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On the Beach
- 230 statements
- 44 feature instances
- 17 referencing feature instances
On the Beach | type |
TVTItem | |
On the Beach | label |
On the Beach | |
On the Beach | page |
OnTheBeach | |
On the Beach | comment |
On the Beach is a 1957 novel by Nevil Shute that explores the aftermath of a nuclear war that wiped out all life in the northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere was left untouched by the bombs, but not the fallout: each year more radioactive material is moved south by seasonal winds, and as the fallout accumulates, life slowly dies off, latitude by crawling latitude.The story follows a group of people in Melbourne, Australia who go on about their lives as they wait for the inevitable end. With only a handful of years left, desperation is sliding into acceptance. When a Morse-like code is received and identified as coming all the way from Seattle, a stranded US submarine is sent to investigate this glimmer of hope - small and unlikely though it is.The book was adapted into two movies by the same name, first in 1959 and then in 2000. The 1959 version was directed by Stanley Kramer and starred Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, and a pre-Psycho Anthony Perkins, who struggles with an Australian accent. The first movie has inspired the Strugatsky Brothers to write Far Rainbow in 1962.Not to be confused with Beach Episode, or at least not what normally comes to mind when one thinks of that. It has nothing to do with bikini girls, and is anything but upbeat. It's also unrelated to the Neil Young album of the same name. | |
On the Beach | fetched |
2023-07-06T18:13:52Z | |
On the Beach | parsed |
2023-07-06T18:13:52Z | |
On the Beach | processingComment |
Dropped link to AdaptationalNameChange: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN | |
On the Beach | processingUnknown |
AdaptationalNameChange | |
On the Beach | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
On the Beach / int_1044a759 | type |
Dying Race | |
On the Beach / int_1044a759 | comment |
Dying Race: The human race, along with all remaining life on Earth. As a result of nuclear war, the last humans are confined to Australia, but eventually the radiation will reach Australia and kill them all as well, and the Australians know that they have only a few months left before the last human dies. | |
On the Beach / int_1044a759 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_1044a759 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_1044a759 | |
On the Beach / int_121b3725 | type |
Age Lift | |
On the Beach / int_121b3725 | comment |
Age Lift: In the 2000 adaption, John, Moira, Jennifer and Dwight are older than in the novel. | |
On the Beach / int_121b3725 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_121b3725 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_121b3725 | |
On the Beach / int_13a6b7ef | type |
Gaia's Lament | |
On the Beach / int_13a6b7ef | comment |
Gaia's Lament: The planet’s biosphere is irreparably damaged by nuclear war, the northern hemisphere is already dead, and all life in the southern hemisphere will die as well from radiation poisoning in a few months. | |
On the Beach / int_13a6b7ef | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_13a6b7ef | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_13a6b7ef | |
On the Beach / int_1865f13a | type |
Apocalypse Anarchy | |
On the Beach / int_1865f13a | comment |
Apocalypse Anarchy: Somewhat downplayed. The society never really disintegrates, but at the end, people were just taking stuff from stores. Also, hosting a lethal car race. | |
On the Beach / int_1865f13a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_1865f13a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_1865f13a | |
On the Beach / int_18d15922 | type |
Title Drop | |
On the Beach / int_18d15922 | comment |
Title Drop: | |
On the Beach / int_18d15922 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_18d15922 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_18d15922 | |
On the Beach / int_1c96f945 | type |
Wrong-Name Outburst | |
On the Beach / int_1c96f945 | comment |
Wrong-Name Outburst: In the 1959 film, everyone's having fun frolicking outside, including Dwight. Then he accidentally uses the name of his dead wife when he is affectionately calling Moira an "outrageous liar". The mood becomes subdued very quickly after that. | |
On the Beach / int_1c96f945 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_1c96f945 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_1c96f945 | |
On the Beach / int_1dab76ed | type |
Cosy Catastrophe | |
On the Beach / int_1dab76ed | comment |
Cosy Catastrophe: There's nothing left alive in the Northern hemisphere, but inhabitants of the Southern are inconvenienced at worst. Subverted, though, because the fallout will reach them eventually, and everybody knows it. | |
On the Beach / int_1dab76ed | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
On the Beach / int_1dab76ed | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_1dab76ed | |
On the Beach / int_269e82c1 | type |
Death of a Child | |
On the Beach / int_269e82c1 | comment |
Death of a Child: Graphically so in the 2000 adaptation, where several children are seen dead of suicide poisoning. | |
On the Beach / int_269e82c1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_269e82c1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_269e82c1 | |
On the Beach / int_2dddd99d | type |
False Flag Operation | |
On the Beach / int_2dddd99d | comment |
False Flag Operation: The United States and Great Britain are drawn into the war when Egypt attacks them with Russian bombers. | |
On the Beach / int_2dddd99d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_2dddd99d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_2dddd99d | |
On the Beach / int_334e48a1 | type |
After the End | |
On the Beach / int_334e48a1 | comment |
After the End: The Northern Hemisphere is already dead. And soon, the Southern Hemisphere will be dead too. | |
On the Beach / int_334e48a1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_334e48a1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_334e48a1 | |
On the Beach / int_396e1c2a | type |
Face Death with Dignity | |
On the Beach / int_396e1c2a | comment |
Face Death with Dignity: In the best Australian way. | |
On the Beach / int_396e1c2a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_396e1c2a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_396e1c2a | |
On the Beach / int_478343d6 | type |
Planning for the Future Before the End | |
On the Beach / int_478343d6 | comment |
Planning for the Future Before the End: Even though they're all fully aware they're going to die within a few months, the characters continue to plant gardens for the following year, talk about getting new clothes and accessories for their growing children, and generally maintain the polite fiction that the world isn't ending in order to Let Them Die Happy. | |
On the Beach / int_478343d6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_478343d6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_478343d6 | |
On the Beach / int_4e3d253b | type |
Downer Ending | |
On the Beach / int_4e3d253b | comment |
Downer Ending: Obviously. Never once does the book's tone deviate from calm acceptance. | |
On the Beach / int_4e3d253b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_4e3d253b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_4e3d253b | |
On the Beach / int_55cd4012 | type |
"Everybody Dies" Ending | |
On the Beach / int_55cd4012 | comment |
"Everybody Dies" Ending: And in this case, that really does mean everybody. | |
On the Beach / int_55cd4012 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_55cd4012 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_55cd4012 | |
On the Beach / int_5941d75 | type |
Beta Couple | |
On the Beach / int_5941d75 | comment |
Beta Couple: Peter and Mary Holmes. | |
On the Beach / int_5941d75 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_5941d75 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_5941d75 | |
On the Beach / int_63557923 | type |
Death World | |
On the Beach / int_63557923 | comment |
Death World: By 1964, everything outside of Australia, New Zealand and the southern tips of Africa and South America is an uninhabitable, radioactive wasteland. And the fallout's still moving south. | |
On the Beach / int_63557923 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_63557923 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_63557923 | |
On the Beach / int_6363937b | type |
Cyanide Pill | |
On the Beach / int_6363937b | comment |
Cyanide Pill: The Australian government provides cyanide pills to its citizens so that they need not die slowly of radiation poisoning. | |
On the Beach / int_6363937b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_6363937b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_6363937b | |
On the Beach / int_6454966e | type |
World War III | |
On the Beach / int_6454966e | comment |
World War III: It began with an Albanian nuke being dropped on Naples, then another bomb on Tel Aviv, followed by Russian-made bombers piloted by Egyptians flying over and attacking Washington and London. Afterward, a full exchange between Russia, NATO and China was inevitable. | |
On the Beach / int_6454966e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_6454966e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_6454966e | |
On the Beach / int_6d332aea | type |
Driven to Suicide | |
On the Beach / int_6d332aea | comment |
Driven to Suicide: Everyone. First, mankind, of course, committed (unintentional) suicide via nuclear war, and the last survivors in Australia eventually decide to kill themselves, usually by taking cyanide pills, as they start to finally succumb to radiation sickness. | |
On the Beach / int_6d332aea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_6d332aea | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_6d332aea | |
On the Beach / int_717d735a | type |
Suicide by Pills | |
On the Beach / int_717d735a | comment |
Suicide by Pills: The Australian Government starts issuing cyanide pills for everyone in order to avoid a slow death from the deadly radiation. | |
On the Beach / int_717d735a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_717d735a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_717d735a | |
On the Beach / int_7464705c | type |
Arc Words | |
On the Beach / int_7464705c | comment |
Arc Words: "Never a dull moment" for the first half of the book. "We all go a little mad" for the second. | |
On the Beach / int_7464705c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_7464705c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_7464705c | |
On the Beach / int_7d32da92 | type |
Lost in Transmission | |
On the Beach / int_7d32da92 | comment |
Lost in Transmission: In the book and in the first movie, the Australians hear garbled Morse Code radio messages from the United States (Seattle in the book, San Diego in the first movie), which turn out to be caused by a broken window frame striking a telegraph key. In the second movie, the submarine crew receive a garbled message every day at roughly the same time. They're tracking it to see if it's from a group of survivors, but it turns out to be a solar-powered laptop transmitting on its own. Doubles as an Apocalyptic Log. | |
On the Beach / int_7d32da92 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_7d32da92 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_7d32da92 | |
On the Beach / int_82464731 | type |
Humanity's Wake | |
On the Beach / int_82464731 | comment |
Humanity's Wake: The inevitable end of humanity occurs, with those who survived World War III all eventually dying from violence, suicide, or radiation sickness. | |
On the Beach / int_82464731 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_82464731 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_82464731 | |
On the Beach / int_8bf8adfa | type |
Just Before the End | |
On the Beach / int_8bf8adfa | comment |
Just Before the End: The northern hemisphere is toast; the book narrates the Australian population's attempts to live out their last days in joy. | |
On the Beach / int_8bf8adfa | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_8bf8adfa | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_8bf8adfa | |
On the Beach / int_91e894b4 | type |
Apocalypse How | |
On the Beach / int_91e894b4 | comment |
Apocalypse How: Class 3a at the least, presumably a Class 4. Possibly a Class 5. | |
On the Beach / int_91e894b4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_91e894b4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_91e894b4 | |
On the Beach / int_94cc2c28 | type |
Exact Time to Failure | |
On the Beach / int_94cc2c28 | comment |
Exact Time to Failure: Averted — the estimate of when people in Melbourne will start dying of radiation poisoning turns out to be inaccurate. | |
On the Beach / int_94cc2c28 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_94cc2c28 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_94cc2c28 | |
On the Beach / int_96a33f11 | type |
Riddle for the Ages | |
On the Beach / int_96a33f11 | comment |
Riddle for the Ages: In the 2000 film. How did a standoff over Taiwan escalate so quickly? Which side fired first? | |
On the Beach / int_96a33f11 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_96a33f11 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_96a33f11 | |
On the Beach / int_97fa0a10 | type |
Mass "Oh, Crap!" | |
On the Beach / int_97fa0a10 | comment |
Mass "Oh, Crap!": When the submarine's crew finds the radio message was not the result of human activity — a broken window in the book and first film, a solar-powered laptop in the second film. | |
On the Beach / int_97fa0a10 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_97fa0a10 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_97fa0a10 | |
On the Beach / int_99298c71 | type |
Better to Die than Be Killed | |
On the Beach / int_99298c71 | comment |
Better to Die than Be Killed: The cyanide pills. Depending on personal convictions not everyone takes them, and some commit suicide in other ways. | |
On the Beach / int_99298c71 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_99298c71 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_99298c71 | |
On the Beach / int_99c36bb5 | type |
Ironic Nursery Tune | |
On the Beach / int_99c36bb5 | comment |
Ironic Nursery Tune: "Waltzing Matilda". "Waltzing Matilda" is a song about suicide, which makes grim sense given that the story's theme is the entire world's (unintentional) suicide. | |
On the Beach / int_99c36bb5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_99c36bb5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_99c36bb5 | |
On the Beach / int_99dd103c | type |
Safe Zone Hope Spot | |
On the Beach / int_99dd103c | comment |
Safe Zone Hope Spot: The transmission coming from the United States. | |
On the Beach / int_99dd103c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_99dd103c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_99dd103c | |
On the Beach / int_a08b0736 | type |
Nuclear Option | |
On the Beach / int_a08b0736 | comment |
Nuclear Option: Obviously. | |
On the Beach / int_a08b0736 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_a08b0736 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_a08b0736 | |
On the Beach / int_c446f93c | type |
Artistic License – Nuclear Physics | |
On the Beach / int_c446f93c | comment |
Artistic License – Nuclear Physics: Nuclear fallout would be a serious problem for the immediate areas surrounding the bombing sites, but even with the total destruction of the northern hemisphere, it's highly unlikely that enough fallout could be carried to the southern hemisphere to completely poison the planet. It's mentioned that the bombs used included cobalt, which would increase their radioactivity, but this wouldn't be a problem for the people in the southern hemisphere if it couldn't reach them. Only the lightest particles from the fires produced by the bombings could reach the far-flung areas of the planet and they would be so light that they'd stay in the upper atmosphere, contributing instead to a resulting nuclear winter. | |
