10 More Apocalypse Horrors That Broke All The Rules

10. Miracle Mile

Miracle Mile is one of the most chilling apocalyptic films ever made, making the absolute most of its deliciously provocative premise, where a man (Anthony Edwards) answers a payphone and is told that nuclear war will break out in less than 70 minutes.

Is it a prank or the truth? Such is the anxious tension of Steve De Jarnatt's tightly wound thriller which, per the utter madness with which society soon breaks down into, is absolutely a horror film about the abject frailty of social order.

Beyond the unique ambiguity of its setup, though, Miracle Mile is also further distinguished by unfolding largely in real-time and being, in spite of its horrific premise, a deeply romantic film as protagonist Harry fights to survive with his new love Julie (Mare Winningham).

This is an apocalyptic film where basically everything feels off - it disarmingly starts like a corny rom-com, is backed by a discordant Tangerine Dream score, touts an increasingly nightmarish aesthetic leading to a climax that, without spoiling it, is simply unforgettable.

Miracle Mile saw the typical end-of-the-world movies Hollywood was putting out at the time and decided to do something completely, brilliantly different.