The neutron bomb made plenty of headlines throughout the 1970s (as well as inspiring songs by Los Angeles punk bands The Controllers and The Weirdos), but this remarkable Canadian short subject makes it clear that the weapon that leaves buildings standings while eliminating people (and any other living things) was already in development - and no longer a secret - at some point during the previous decade. Filmed in deserted Montreal locations, 23 Skidoo makes this very plain when we see a hastily abandoned and incomplete type-written story about the neutron bomb amidst its scenes of barren big city emptiness. A chilling and eerie 8 minutes.
