Only by chance did I manage to find out about this hidden gem, and I'm glad I did. While many disaster movies of late seem to put the emphasis on earthquakes, tidal waves, meteor strikes, fires and floods, The Hellstrom Chronicle looks at a perfectly plausible demise for the human race - itty bitty insects.
And while it may sound like some sort of joke, the case for such a scenario is well documented here. There is a degree of dramatisation involved, granted, but there's no getting away from the fact that given the right set of conditions, mankind could be faced with pestilence or famine on such a huge scale that it threatens their very survival.
Bear in mind that this feature was made in 1971 - so excuse the big hair, tweed jackets and not-so-high-definition images - but nonetheless, there are some jaw-dropping sequences that make you say 'HOW did they get that shot?', despite it's thirty-something age.
I also need to add that it's extremely difficult to get hold of - as far as I know, it isn't available on DVD, although you may be able to find it on VHS or BETA at a thrift store - so if you see it advertised in your TV guide one week, be sure to set the timer.
Fascinating, if a little dated, stuff.
And while it may sound like some sort of joke, the case for such a scenario is well documented here. There is a degree of dramatisation involved, granted, but there's no getting away from the fact that given the right set of conditions, mankind could be faced with pestilence or famine on such a huge scale that it threatens their very survival.
Bear in mind that this feature was made in 1971 - so excuse the big hair, tweed jackets and not-so-high-definition images - but nonetheless, there are some jaw-dropping sequences that make you say 'HOW did they get that shot?', despite it's thirty-something age.
I also need to add that it's extremely difficult to get hold of - as far as I know, it isn't available on DVD, although you may be able to find it on VHS or BETA at a thrift store - so if you see it advertised in your TV guide one week, be sure to set the timer.
Fascinating, if a little dated, stuff.