THE NIGHT THE WORLD EXPLODED is one of the lesser-known 50's science fiction thrillers, a Columbia offering that in many ways pre-dates the 70's disaster cycle (in fact, the first third is remarkably similar to EARTHQUAKE). Scientists have finally perfected a method of predicting earthquakes, and the predictions aren't good. Massive quakes become more frequent as our heroes discover a previously unknown element which explodes violently when allowed to dry out. Somehow this element is rising above it's previously underwater levels because of deeper and deeper mining operations. In fact, the planet itself is on the verge of blowing apart! Although there's some pretty silly science here (I can buy the exploding rocks, but can't swallow the notion that mining could ever be done on a scale so large as to allow these events to occur), there's also some good drama and race-against-the-clock suspense. Sort of the B picture version of CRACK IN THE WORLD. The lovely Katheryn Grant is our female lead, and ever the pixie-ish beauty. Not sure how visible it's been since released. Presumably it saw some television play, but I'm not sure I'd even heard of it during my younger years. A nice print is now available on disk in a collection of Columbia science fiction epics. Not a fantastic movie, but it's always fun to find another picture like this!
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