Comments on: 1980s TV Movie - Planet w/Non-Stop Rain

Question: 1980s TV Movie - Planet w/Non-Stop Rain

DavidNYC — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:58:09 -0800

TV Movie ID: A sci-fi-ish TV movie from the 1980s which mostly featured children living on a planet where it never stopped raining.

I don't recall much of the storyline, but I seem to remember that one of the main characters was a girl who I think had grown up on Earth and knew what sunshine was like. (The rest of the kids knew nothing but eternal rain.) She was treated like a pariah and, for a while, locked in some sort of closet or store-room by some of the other kids. Of course, during her confinement, the rain briefly stopped, allowing everyone a short moment to experience the outdoors in the sun. By the time she was let out, the rain naturally had started up again.

By: JimN2TAW

JimN2TAW — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:04:44 -0800

Ray Bradbury, All Summer in a Day (learned from MeFi a couple of months ago).

By: Rudy Gerner

Rudy Gerner — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:04:53 -0800

All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury.

By: DavidNYC

DavidNYC — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:09:41 -0800

Indeed! Didn't realize it was originally a Bradbury short story. (And I swear I ran a site search before asking this question, since it was my very first! But I guess I just couldn't come up with the right combination of terms.) Thanks so much.

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:11:54 -0800

For future reference, and for interest, this is probably the most-asked Ask Metafilter question of all time.

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:13:16 -0800

But I'm not sniping, honest; I'm not finding it through site search easily, either. I just think it's interesting - this question happens about once every two months or so and has for years. It's just one of those striking movies that you see when you're a kid and remember deeply, I think.

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:18:41 -0800

Sorry link

By: DavidNYC

DavidNYC — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:19:21 -0800

Really? Wow. Beginner's luck, then, I guess. :) But I think there must be something to it, because despite having seen this only once at least two decades ago, it appears that I remembered all the salient details of the story accurately. That surprised me - I figured for sure I'd get some things wrong.

Also, I don't know if this is a browser problem I'm having, but your link doesn't seem to be working (at least for me).

By: DavidNYC

DavidNYC — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:28:07 -0800

Ha, this really is fascinating. There are at least 16 separate hits for "All Summer in a Day" on MeFi. Interestingly, some people remember it as a movie they saw, others as a story they read (and of course both are right). Remarkable that both versions should be so affecting.

By: humannaire

humannaire — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 21:32:23 -0800

What is equally interesting is how both the short film and the story seem to resonate with people.

Imagine:
-only seeing the sun once in a lifetime (how precious!).
-missing that opportunity (powerlessness).
-causing someone to miss that opportunity (the heartlessness).
-living with the knowledge of having done that (shame).
-missing the sole chance to experience the sun (insanity).
-a life without sun. (horror)

Ah, Bradbury. Once upon a time, dandelion wine.

By: lukemeister

lukemeister — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 21:34:15 -0800

Related: The Long Rain, one of the three segments of The Illustrated Man (1969), starring Rod Steiger and Claire Bloom.

By: Jacqueline

Jacqueline — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 22:20:48 -0800

"For future reference, and for interest, this is probably the most-asked Ask Metafilter question of all time."

I thought the most-asked question was some variation of "should I eat it?"