The Black Death

The Plague

October 2005 •English

It began much like the common cold. Yet within a day fever took over black swellings the size of baseballs appeared on the neck and finally a highly contagious bloody cough quickly sealed the victim's fate. During the worst biological disaster in the history of mankind the so-called black death released an indiscriminate fury which shook the very foundations of human order. Religious hysteria began to break out and in desperation frenzied masses scrambled to find a scapegoat. When all was said and done nearly one-third of Europe's population had been completely wiped out and devastated survivors were left to contend with a world forever changed both socially and economically. In this feature-length special THE HISTORY CHANNEL-® investigates the origins of this devastating moment in human history and explores the many questions surrounding the terrifying possibility of a modern-day biological threat.

Plague at the Golden Gate

May 2022 •English

Discover how the 1900 outbreak of bubonic plague set off feat and anti-Asian sentiment in San Francisco. A fascinating medical mystery and timely examination of the relationship between the medical community, city powerbrokers and the Chinese-American community, Plague at the Golden Gate tells the gripping story of the race against time to save San Francisco and the nation from the deadly plague.

28 Weeks Later

April 2007 •English

The inhabitants of the British Isles have lost their battle against the onslaught of disease, as the deadly rage virus has killed every citizen there. Six months later, a group of Americans dare to set foot on the isles, convinced the danger has come and gone. But it soon becomes all too clear that the scourge continues to live, waiting to pounce on its next victims.

The Island

July 2005 •English

In 2019, Lincoln Six-Echo is a resident of a seemingly "Utopian" but contained facility. Like all of the inhabitants of this carefully-controlled environment, Lincoln hopes to be chosen to go to The Island — reportedly the last uncontaminated location on the planet. But Lincoln soon discovers that everything about his existence is a lie.

Dairy of Terror

November 2007 •English

Faust

October 1926 •German

God and Satan war over earth; to settle things, they wager on the soul of Faust, a learned and prayerful alchemist.

The Omega Man

August 1971 •English

Due to an experimental vaccine, Dr. Robert Neville is the only human survivor of an apocalyptic war waged with biological weapons. Besides him, only a few hundred deformed, nocturnal people remain - sensitive to light, and homicidally psychotic.

Laia

September 2016 •Catalan

"Laia" is located in the imaginary village of Sinera, a fishing village inhabited by a series of extreme characters, indiscriminately diverted to the adversities of destiny. There, Laia lives, a woman marked by a miserable and unhappy childhood, that is debated between her cruel husband and lover who is his best friend and faces the hatred of a whole town while dreaming of a freedom that only the sea can grant.

Sahara

April 2005 •English

Seasoned adventurer and treasure hunter Dirk Pitt, a former Navy SEAL, sets out for the African desert with his wisecracking buddy Al in search of a confederate ironclad battleship rumored to have vanished long ago, the main draw being the treasure supposedly hidden within the lost vessel. When the daring duo come across Dr. Eva Rojas, a beautiful scientist who is juggling an escape from a warlord and a mission to stop the spread of a powerful plague, their desert expedition begins to heat up.

Blindness

May 2008 •English

When a sudden plague of blindness devastates a city, a small group of the afflicted band together to triumphantly overcome the horrific conditions of their imposed quarantine.

Khadak

August 2006 •Mongolian

Set in the frozen steppes of Mongolia, a young nomad is confronted with his destiny after animals fall victim to a plague which threatens to eradicate nomadism.

Most Flew South

December 2020 •English

A devastating plague has wiped out half the population of New York City, leaving it in a perpetual state of emergency. After years of lockdown, a young man, Paul, puts on his hazmat suit and ventures into the abandoned streets to meet Justine - a woman with whom he has developed a romance online, but never met. Paul has dreamed about this day, but doing this in reality is something else entirely. Will they be able to overcome their anxieties - and is it worth the risk?

Virgin Territory

December 2007 •English

In Black Death era Tuscany, as in the Decameron, ten young Florentines take refuge from the plague. But instead of telling stories, they have lusty adventures, bawdy exchanges, romance, swordplay, randy nuns, Saracen pirates, and a sexy cow.

The Reckoning

February 2021 •English

In the aftermath of the Great Plague and amidst the subsequent witch-hunts against women, a young widow grapples with the tragic death of her husband in a society completely consumed by fear and death. Because she rejects the advances of her landlord, she is falsely accused of being a witch and thrown in jail for a crime she didn’t commit. She must endure physical persecution at the hands of England’s most ruthless witch-hunter and face her own inner demons as the devil himself starts to work his way into her mind.

Out of the Darkness

January 1985 •English

In an English village, three youths see the spirit of a child who died in a 17th-century plague epidemic. They decide to learn about the town's history to find out how they can help set the child's ghost free.

The Year of the Plague

February 1978 •Spanish

A terrible disease is found in a Mexican town. A doctor tries to alert the authorities when he discovers its epidemic nature. No one listen to him and soon after the disease spreads. The government tries to control the information in order to prevent panic.

The Reaping

April 2007 •English

Katherine Morrissey, a former Christian missionary, lost her faith after the tragic deaths of her family. Now she applies her expertise to debunking religious phenomena. When a series of biblical plagues overrun a small town, Katherine arrives to prove that a supernatural force is not behind the occurrences, but soon finds that science cannot explain what is happening. Instead, she must regain her faith to combat the evil that waits in a Louisiana swamp.

Interview with the Vampire

November 1994 •English

A vampire relates his epic life story of love, betrayal, loneliness, and dark hunger to an over-curious reporter.

The Plague

August 1992 •Spanish

In a city in South America an outbreak of bubonic plague occurs. While people try to flee and the military close the city, an idealistic doctor decides to stay and help the sick. In the ever-changing circumstances, he puts up a brave fight, being helped by others but also involving them without being able to control the situation.

The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey

December 1988 •English

Cumberland, 1348. The plague is spreading in medieval England. The remote village of little Griffin is also threatened. But the 9-year-old boy has a recurring dream that holds the key to a tiny hope of survival: a lake with a coffin floating on it. A white church with an iron cross. A falling glove. A falling silhouette. A torch tumble through a dark shaft into infinity. With his brother he recognizes in it a prophecy to escape the Black Death. So they embark with a few men on a journey to a distant cathedral, where they want to set up an iron cross as an offering to God. Her path leads them through a deep and dark mine shaft into an unknown land and completely outlandish time - into the present-day New Zealand of the 1980s.