motorcycle-riding
bandits. It’s the moment before the apocalypse, and
people are getting nervous. The plot follows a family attempting to reach
their uncle’s farm for safety and food. Their escape to the countryside soon transforms
into a fight, tooth-and-nail, for survival. The world presented in No Blade of Grass is
a viscerally violent one. Bloodshed and savagery aren’t played for
laughs, or for choreographed fight scenes. What we see is unspeakable deeds being performed
at the edge of civilized society. This is not a world anyone wants to live in,
there is no satisfaction or chivalry. Innocence is wiped away, and despair and anguish
take over. The breakdown of society is seen through many
different eyes, too; children, the upper class, poverty-stricken folks, starry-eyed lovers.
It isn’t pretty, no matter how you look at it.
In the end, No Blade of Grass paints a picture of the least heroic kind of apocalypse.
Likely the most accurate, too. People jettison their values, and take what
they can get, however they can get it. It’s an indictment of the fragile social
contracts that folks so desperately believe in, as well as a look at the general ineptitude
of world governments and militaries when faced with such a disaster.
To act in a way that benefits yourself is easy. To act in a way that helps many is hard.
In the words of Roger Whittaker: We circled Mars and we walked on the moon, we reached
the stars or one day very soon, but no blade of grass here and no blue above, no you and
me, it’s the end of life. OUTRO
Was that too heavy of a note to end on? We are talking about the end of the world,
right? What did you think of the list?
Which apocalyptic flicks do it best? Do we count disaster movies for lists like
this? Make sure you let me know, down in the comments.
Speaking of comments, let’s take a look at some of your more fragrant ones from the
TOP 5 SCARY ASKREDDIT STORIES YOU NEED TO READ:
Jaxsoccer101 says “I kinda wanna hear his legendary story”
Maybe someday! Too long-winded for the comments section, unfortunately.
Loch the Fox says “Keegan though he would quench his thirst, but he shall drink no more.
For what he thought was H20 was H2SO4.” An excellent limerick, and you’re right.
Sulfuric would probably be much worse than hydrochloric.
Oogiesragdoll says “Askreddit has replaced Yahoo Answers for entertainment”
Oh, Yahoo Answers. What ever happened to you? I feel like the last big thing to come outta
there was the whole perganent thing… Keith Borgholthaus says “So are you just
going to the thrift shop for shirts, or this is the sign of the victims you have gathered?”
Deeeeeefinitely the thrift shop. Nooooothing shady going on here… No sir.
Isis Blackfeather says “Keegan, what is your twitter? I tried k33gan when you started
here, and it did not work.” I don’t actually have a personal twitter!
Somebody else took k33gan, so I’m sticking to Instagram for now.
And that’s all the time we have for today! Before I insert a lightbulb past my teeth
and try to pull it out, make sure to give this video a big thumbs up, and subscribe
for more end time good times. Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next
time.