Retro Apocalypse: Panic In Year Zero!

The Baldwin family faces a Panic In Year Zero!

The Baldwin family is heading out for a vacation when they see some flashes of bright light in the distant sky, followed by a mushroom cloud rising over Los Angeles. It seems there has been a nuclear attack, and World War III has finally arrived! Harry Baldwin, the father, decides the group should head into the mountains, where they had been planning to go camping. He wants the group to settle in while they figure out what to do next. That’s just the beginning of 1962’s Panic in Year Zero!, an “end of the world” thriller, which stars (and is directed by) veteran actor Ray Milland. The film was released by well-known genre specialists American International Pictures, who specialized in horror, science-fiction and teen-oriented films, including the “Beach Party” series which featured one of this movie’s co-stars, Frankie Avalon. As the story continues, we follow the family’s journey into darkness as society begins to break down in the aftermath of the devastating nuclear exchange with “the enemy.” 

On the way to their destination, the family interacts with panic-stricken people, armed survivalists, and a not very helpful storeowner. Sporadic radio broadcasts hint at the state of the world, but don’t provide many details. Harry is determined to keep his family safe, and isn’t afraid to use force to do so, especially when they’re threatened by three young men who are clearly looking for trouble. The trio of hoodlums not only attack Harry’s daughter Karen, but Harry and his son Rick later discover the men are holding another young woman captive. They manage to rescue the girl, and bring her back to their settlement. Harry and his family must figure out how to survive in a post-apocalyptic world where everyone’s looking out for himself or herself first.

Panic in Year Zero! is a powerful tale that avoids the over the top, flamboyant tone of many other apocalyptic thrillers. The film is moody and intense, illustrating the downward spiral of society after a nuclear attack. Harry finds himself doing things he never thought he would in these dangerous circumstances, committing brutal acts of violence in order to protect his family. The movie doesn’t shy away from showing the dark side of a society in freefall. There are solid performances from Milland in the lead role of Harry, as well as the supporting cast, which includes Jean Hagen as his wife Ann, Mary Mitchell as his daughter Karen, and pop star Avalon as his son Rick. Also appearing are genre veterans O.Z. Whitehead, Byron Morrow, Joan Freeman and Richard Bakalyan as the leader of the villainous young men.

Milland had helmed several other movies at this point in his career, and he keeps the story moving at a brisk pace. The excellent score is by AIP veteran Les Baxter. The screenplay for the film, by John Morton and Jay Simms, provides no easy conclusions or pat answers. There’s no trace of the hopeful tone expressed in some post-apocalyptic stories. There is an indication that society will move on, albeit in a more stringently controlled, militaristic style. Panic in Year Zero! is a taut, stark movie that will appeal to genre fans, especially if you’re looking for a different type of “end of the world” tale. The film is available on Blu-ray, and for digital streaming on various sites. The movie is also frequently screened on various cable movie channels. Here’s a link to the (somewhat hyperbolic) trailer for the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOccKTbUznk.