End of the World books, songs and movies and even some happy ones!

A roundup of fun and interesting news... plus music and flicks about that hoary-old topic that keeps fascinating... doomsday!

First something light. Coffee in Space: Politics with David Brin: Here's another podcast series to listen to... I've been giving a lot of these interviews. But if you haven't yet had enough of me ;-)!

Now how about analyzing war scenes from movies and TV shows, starting in a cool video with Admiral James Stavridis (ret.) and Elliot Ackerman (authors of 2034: A Novel of the Next World War) on Wired magazine. They have fun talking about what’s real and what is unlikely and a handful of different fascinating war movies from Doctor Strangelove to The Hunt for Red October.

Aaaaand a list of “50 great novels about apocalypse” includes some great, dire warnings.  Alas, there are far fewer novels that offer examples of hope. But yes, I’m high on the list.

See also: Best End of the World movies: 15 visions of the end times, including The Day After Tomorrow, I Am Legend, Independence Day. 

And...? A while back I opined a semi-random thought about end times. “You all know the song “It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).” Way fun... but I mean I mean jeez, most of the pop and political figures run-off in the lyrics are completely obscure now! Either R.E.M. or their heirs should do a new version every decade or they should license it! Seriously, it's a public trust by now! And... why the heck not?

(And Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" - again, should be updated at least every 10 years.) And yes, I’m “just sayin.”

Another apo-calypso is Genesis' "Land of Confusion". The delirious Reagan-era video they did with Spitting Image is *definitely* worth updating!

Also see: Apocamon: The Book of Revelation: The Final Judgment, posted online with wonderful illustrations by Patrick Farley!

Not enough doomsday for ya? Want more? Well then Contrary Brin Blogmunity member Yana offers this list:

Henry Burr - Last Night Was The End Of The World

Insane Clown Posse - Intro

DOA - Eve Of Destruction

Nick Cave - Red Right Hand

Smashing Pumpkins - Doomsday Clock

Arthur Brown - Prelude, Nightmare, Fanfare, Poem, Fire

Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hell

Ronald Reagan - We Begin Bombing In Five Minutes

Motorhead - Orgasmatron

Good Rats - Writing The Pages

Time Zone - World Destruction

David Bowie - Five Years

John R Butler - The Hand Of The Almighty

Bad Religion - New Dark Ages

Coven - One Tin Soldier

Sons Of Abraham & Savior - Testament

Bright Eyes - Four Winds

Jethro Tull - Protect and Survive

Pink Floyd - Two Suns In the Sunset

Rush - Prelude from 2112

The Merry Minuet by the Kingston Trio

 "Aftermath" by Don McLean

And Tom Lehrer's "We'll All Go Together When We Go."

Though Daniel Duffy says The best "end of the world song" is "Five Years" by David Bowie."

And AF Rey offers us  Christopher Cross' "I'm Too Old for This" from his 2011 album Doctor Faith. ‘The tune is so-so, but the lyrics caught my attention.’

The willful ignorance across the nation
The screaming yahoos that rage on every station
It makes me crazy and I'm too old for this

Full lyrics here, -- and the music here.

And another member of the Contrary Brin blog community (one of the oldest and best on the web) - Jon S. - says “I vote for Rush's "A Farewell To Kings".

When they turn the pages of history

When these days have passed long ago

Will they read of us with sadness

For the things that we let grow?

We turned our face from the castles in the distance,

Eyes cast down on the path of least resistance

Cities full of hatred, fear, and lies

Withered hopes and cruel, tormented eyes

Scheming demons dressed in kingly guise

Beating down the multitudes and scoffing at the wise...

Here's a listing of 22 Doomsday Songs, many mentioned above - with links to videos.

== Short takes on fims==

We enjoyed Zootopia, animated by Disney.

In the film – “The Space Between Us” -- a woman on a mission to colonize Mars discovers after takeoff that she is pregnant.  And sixteen years later the child comes to Earth. Having watched the preview, I must ask: (1) Do you share with me the impression that this is a direct steal from Heinlein’s “Stranger In A Strange Land”? Milking the melodrama potential and poisoning the well for that classic to be filmed, while offering up none of the interesting contents of RAH’s classic? Your thoughts?

2) Beware. This preview, like so many others nowadays, simply tells the entire story.  All of it. The entire film. Beginning to end, encapsulated. Why do they do stuff like that?

Speaking of Star Wars, here's an interesting comment someone posted.

The Peacemaker – staring George Clooney and Nicole Kidman – deliberately defies the “idiot plot,” by showing institutions, public officials and professionals behaving as sincere and effective adults.

See a beautiful and fun and impressive example of the synthesis between human-created art forms and AI algorithms, all propelled by music.

Finally, yes, a plug for my brand new book of insights... VIVID TOMORROWS: Science Fiction and Hollywood!  Some chapters are from 20 years of articles and postings - ranging from Star Trek vs Wars to King Kong, to Brave New World to Orwell to Ender to Buffy to Avatar... and others are wholly original. And sure, McFarland is an academic press, so it ain't cheap.  All I can tell you is that you'll get more insights and laughs and "huh!" moments per nickel than anywhere else. And I'll make that a bet!