Hey guys and with the recent global pandemic at our doorsteps, it came as no surprise to
me that outbreak movies have become popular again. For this week's Genre Suggestions.
I thought I'd try to make another list of virus films that hopefully you haven't seen
yet.
And if you haven't seen one of my videos before my names Greg and welcome to channel Hyperdrive.
Now typically within the movie universe, virus outbreaks spread within a short time and are
usually super lethal & highly contagious. Affecting everything on every scale from small
towns to entire continents.
Now as every other YouTuber has currently covered this sub-genre, I'm going to try my
best to make a balanced selection of some old, relatively new, and little-known flicks.
So to keep this video varied from my last. I'm not picking films where the infected become
zombies or have weird mutations.
So let's open up to one of the more brutal movies this week.
Set in 1348 during the time of the first outbreak of bubonic plague in England. With the disease
wiping out all in its path, fear and superstition have become widespread across the country.
When rumours of a village immune to the plague reach the church. A knight, aka Sean Bean,
is charged with a mission. To learn the truth about this settlement and the reports of necromancers
within the vicinity. Now, this is a film plagued by what I call
G.C. or Genre Confusion. This is when a suspense-filled thriller such as this. Has been wrongly labelled
as either a horror or an action drama which is pretty misleading to general audiences.
And this, in turn, damages the movies overall reputation due to peoples mislead expectations.
Anyhow far as I know, there are only a handful of films based around the legendary Black
death, so I thought this would be a fun addition to the vid. As it takes a cliche "men on a
mission" plot and plunges it right into the medieval era during a time when people thought
that disease was the act of witchcraft.
Black Death is not what I'd call a standout film, but it's certainly a very interesting
one and deserves a little more recognition for what it is.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this movie as its not your stereotypical pandemic.
Rather_than_a_deadly virus, it's a sudden sickness that leads to a puzzling loss of
peoples senses and the psychological impact it has on society.
Set where this strange epidemic develops across the world: people suddenly lose one of their
senses. At first, it's an outbreak of loss of smell that's often followed by a brief
destructive outburst.
Amongst all this disorder is Ewan McGregor, as charming Chef and Eva Green, who plays
a scientist trying to understand the epidemic. These two begin a relationship in the middle
of the increasing chaos, as civil authorities attempt to maintain order as populations try
to cope with these dramatic changes.
Now while I wouldn't exactly call this a love story, nor a contagion story in its entirety.
It closely resembles a fable that has a lot to say about humanity in times of need and
pressure. Perfect sense put simply is a good movie with an original premise that's definitely
worth watching.
Based on the late and great, Michael Crichton's novel of the same name. The Andromeda strain
kicks off after the people of a small Arizona town are wiped out by some form of unknown
Contagion emitted from a crashed U.S. satellite. The American government declares this event
as an emergency and forms a team of world-class scientists to eliminate this threat before
it spreads nationwide. One thing I've got to say about the cast of
this movie is that they really do feel as though they were born to play their roles
- where you could easily believe that they are actually scientists - I mean if this movie
was made today.. they'd all look and act like... well Hollywood actors. Another great thing
about the film is its tight pacing. So many movies of these type lag on, especially at
the beginning. However, the Andromeda Strain keeps the dramatics high and holds your attention.
The Satan Bug in a nutshell: An insane genius decides its a great idea to destroy all life
on the planet by developing the ultimate biological weapon! I mean, what could possibly go wrong?
So when this -germ that could destroy all life on Earth- is stolen from a warfare lab,
the U.S government is left in a very tricky situation.
So The Satan Bug is basically a manhunt for two things. A scientist who has disappeared
and the biological weapon he has developed. Now what I like about this movie is that it's
so ominous. That and the fact that it stays that way up until the very end. And I also
just love the way the film feels so empty, with its spartan set design and grand vistas
that leave you feeling a little bit on the uncomfortable side.
It's by no means a perfect movie as it does move a tad bit slow for my liking, but it's
without question a 60's hidden gem that's worth checking out.
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I've tried my fair share of VPNs, and in my experience, Cyberghost has been the most consistent
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Now usually I'd say Contagion is one of those underrated hidden gems that no-ones heard
off. However, with its parallels to our current situation, it's now peaking around the number
2 spot on IMDB- but as I've already planned to put it in, I just couldn't leave it out.
Contagion follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days.
As the fast-moving epidemic grows, the worldwide medical community races to find a cure and
the ability to control the panic that spreads faster than the virus itself. At the same
time, ordinary people struggle to survive in a society coming apart.
A movie I've always found to be really scary for its realism, especially now. Contagion
is a tense well-told story that's smart, thrilling and is easily one of Steven Soderbergh's best
movies. Oh and on a side note its another victim of G.C. - As Rotten Tomatoes has labelled
it primarily as an Action-adventure flick.
Another film set around a time where not much was known about how diseases spread. In Provence
France during the 19th-century cholera epidemic. An Italian patriot who's escaped to France
after been persued by Austrian invaders. Encounters a beautiful countess who's been separated
from her husband. Travelling past many cholera-stricken villages
and feeling duty-bound. He decides to aid her in getting through this horrific- and
plague-ridden land so she can once again be with her husband. An intelligently well made
and well-researched movie, The Horseman on the roof is a romance set in the worst possible
location.
While the costumes and scenery are all breathtaking, and I mean this really is a great looking
film. The most memorable scenes all involve the victims of the epidemic. The dread it
causes to the townspeople, and of course, any scenes to do with carrion birds eating
the dying and deceased will stay in your head for ages.
In a world forever changed by a lethal virus outbreak.
Brian, his brother Danny, and their girlfriends are heading to a beach that they're convinced
is the safest place to stay. But when their car breaks down in the desert on route. They
are forced to negotiate and travel with a man who's daughter is infected with the virus.
If that's not bad enough, things go from bad to worse as their journey continues into a
constant downwards spiral.
Not to sound like I'm flogging a dead horse, but this is yet again another "Rotten tomatoes"
G.C. flick. This post-apocalyptic Drama Thriller while a little bit predictable in places is
still a good story about two brothers and the really tough choices they must take in
order to survive. Carriers is not a bad movie, and as far as I'm concerned it's entertaining,
and I honestly think it's worth checking out.
When an aspiring physician aka Rober Downy Jr finds himself in the service of King Charles
II. He joins the King's court and lives the high life of debauchery and excessing drinking.
However, after accidentally falling out of grace with the King, he rediscovers his love
for medicine and what it really means to be a physician at a time of the Great Plague
in London City. Been the only movie, I know off, to be set in 17th century London and
to be depicted so well. Restoration not only has a fantastic cast, locations and sets.
But it also gives the viewer a great experience of what it really was like to live during
that time. As either a peasant or a man of gentry.
However, I won't lie to you, most of the outbreak occurs in the last 3rd of the movie. So if
you're after something that's more clinical or has less romance, I'd probably skip this.
Nevertheless, I could not resist putting this in as it really is a hidden gem of the '90s,
that and it's a time in history that barley ever gets covered.
Now if you wanna see another video similar to this one covering 8 different Outbreak
movies, then go ahead and hit this button. If not then thanks for watching and an extra
big thanks to my Patreons for your support and I'll see you in the next video.