On the Beach / int_c446f93c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_c446f93c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_c446f93c | |
On the Beach / int_d4fc9734 | type |
Salt the Earth | |
On the Beach / int_d4fc9734 | comment |
Salt the Earth: The nuclear version. | |
On the Beach / int_d4fc9734 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_d4fc9734 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_d4fc9734 | |
On the Beach / int_d71d51fd | type |
The End of the World as We Know It | |
On the Beach / int_d71d51fd | comment |
The End of the World as We Know It: And Australians largely decide to go out doing whatever makes them most comfortable. | |
On the Beach / int_d71d51fd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_d71d51fd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_d71d51fd | |
On the Beach / int_dca97045 | type |
Just Following Orders | |
On the Beach / int_dca97045 | comment |
Just Following Orders: Discussed and angrily thrown back at the submarine's captain. Mostly, Australians don't really care if the USSR (China in the 2000 film) or the US fired first. | |
On the Beach / int_dca97045 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_dca97045 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_dca97045 | |
On the Beach / int_dda99fa8 | type |
Despair Event Horizon | |
On the Beach / int_dda99fa8 | comment |
Despair Event Horizon: The impending death of humanity. And when the radio transmission proves not to be the result of human activity. And towards the end, when people start developing symptoms of radiation sickness, and know the time has come. | |
On the Beach / int_dda99fa8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_dda99fa8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_dda99fa8 | |
On the Beach / int_e7c671f3 | type |
Mildly Military | |
On the Beach / int_e7c671f3 | comment |
Mildly Military: Both played straight and averted by Commander Towers. He's completely by-the-book, but goes easy on his men when they begin to show signs of this themselves. Played straight by pretty much every other member of the American and Australian navies. Justified by the circumstances: there are no enemies left to fight, all missions are scientific in nature, and everybody's going to be dead soon anyway. | |
On the Beach / int_e7c671f3 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_e7c671f3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_e7c671f3 | |
On the Beach / int_edaedf90 | type |
Vomit Discretion Shot | |
On the Beach / int_edaedf90 | comment |
Vomit Discretion Shot: Averted in the 2000 film. Towards the end when the cast develops radiation sickness, most of them are shown vomiting, huddled in vomit-stained clothing. | |
On the Beach / int_edaedf90 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_edaedf90 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_edaedf90 | |
On the Beach / int_f32d85ab | type |
20 Minutes into the Future | |
On the Beach / int_f32d85ab | comment |
20 Minutes into the Future: The 1959 film is set in 1964. | |
On the Beach / int_f32d85ab | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_f32d85ab | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_f32d85ab | |
On the Beach / int_f5afa308 | type |
Hard-Drinking Party Girl | |
On the Beach / int_f5afa308 | comment |
Hard-Drinking Party Girl: Moira, bordering on The Alcoholic. | |
On the Beach / int_f5afa308 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_f5afa308 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_f5afa308 | |
On the Beach / int_f96f188c | type |
Drives Like Crazy | |
On the Beach / int_f96f188c | comment |
Drives Like Crazy: Played straight by John Osborne when he's on the streets. His Improbably Cool Car was never designed for transportation, and tends to stall below 50 miles per hour, so he tears around the streets of Melbourne like a madman, only avoiding accidents by being the only car on the road. Averted on the racetrack, though - his caution behind the wheel saves his life at least once, and is the main factor in his Grand Prix victory. | |
On the Beach / int_f96f188c | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_f96f188c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_f96f188c | |
On the Beach / int_fff371b4 | type |
Death Seeker | |
On the Beach / int_fff371b4 | comment |
Death Seeker: John Osborne becomes one over the course of the story. | |
On the Beach / int_fff371b4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
On the Beach / int_fff371b4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_fff371b4 | |
On the Beach / int_name | type |
ItemName | |
On the Beach / int_name | comment |
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On the Beach / int_name | featureApplicability |
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On the Beach / int_name | featureConfidence |
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On the Beach | hasFeature |
On the Beach / int_name | |
On the Beach / int_name | itemName |
On the Beach |
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