Threads (BBC - 1984)

[Amasov]

Ugh. I just saw this made for TV British film, which depicts a nuclear war on the UK - specifically the city of Sheffield. I've heard a lot about this film, often compared to 1983's The Day After, but this makes the latter look like an after school special. It was unreal just how grim this movie really is. The images have been in my head for the last few days and are really hard to shake.

Has anyone else seen it?

 

[ITL]

Yep, saw it when it was first broadcast. Grimmety grim grim.

 

[Kira's Mom]

Yup. Gave me nightmares.

 

[Count Zero]

I saw it not too long ago, and yes, it is indeed extremely haunting.

 

[Amasov]

Though I haven't seen every movie on the subject, it's definitely the best nuclear war movie that I've watched. 1983's Special Bulletin is a close second.

 

[LOKAI of CHERON]

Yep, I remember watching it as a boy at the time. Stark and vivid - not a film you forget quickly.

 

[Amasov]

I do wonder if Threads does exaggerate the effects, somewhat. Could the effects of such an event be so bad even basic English is no longer spoken?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Hey, per Lerner and Loewe we Americans haven't spoken it in years.

Anyway, that's a dramatic choice rather than an exaggeration. To echo others, very stark and effective movie.

 

[Count Zero]

I do wonder if Threads does exaggerate the effects, somewhat. Could the effects of such an event be so bad even basic English is no longer spoken?

I'm not sure about the English (and I'll abstain from making jokes about the state of it in today's UK ) but given the scenario things would probably be even worse than they're depicted in the movie. A nuclear exchange between East and West would have probably resulted in dramatic changes to the global climate including a dramatic drop in average temperatures effectively killing of agriculture for years. Those are newer models, though. At the time the film was made, the effects and the longevity of nuclear winter were seen as less dramatic and pretty much the way they were depicted in the movie.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I saw it a few years ago. It's very grim, someone in my twitter stream decided to watch it in light of the stuff going on with North Korea. The next thing he tweeted was that he was now shitting himself.

 

[lurok]

I saw it not too long ago, and yes, it is indeed extremely haunting.

Same here. And grim indeed, in a verité, unsensational style. Thank god it never happened, hopefully never will.

ETA: only Grave Of The Fireflies and When The Wind Blows have come close to it, for me, in terms of pathos.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

They showed it in my 9th grade poly sci class. And yeah, it was brutal.

 

[Starkers]

Sheffield, not the luckiest of English cities (see also The Last Train where it gets demolished by an asteroid!)

I haven't seen Threads since it aired, and yes, The Day After was quite twee by comparison!

 

[Amasov]

THREADS is one of those few movies like THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST you'll likely only want to watch once. Amasov, if you saw TESTAMENT (which is grim yet strangely unplifting), how would you (or anybody else) compare it?

I've seen Testament. That one was pretty brutal too. Threads is done much more in the style of a documentary where the war itself and its aftermath take center stage. Testament is more about how it effects a mother and her struggle to be brave for her surviving family. It's much more personal than Threads.

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

THREADS is one of those few movies like THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST you'll likely only want to watch once.

Think I've seen it at least four times.

 

[lurok]

I may watch Passion again, but unlikely Threads. But I'm interested to check out Testament now, so thanks for heads up from those who mentioned.

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

Try Barefoot Gen... Based on a true story...

 

[Amasov]

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQJy1465NSU[/yt]

James Horner scored this film, by the way. Very moving and powerful.

 

[Ethros]

"Jesus Christ, they've done it."

Yeah same, I remember seeing it about 5 years ago, and being depressed for days after thinking about it. Especially the last 10 minutes or so; Ruth goes through all that utter hell, and for what?


Even the sound of the air raid siren still scars the shit out of me, even in something like The Time Machine 1960, just a horrible noise and what it means.




When The Wind Blows is a nice mid 80s companion piece to it I always think. Well, not nice, but you know what I mean

 

[WillsBabe]

It was broadcast while I was living in Sheffield, which certainly added to its impact. And it was written by Barry Hines, one of our writers in residence while I was studying for my English degree at Sheffield. For me the iconic image (and I recall for a lot of people at the time) was the window of Woolies being shattered.