MovieChat Forums > Z.P.G. (1972) Discussion > What did the plaque say near the end of ...

What did the plaque say near the end of the movie.

posted 18 years ago by gordonwgriggs
7 replies | jump to latest

I have the tv version of this movie. After they escape the dome-city they pass by a plaque that says somthing about a titan missle detonation. Since the movie was shot in widescreen both sides of the plaque are missing. Anyone know what it says? From what I can figure out The plaque was a memorial to those who died there when the government ordered the detonation of the titan missle to cut down on the population. I COULD BE WRONG. I can only go by the storyline.Any other ideas?

Thanks!

Gordon

[–] renezfd 18 years ago

It's been a long time since I've seen this movie. I thought then, that they we're the long since survivors of a nuclear war.

[–] wkduffy 17 years ago

Just finished watching the new DVD. Basically, the plaque says "Under this surface there are 32 Polaris nuclear missiles buried in the interest of peace. 1978." Another sign reads something like: "Radioactivity Zone." It seems it is a bunker of some kind--I thought perhaps they were going underneath there on the beach (in a cavern or something?) to live out their lives in exile. But it does seem they are survivors of a long-forgotten nuclear war.

Not a very happy ending, other than the fact that they did escape with their baby.

[–] gordonwgriggs 17 years ago

Thanks for the reply! I always wondered about that plaque.Ive got the dvd on order.

[–] aredant 16 years ago

The plaque also says at the bottom "in the interest of the people". So, it suggests that the missiles were buried as an anti-war act rather than to exterminate population. The anti-war movement was pretty strong at the time.
Nowadays, there seems to be comparatively little public concern and the over population has been band-aided over by the green movement. There is so much pro-natalist sentiment around that no one wants to face the issue of population control anymore. This movie was very refreshing to watch after not seeing it for decades.

[–] Coolestmovies 15 years ago

The plaque actually says "in the name of PEACE".

It's based on several REAL plaques spread around the globe at sites where nuclear/atomic weapons were decommissioned and buried after various agreements between superpowers. The United States is littered with such sites. Almost none of them are "tourist" destinations, and many must be literally hunted for if you want to see them, buried as they are in fields down dirt roads and off remote highways, often near sites where such weapons were originally built and tested.

[–] rsncoins 15 years ago

Wrong my friend, there are lots of measures to control the population in place, its sorta covert but some research will expose many of them (no not aliens or lizard people) actual scientific journals and papers written in the 40's-70's are the basis for it, was eugenics now its called green policy. Good or bad the issue is alive and well and movies like this and solyent green were made possibly as a warning definately more than entertainment. Whatever side you are on (or if you even know that this is an issue) these movies are a creepy reflection on some powerful ideologies.

[–] Brennan-8 12 years ago

It may have been distant enough from 1978 that the nuclear wasteland they escaped to was safe enough to live in. That's how I interpreted it anyway; it felt like a happy(ish) ending, or at least mildly hopeful.