Panic in Year Zero!

"An orgy of looting and lust!"

1962 1h 33m EN

😐

6.3

MID

🍅

70%

FRESH

⭐

6.6

IMDB

★6.3TMDB · 106🍅70%Rotten Tomatoes★6.6IMDB · 5,741

DramaScience FictionThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

While on a fishing trip, Harry Baldwin and his family hear an explosion and realize that Los Angeles has been leveled by a nuclear attack. Looters and killers are everywhere. Escaping to the hills with his family, he sets about the business of surviving in a world where, he knows, the old ideals of humanity will be the first casualties.

“An orgy of looting and lust!”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Ray Milland
Harry Baldwin
Jean Hagen
Ann Baldwin
Frankie Avalon
Rick Baldwin
Mary Mitchel
Karen Baldwin
Joan Freeman
Marilyn Hayes
Richard Bakalyan
Carl
Rex Holman
Mickey
Richard Garland
Ed Johnson

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Ray Milland
Writers: John Morton, Jay Simms, Jay Simms
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

64 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Ray Milland, shot by Gilbert Warrenton. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Les Baxter. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor William Austin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Ray Milland and Jean Hagen and Frankie Avalon carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "An orgy of looting and lust!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0056331 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ray Milland directs. Gilbert Warrenton behind the camera. Les Baxter scores. William Austin cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

164 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Ray Milland, shot by Gilbert Warrenton. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Les Baxter. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor William Austin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Ray Milland and Jean Hagen and Frankie Avalon carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "An orgy of looting and lust!".
7IMDB entry: tt0056331 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Gilbert Warrenton
Original score: Les Baxter
Editing: William Austin
Makeup / hair: Ted Coodley
Runtime: 93 min · 1h 33m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Panic in Year Zero! (1962)
Rotten Tomatoes: 70% 🍅 Fresh
IMDB rating: 6.6/10 · 5,741 votes
MPAA: Approved

Also by

Ray Milland

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2019-01-05
★ 7/10
Isn't there anyone we can trust? Harry Baldwin (Ray Milland) and his family set off for a vacation, whilst on route they witness a blinding flash of light that forces them to stop. From their vantage point in the hills it becomes evident that Los Angeles has been the victim of a nuclear attack, what is also evident is that the enemy is not merely confined to those people who launched the bombs. Panic In Year Zero! is now one of those films that looks dated because of the impasse nature of a nuclear threat in the world, but really when one goes into this smart piece then do it the courtesy of allowing it its time frame paranoia heart. The deconstruction of the human condition under duress is a subject that will forever be of interest to the arts and those who willingly observe it, but when a medium is tight in its portrayal then it's something to be cherished, such is the case here in Panic In Year Zero! We have your standard family, Mom, Dad, Daughter and Son, all genuine and honest people, all of them about to witness the dark side of human nature, not only from the outside looking in, but from within themselves as well! A plot of this type can only work well as a watching experience if the cast have a bit of gravitas to impart, that they do is not only a relief, but also a reward for those investing in yet another B movie dealing with a well worn topic. Ray Milland is great as the father, a cool resilient dad of the 60s who instantly grasps the situation and adapts accordingly. Jean Hagen and Mary Mitchel play mother & daughter respectively, both fitting in perfectly to this family crisis, but it's Frankie Avalon as the son who really comes to the party armed, never one who was blessed with acting talent, his performance here is full of credibility and as the story unfolds, he is never found wanting in the entertainment stakes. It's far from perfect, and some things are hard to ignore, I mean are we really meant to believe that Milland and Hagen have hatched Frankie Avalon from their union! But the minor quibbles are easily dismissed in favour of the astute and well acted nature of the picture, it's good intelligent sci-fi that always delivers upon revisits. 7/10

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