Sci-Fi Film Fiesta, The Swingin' 60s - Volume 1 Eve of Destruction by Chris Christopoulos - HTML preview

The President has called upon every American to do his duty

in reestablishing law and order. In his own words, "There are

no civilians. We are ail at war."

Next war bulletin at 11:00.”

Every strange sound and every possible approach by someone is to be viewed as a threat as in this time of crisis “there are no civilians.” This applies to Ed Johnson who Harry and Rick are presently covering with guns. They discover that Ed and his wife are their neighbors and they have taken up residence in their former trailer.

Harry returns Ed’s gun to him but is reluctant to give away his family’s location or share or sell what extra provisions they have. No-one at this stage can be trusted and must be seen as a potential enemy.

Such a scenario that has been outlined in the radio broadcast and evidenced by Harry and Rick’s encounter with Ed, is an anathema to Ann. To her this represents “a future without hope” and that she needs to believe that there are “people who are better than just animals” and that “there must be some good people left.”

Ann manages to soften the recently fashioned hard edges of her husband’s nature and he relents by agreeing to “look up the Johnsons in a couple of days.”

Later on, Harry and Rick discover the dead bodies of the Johnsons. Ed had been shot in the head and his wife had been raped before being murdered. The murderers are the three young thugs they encountered earlier. Rick seems to be in favor of doing something about this but Harry wants to bury the Johnsons and not think too much about what has happened and the implications this may have concerning what may or may not have to be done

Circumstances and reality, however will soon conspire to force Harry to test the strength of the links and concessions to civilisation he has tried hard to maintain.

While doing the laundry, it appears that Ann is oblivious to the detritus of civilization that floats on the river right past her. Suddenly, a blouse floats near the river bank which draws the attention of two of the hoodlums who have appeared nearby.

As Karen sits quietly and reads a book, the two thugs begin molesting her before callously dragging her off into the bushes to rape her. Alerted by Karen’s screams, Ann quickly appears and with rifle in hand fires off a couple of rounds. Did she do it to scare them off or to kill? After all, she’s a mother with a mother’s instinct and no amount of morality and concessions to civilisation will interfere with her need to protect her daughter, surely.

Harry and Rick return to the cave and find out what had happened to Karen. The decision as to what needs to be done has now been made for them and Ann seems to sense that nothing will convince Harry otherwise. He merely replies with a stern and forceful “No!” when she begins to entreat him not to do what he has now determined to do. Harry and Rick both head off to the farm house in search of the two hoodlums.

As Harry and Rick approach the farm house, it seemed to me that the decisions Harry makes, the orders that he issues and the tactics he adopts suggest that he may have served in the military during World War Two.

Upon confirming that the two rapist/murderers are inside, Harry bursts through the front door and shoots both dead in cold blood. He and Rick suddenly hear a noise and discover a young girl, Marilyn who is being imprisoned in a bed room as a sex slave to the young scumbags. Marilyn understandably traumatised, hostile and suspicious informs Harry and Rick that she lives in the farm house with her parents who were both murdered by the young mongrels.

Harry and Rick free Marilyn and return with her to the cave to be cared for by Ann. Despite what has happened, there is still room for compassion and for Rick there seems to be the addition of a definite attraction.

A major crisis can leave deep mental and emotional wounds and scars on people which take time to heal if at all. People and their way of life in many instances will never be the same again. A new kind of normal will emerge that people will have to adapt to.

In Harry’s case, he understandably is visibly affected by what he has done. It is one thing to entertain ideas about doing anything to protect oneself and those closest to you, it is quite another to actually take someone’s life in order to do so, especially if it involves an act of cold-blooded revenge. Harry is still a civilised man with a conscience as can be determined from his observation to Ann that “I looked for the worst in others and I found it in myself.” Even his wife admits that she didn’t kill the two rapists only because she wasn’t a good enough shot.

Such feelings and thoughts that Harry is experiencing can only serve to drag him into a dark abyss if dwelt on for too long. Before he can descend into it, he is reminded by Ann that Karen is more worried about him that she is about herself.

In the case of Marilyn, her scars will run deep probably for the rest of her life. Young Rick tries to draw her out of her personal world of hurt and attempts to get close to her but she is obviously not yet ready to place her trust in other people least of all a young male like Rick, no matter how good and kind he seems to be.

Potential good news is soon broadcast over the radio;

“Here are the 1:00 bulletins...

Operation Survival is rapidly taking effect. Authorities report

that many areas are responding to discipline, but control has

not yet been established in many rural and mountain areas.

People in such areas are urged to maintain strict caution and

vigilance.”