The Late Great Planet Earth Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

The Late Great Planet Earth Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 7, 2018

Perhaps it’s difficult to imagine a world without the internet connecting lives and creating immediacy, but for the 1970s, a non-wired world permitted many to make their move, cashing in with wild claims of apocalyptic fury to frighten those without the instant ability to research and rebuke such grim claims. Author Hal Lindsey struck gold with his 1970 book, “The Late Great Planet Earth,” which merged biblical interpretation with end of the world fears. Lindsey tried to match up details from the Book of Revelations with modern political and environmental events, creating his “evidence” that something major was brewing on the horizon, suggesting the path was being paved for God’s return to mankind. It was a hit book, beguiling readers with examples of current woes matching ancient dreams, and with all the money being made, there was no way Lindsey’s work was going to skip a cinematic adaptation.

1979’s “The Late Great Planet Earth” (which features a 1976 copyright during the end credits) tries to turn Lindsey’s writing into an event documentary, and it does so with help from Orson Welles. The larger-than-life actor brings his booming voice to the effort, acting as a passionate narrator for this journey through history and the cosmos. With Welles around, it’s easy to get sucked into the picture, and he even makes a personal appearance, showcased in host sequences staged in the desert. Welles, wearing black in the hot sun, supplies a stern screen presence, acting as the guide for the movie and its primary educator, staring down the barrel of the lens to preserve the atmosphere of dread directors Robert Amram and Rolf Forsberg are striving to achieve. They want to make the audience uncomfortable with all this apocalyptic information, and who better to deliver the bad news than Welles, who dines on his lines, successfully turning hokum into law.

“The Late Great Planet Earth” tries to so something a little more than simply stitch together stock footage of planetary misery. There are dramatic segments as well, helping to sell tales of the “Prophets of Israel,” with Lindsey submitting the idea that the return of Jewish people to the Middle East in the 1940s actually commenced a countdown clock for the end of times, with the claiming of Jerusalem kickstarting prophecies established in the bible, most notably the Book of Revelation. Without proper money to create a period mood, “The Late Great Planet Earth” tries to pass off actors in bad wigs running around Los Angeles as an accurate summary of troubled visions, with most attention placed on John’s wild visions of doom, sold here with all the finesse of a community theater gang making an experimental short. Any sort of effort to expand on written words is embarrassing to watch, but the production commits to widening the scope of the endeavor, with the rest of the feature devoted to news and stock footage shaped to reinforce Lindsey’s theories and examples.

The documentary is swiftly paced, possible fearful that any prolonged lingering on a Lindsey point might result in meddlesome questioning. “The Late Great Planet Earth” jumps from topic to topic to keep fresh, examining how events in the 1970s tie into biblical teachings, focusing on things like the oil crisis, which found power and influence returning to the Middle East. Climate change is identified as a growing threat, with pollution ruining global efforts to feed and shelter citizens, with death itself viewed as a crisis to solve and a natural evolution of life. Lindsey (who’s interviewed here, clad in a denim jumpsuit) deals with the realities that surround him, but he’s also prone to nutty leaps of damnation, going after science for its position as a false god, giving hope to those who depend on technological and biological advancements. Even better, the movie tries to prove world-ending events to come by spotlighting the wrath of Brazilian killer bees and the rise of witchcraft, as godless entities begin to claim humanity’s soul. When all fails, visions of war do their best to instill fear, with “The Late Great Planet Earth” returning to file footage of armies marching, Hitler saluting, and nuclear bombs detonating, with the last five minutes of the effort almost entirely devoted to combat shots, striving to leave the audience with lasting terror.

The Late Great Planet Earth Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "The Late Great Planet Earth" is billed as a "Brand New 2017 HD scan of the original IP," giving fans an appealing Blu-ray upgrade for a very strange movie. Filled with stock footage, the feature isn't the most pristine creation, but the viewing experience does very well with dramatic interludes and Orson Welles host segments, supplying a reasonably detailed look at facial particulars and costuming, with biblical garb somewhat textured. Locations retain dimension. Grain is heavy but remains filmic. Colors stay stable and accurate throughout, delivering evocative desertscapes, and stock footage maintains its aged look. Delineation is acceptable. Source is hit with a few single- frame chemical blotches and scratches, but nothing is distracting. Mild judder is detected.

The Late Great Planet Earth Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix for "The Late Great Planet Earth" is built to be combustible, with apocalyptic events and biblical happenings competing for attention. Remaining clear is Welles's narration, which emerges with authority, leading the documentary with clarity. Interview segments also detail vocal quirks and personalities. Scoring is acceptable, with adequate instrumentation and plenty of volume, easing dramatic transitions and supporting prophetic horrors. Sound effects aren't precise, but they register as intended. Hiss is encountered, along with some faint buzzing on occasion.

The Late Great Planet Earth Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Making Of (14:01, SD) is a speedy overview of the "Late Great Planet Earth" production process (featuring numerous crew members), opening with the revelation that the film was already assembled with stock footage and news coverage before a director came onboard, ordering the creation of dramatic sequences to help make a movie out of the mess of images. Also of interest are stories about Orson Wells, who recorded his narration at his own home, handing producers the tapes when he arrived on set. Welles was also a professional, inspiring the production to use a stand-in for lighting, with Welles pulling up in a car in the scorching Vasquez Rocks location, doing his lines (often in a single take), and leaving. Discussions of creative intent, special effects triumphs, and scoring requirements are also shared, along with a surprising amount of pride in the finished film.

• TV Spot (:30) is offered.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (3:18, SD) is included.

The Late Great Planet Earth Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Late Great Planet Earth" tries to dress itself up as a warning siren, but it's a commercial for Lindsey's skewed world view and possible anti- Semitism, summoning all the fury and fear it can muster to turn average ticket-buyers into true believers, and to turn true believers into book-buying masses. The picture is absurd nearly 40 after its initial release (lascivious shots of half-naked women inadvertently expose the Hollywood machine making the movie), but Lindsey's pliable evidence isn't meant for today's world of research and debunking. Accept it as a slice of '70s flimflam, and it may be an appealing sit, watching Lindsey list bible quotes to back up his arguments and Welles make his way through the desert while dressed for a funeral. Take it as journalism, and it will be a frustrating viewing experience.