DOOMSDAY ROCK (COSMIC SHOCK)
US, 1997, 96 minutes, Colour.
Connie Sellecca, William Devane, Ed Marinaro, Jessica Walter, Marsha Warfield.
Directed by Brian Trenchard- Smith.
Doomsday Rock plays better than a synopsis sounds. In fact, this theme of an asteroid approaching Earth to destroy it was popular at the time and this film anticipates the much bigger-budget 1998 features Deep Impact and Armageddon.
The difference with this film is that the scientist predicting the asteroid hitting Earth (William Devane), aided by his daughter (Connie Sellecca) had made a false interpretation of an approaching comet four years earlier and so are not believed by the authorities. The other aspect is (given Brian Trenchard- Smith’s time in Australia) that the prediction of the asteroid coming to Earth is an interpretation of Pitinjara cave paintings. A bit like Nostradamus, the paintings indicated quite a number of disasters including the Holocaust.
Jessica Walter appears as the Secretary of State or Defence and gives some credibility to the role (at the time that Madeleine Albright was Secretary of State and anticipating Condoleezza Rice).
The film is melodramatic insofar as the scientist gets some armed soldiers to take over a nuclear centre in Colorado in order to fire nuclear weapons on the approaching asteroid. Given the diplomacy of the time, this runs the risk of the Russians thinking that war had been declared, no matter where the rockets are aimed (which seems a little out of date in 1997 with the collapse of the Soviet Empire in 1991. The daughter, alienated from her father, is brought in by the government to persuade him not to fire the missiles.
There is also a time countdown.
Brian Trenchard-Smith? worked in British television but came to Australia and made quite a number of films during the 1970s and 1990s including Turkey Shoot, Frog Dreaming, Jenny Kissed Me and a number of action films. After this he moved to the United States where he made quite a number of b-budget films for television or straight to video – like this one. (In terms of rapport between Russia and the United States, the finale has missiles from both countries destroying the asteroid.)
1.A popular theme of the 1990s? Asteroids approaching Earth? The need for nuclear weapons to destroy the asteroids?
2.The settings: the nuclear centre in Colorado, the interiors? The Pentagon and government offices in Washington? The musical score?
3.The special effects, the asteroid, the nuclear firing at the asteroid and its destruction?
4.The opening – a touch of cheating – with Katherine seeing the Earth being destroyed by the asteroid and waking up from a nightmare? The visuals providing a motivation for the professor and the audience credibility about the asteroid striking?
5.Katherine, her skills, working with her father, the Aboriginal paintings and predictions, the wrong interpretation of the asteroid, her resigning, alienation from her father? Her wanting to make contact with him? Her teaching? Over-qualified? The classroom scene? Her being taken by government agents, brought to the Secretary of State? Interrogation, the explanations? Her studying her father’s books? Her trying to persuade him not to fire the missiles? Her studying the books again, changing her opinion? The relationship with Paul and his associate? Persuading him to go to Puerto Rico, the discussion with the astronomer, his persuading the White House that the threat was genuine? Her being hailed as a heroine, reconciliation with her father?
6.The attack on the centre in Colorado? Cooper, his entering, his taking over, the gassing of the staff and imprisoning them? The support of Cooper and the other members of the team? Their motivation, belief in Dr Sorensen?
7.Dr Sorensen, audience response to him and his beliefs? The science of the asteroid? The magic and prophecy of the Aboriginal paintings? His taking charge, his intention of sending the weapons into space? His sending the test weapon – and the White House not believing him? Their giving him the Hubble telescope and his exploding the device? Difficulties in setting up the missiles? The staff escaping, the confrontation, the violence? Gibson and his fixing the machinery? Sorensen persuading him that the threat was genuine and getting him to turn the key with him for the missiles? His television broadcasts to the government? His threats? The success of the mission? His being hailed as a hero?
8.Paul, the FBI agent, the attraction towards Katherine, working with her? His assistant and her sardonic remarks? Risking everything by going to Puerto Rico? A future?
9.The scientists, astronomy, predictions of asteroids? Scientific research?
10.The credibility of the Aboriginal predictions – the credibility of Nostradamus and his prophecies? Audience delight in codes and conspiracies?
