THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE - Stanley Black/Monty Norman - "Front Seat To Tomorrow" (1961)

The 1961 film, "The Day The Earth Caught Fire" is a pretty cool, I mean hot UK title that is well worth seeking out, if nothing else for the music alone. We've written about Stanley Black before for his work on "The Crawling Eye" & "War Gods Of The Deep," but really, his career goes so much further than that since he'd been working in the movies since 1937!

SOUNDCLIP NOT AVAILABLE

Any guy who grew up in the 50's was in love with Janet Munro at least once, because of her roles in Disney classics like "Darby O'Gill & The Little People" and "Swiss Family Robinson." She was born on September 28, 1934, was voted "Miss Televison" in 1958, and as you can see, by 1961 she had grown up quite a bit. Janet had turned to much more serious roles, and it wasn't well accepted, and her popularity waned dramatically! Sadly, Janet Munro passed away at 38 in 1972! What a sad day!!

Monty Norman, who gets credit for the 'Beatnik' music in this film was nowhere near as productive as Stanley Black, but I'd be willing to bet that he's made a heckuva lot more money since besides this music, his other main composition was the theme for the James Bond film, "Dr. No," a piece of music that has been used as part of the theme in each and every James Bond film made since, including the latest one, "Quantum of Solace!" Those royalty checks gotta be rolling in even as I'm writing this!! Way to go, Monty!!!

As far as this 'Beatnik' music is concerned, it sounds a lot more like Dixieland to me, and the end of the world rioters are more like a gang of drunken Nawlin's musicians in a Madi Gras parade!

The main man throughout this whole ordeal is played by the fine veteran actor Edward Judd! Ed's had about enough of all this madness by this point, and sets in to do some right fine ass whupping!!

He punched that dude right out the door, and he falls down the open elevator shaft! I don't get this part, it's the end of the world, and suddenly she cares when some guy falls down an elevator shaft! Oh, well!! You're all going to be dead soon anyhow!! You didn't care about nothing 5 minutes ago!!

One last toast before becoming toast themselves!!!

Will the earth be saved or Will the earth be doomed???

I don't know, can anybody tell me where the exit is???