Australia 86 mins
Surely, everyone in Melbourne has heard of On The Beach – if only because the film of the book was made here back in the day. If you don’t know about it, On The Beach was a book written by Nevil Chute in 1957 about the dire consequences of a nuclear war. It was made into a film in 1959 starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire and Anthony Perkins.
Fallout is a documentary that takes a look into the life of Nevil Chute and the influences that inspired On The Beach and other of his works. It also looks at the way the film was adapted and what it meant to have such a film made in Melbourne in the 1950s. It is totally fascinating, inspiring me to both read the book and watch the film. Luckily, On The Beach is also a part of the festival.
Fallout screens at ACMI on Saturday, July 27 at 6:30pm and at Greater Union on Monday, July 29 at 6:30pm.
On The Beach screens at ACMI on Sunday, July 28 at 6:15pm. To book tickets, visit http://miff.com.au/
ireckonthat 
Agreed! I just caught up with this arresting documentary at the Nova. It featured provocative interviews with Shute’s daughter, Stanley Kramer’s widow among others. Really worth seeing.
Your comment has reminded me that I still haven’t seen or read On The Beach.
I had to do a book report on it in high school. I strongly suspect that while some elements will now seem dated, the central message about nuclear weapons and mass destruction will remain highly relevant.
I am making it my next mission to track down both the book and the film. First stop: my local library. Watch this space, I’ll blog about it when my mission is complete!