MovieChat Forums > Panic in Year Zero! (1962) Discussion > Watch This and Think Katrina

Watch This and Think Katrina

posted 12 years ago by PretoriaDZ
5 replies | jump to latest

Katrina was the type of disaster where communications were interrupted a great deal. There was marked stupidity on the part of people who were told beforehand that a huge storm was coming and it was well known (I knew it and I don't even live in Louisiana) that the whole New Orleans area was sinking and below sea level and totally dependent on the engineered walls. Instead of getting out, they stayed put. Instead of the local govt using their buses to get people out, they let them stand in the parking lot and be submerged. Instead of taking advantage of Amtrak's offer, which was moving their trains out of the area to protect their holdings, the local govt did not accept free train transportation for the New Orleans citizens.

I think the whole point of this movie and of the real life disaster of Katrina is that you cannot depend on local govt to save you. You need to make plans ahead of time and keep informed about what is happening or about to happen and make wise decisions as soon as possible.

Of course, if a nuclear war started, I think I'd like to be at ground zero and go in the first blast because I would prefer that to radiation poisoning or, even if I avoided that, watching other people suffer.

[–] flemos-adriana 12 years ago

Wow I loved what you've written here. I agree with you, because people have to stand up and fight for themselves. At the same time, I really chuckled with your comment saying that you'd prefer to go away in the first blast, that's something that my mom would say, that's so funny. :)

[–] rtlh1982 12 years ago

I think the TV series Jericho got it right in that everyone would pull together initially. That is, until winter sets in, food and fuel run low, and people realize no outside help is on the way.

[–] gary_overman 11 years ago

<I think the TV series Jericho got it right in that everyone would pull together initially. That is, until winter sets in, food and fuel run low, and people realize no outside help is on the way.>

I have that series on DVD and have never gotten around to watching the whole thing. I have got to do that one of these days soon.

As for Katrina and comparing it to this film, I would have to agree that there are some similarities, but there are also some BIG differences. In Katrina, there was several days warning. In PIYZ, there was not. Also, the scale is vastly different. In Katrina, several thousands lost their lives, and in PIYZ, it is likely that tens of millions were killed.

[–] tortie98 8 years ago

The problem with a majority of people in New Orleans is that they expected someone else to save them.

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 6 years ago

That is one of the morals. Do NOT depend on the Government! Also that people are stupid, just like before Katrina.

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