Hoang Quynh Chi
I would like to share my impression after watching the film Panic in Year Zero (1962). Like many other films at that time, atomic bombs were the main cause for the story to happen. I think many people will be impressed by the main character, the father: Harry Baldwin, as much as I do. He was the one who recognized the danger of atomic bombs right at the first sight. During his family journey to hide themselves from the bombs from the bad, he played the most important role.
He was actually smart and managed thing really well with an unruffled attitude in contrast with many people panicking when the bombs war occurred. For instance, after seeing the bombs, he immediately made a plan to save his family. They went to buy necessary things such as food, hardware stuffs for months. He kept his family members together, found every way to protect them. This reminds me the family values in the Reagan’s era. People live in a family and struggled through hard time together. Furthermore, in my own opinion, bad people in the film (the three young men who killed the Johnsons and destroyed Marilyn’s family….) somehow are implied to criticize the bombs and wars. It was the war of bombings between two countries that brought out the bad side in many people as the latter’s lives before bombs were happy and peaceful. After the bombings, many died while survivals had to think of any possible ways to carry on. In the film, even the place where the Baldwins’ lived was pronounced to be safe; Harry Baldwin did not have the trust and confidence to come back.
He said that in the cave where they hid he had more control than he did in the outside dangerous and panicked world. It came to the question of how much one wants to have the control. This thought of him made me remember Makoto in the Japanese film: "The man who stole the sun" , the man who wanted to control others wanted to have the power in his hands. Even the motivations of two men were different; this still portrayed the insecurity in society as bombs made people’s lives upside down. In the film, most of people kept guns and be ready to use it anytime they met strangers. For example, the doctor took the gun with him immediately while he opened the door for Harry Baldwin. Everyone lived under an unsecured condition, being afraid of others would make harm to them anytime.
Civilizations disappeared as many people managed their survivals without considering morality. Therefore, another big question raised in this film is the contradiction of morality which was demonstrated by Harry’s thoughts and actions. Many may think that he was a bad and selfish man who tried to protect his family without considering other people’s aspects. He at first denied providing food and accommodations to the Johnsons but then he regretted as the Johnsons were killed. The contradictions reached the peak when he killed the two men who raped his daughter. Harry blamed his self badly for it as he said: “I looked for the worst in others and I found it in myself”. However, he would have been selfish if he had run away and hidden by himself without taking care of his family. He was a good husband and a good father that could find any way to protect them; fight against others if any would hurt his family. Moreover, he buried the Johnsons properly, saved Marilyn’s life. In the end, he was a great man in that messed world think.
Finally, it was the music that impressed me much as well. The music was always in a hurry and had strong beat. It made me feel like seeing an action film and somehow entertaining. Of course this film has its entertaining side but I like the cultural meanings better. Even in the worst situations, good people still exist, they fight with their own fear, desire in order to have better decision and to maintain the humanity inside one's soul.
One more point I want to mention is that Panic in Year Zero had a happy ending like many other American films we watch during the lectures, for instance: Blast from the Past (1999) or The Manhattan Project(1986). The war finally ended, and the Baldwins can get out of the cave and were saved by the army.
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