Movie Review: This Is Not a Test

This Is Not a Test 

Starring: Seamon Glass, Thayer Roberts, Aubrey Martin, Mary Morlas, Michael Greene, Alan Austin, Carol Kent, Norman Winston, Ron Starr, Don Spruance , James George Jr., Norman Bishop, Ralph Manza, Jay Della, William Flaherty, Phil Donati, Doyle Cooper 

Director: Fredric Gadette 

GPA Productions, USA, 1962. 

This movie is published as a part of Nightmare Worlds 50 movie pack box published by Mill Creek Entertainment. 

Deputy Sheriff Dan Colter (Seamon Glass) is ordered to set a roadblock. He stops an old man Jake Saunders (Thayer Roberts) and his grand-daughter Juney (Aubrey Martin), alcohol-loving hustlers Cheryl Hudson (Mary Morlas) and Joe Baragi (Michael Greene), truck driver Al Weston (Alan Austin) with a hitchhiker and another couple Sam and Karen Barnes (Norman Winston and Carol Kent) going on vacation. 

Deputy Sheriff Dan Colter

Juney and Jake Saunders

Clint Delany and Al Weston

One hitchhiker is a wanted murderer Clint Delany (Ron Starr). State of emergency is declared. USA is under nuclear attack. Sheriff Colter tries to keep order. There is a nearby oil refinery, so the nukes will be hitting near. Panic spreads and Sheriff decides to make a bomb shelter of the truck. Juney (Aubrey Martin) wanders a bit and sees Clint. Clint wants his suitcase back. 

Cheryl Hudson

Joe Baragi

Karen and Sam Barnes

A moped man Peter (Don Spruance) arrives and they start to empty the truck. Al starts flirting with Karen. Martial law is declared and civilization collapses. Not all of them are sure that sitting in the back of the truck is the safest way to prepare for nuclear attack.

This is an effective ultra low budget drama made when the Cuban missile crisis was heating up. The movie occurs at night around the truck and there are no visual effects. The crude look kind of adds to the realism as the people get only information about the approaching missiles from police radio. Panic and paranoia spread fast and the ending is fittingly ironic. The movie never got a theatrical release.

Rating: Good