Customer Reviews

End of the World

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I get a big laugh out of watching inferior low-budget horror-science fiction films that feature major stars who once appeared in great movies. "End Of The World" is such a film.

Aliens have come to Earth and taken over the bodies of a head priest(Christopher Lee) and a group of nuns at a convent. A scientist has discovered the extraterrestrials and they force him to steal a device that will enable them to return to their home planet. After the scientist brings this device to them, the aliens suddenly reveal that they don't plan to leave quietly.

"End Of The World" is one of Christopher ("The Wicker Man") Lee's worst films. Lew ("All Quiet On The Western Front") Ayres, Macdonald ("Shadow Of A Doubt") Carey, Sue ("Lolita") Lyon, and Oscar-winner Dean ("Twelve O'Clock High") Jagger are other stars who waste their considerable talents on this film. They obviously made this movie just for the money. The special effects are both laughable and cheesy, and the aliens actually look like leftovers from TV's "Star Trek." The opening scene is both violent and inept. Also, the extraterrestrial characters are masters of disguise and possess the power to destroy anything in their path, so I don't fully understand why they needed the scientist to snatch the device; they could have stolen it much more quickly by themselves. I have also rarely seen a movie that is so inappropriately-titled. The name, "End Of The World," is a giveaway that the movie is certainly going to be at least about the threat of Armageddon, but the film only deals with this issue in the LAST FEW MINUTES before the closing credits! The screenwriters seemed to have merely tacked on this theme at the very last minute, and viewers are left feeling much more cheated than shocked.

"End Of The World" is only for diehard Christopher Lee fans and those who enjoy laughing at bad movies. For a respectable Christopher Lee-science fiction movie, wait for George Lucas' upcoming "Star Wars: Episode II."

By Jupiter's moons, this has to be the most boring science fiction movie I've ever encountered; I actually fell asleep during the big climax and had to go back to see what I missed (which was nothing, since almost nothing happened over the course of the entire movie). Christopher Lee must have been facing dire straits indeed to sign on for this 1977 borefest (actually, he claims he was duped into making the film - I would say the same thing, whether it's true or not). You would think a movie about a scientist suddenly receiving messages "not of this world" predicting disasters shortly before they happen might be a little exciting, even if it's just in a geeky way, or that the presence of Christopher Lee (playing two different parts, no less) would make even the worst of movies palatable - you're quite wrong on both counts. To make matters even worse, you're liable to overdose on nauseating 1970s décor on the rare occasions when you can actually see what is taking place on the screen. I really hope producer Charles Band and the crew didn't actually travel to a site to do all of the night-scene filming when they could have saved a lot of time and money by just shooting those scenes inside a completely darkened room at the studio. Many were the times when I couldn't make out a blasted thing on the screen.

Kirk Scott plays Professor Andrew Boran, the world's most boring scientist. When he begins decoding messages beaming in from somewhere other than Earth warning of major disasters right before they happen, he can't convince anyone else to even care. Compelled to take his boring "we need more scientists" stump speech on tour, he drags his wife Sylvia (Sue Lyon) around trying to find the source of the signals (which he has apparently decided aren't from outer space after all), winding up at a convent where service to the Lord is no longer a priority, to say the least.

If you ever actually watch End of the World, take my advice and squeeze as much enjoyment as you can out of the opening scene because nothing else happens during the rest of the movie. The only people who could even remotely enjoy a single thing about this waste of film are those obsessed with watching people walk and drive around aimlessly.

Okay, I know this movie isn't a "classic." But I enjoyed seeing Christopher Lee in a story of a lone priest who finds a bizarre "other world" at a diner late a night. A steaming coffee machine accident and electrocution by neon sign... original ideas abound in this mixture of genres. Sure it's cheap, but if you don't enjoy the sci-fi elements, at least you can provide your own "Mystery Science Theater" commentary!

Poverty row sci-fi courtesy of schlockmeister producer Charles Band (GHOULIES, PARASITE) is about a group of aliens stranded on Earth who must rebuilt their space travel machine and get back to their planet before the Earth is destroyed by their galaxy. The aliens inhabit human form as a priest and a group of nuns at a small convent. Top billed Christopher Lee is the alien/priest but the stars of the film are really the scientist (Kirk Scott) and his wife (Sue Lyon) who uncover the nefarious plot. It's a dingy looking film that betrays its low budget and when the end of the world comes, it's courtesy of stock footage we've seen a million times before. The actresses playing nuns are well cast though with creepy, charactery faces. Also starring Lew Ayres, Dean Jagger and Macdonald Carey. The cheesy synth score is courtesy of Joel Goldsmith, Jerry's son.

The DVD courtesy of Full Moon is a soft looking full screen transfer.

Christopher Lee stars as an alien being who has made himself look like a catholic priest. He and six of his comrades, who have taken the form of nuns, are causing geologic disturbances around the world. Thankfully, a scientist and his wife (Sue "Lolita" Lyon) are on the case! Can they save the world before it explodes?? EOTW plays like a mystery w/ sci-fi trappings, until the "shocking" conclusion. Watch for an ancient Dean Jagger (Revolt Of The Zombies, X The Unknown) and a nearly unrecognizable Lew Ayres (Donovan's Brain) in small parts. Lee isn't bad as the alien leader, although he did make me think of Drac whenever he was on camera! P.S.- This movie has quite possibly THE most downbeat ending in movie history!...