This really does re-define the word grim....be warned, don't be fooled by the 'nice' intro/beginning.

A must-watch that documents the build up to, the event of, and the aftermath of, a nuclear war. I saw it back in the day and believe me, 28 years on it hasn't lost any of its impact or relevance.

diamondgeezer wrote:
Yeah, and yeah again, it's good.

I would also recommend on the same topic "When the Wind Blows".

Both should be mandatory viewing in high school. (Globally)

I had the graphic novel of when the wind blows. Horrid. As is threads. I remember a little group of us teens got together to watch it. It was that much of an event. Suffice to say i never got it on with my gf that night...

The Day After......

The Books a Thousand Times Better On The Beach Neville Shute

I remember having to endure watching when the wind blows, and becoming absolute shit scared as a young child lying in bed not being able to sleep shit scared, of a forth coming Nuclear Halocaust and the watching on Tv The Day After, its wonder I wasn't comitted

Black Cloud wrote:
Same here. In the early 80s I was convinced we were gonna get nuked and my proximity to London convinced me I wouldn't survive. Just about everything I drew or wrote about when I was a kid was to do with nuclear war.

As a kid I wanted to make a shelter in order to survive, but now I'd be more likely to roll a joint, pop outside and wait to be vapourised.

I don't know how I missed these, but have never heard of Threads or When the Wind Blows. I'll look at them later - or maybe not if they traumatised viewers.

How on earth did you manage to avoid them Gilly ?

They were everywhere when you were a lass, you were probably out playing hopscotch.

I've never been one for watching much telly, but I'm surprised I''ve never heard of them.

Gilly wrote:
Me too, but they are both worth a watch. Threads was good television and worth watching again. When the wind blows was just to terrify us kids I think, and it worked....

Gilly wrote: AFAIK, Threads was broadcast once and never repeated, and it wasn't available to buy on DVD for ages. The DVD used to sell for £50-60 on Ebay.

When the Wind Blows is better known, it was even mentioned in the British parliament, but anything animated often gets overlooked. It's never mentioned in lists of the greatest films, I know when Channel 4 did the 100 Greatest War Films it wasn't in the top 50. A lot of adults just won't watch cartoons so it doesn't have the profile that it should, but it's one of the best films you will ever see.

jhado wrote:
It was the old couple's relationship in WTWB that made it more poignant for me. The naivety stemming from the belief that their preparations would help them survive was heartbreaking. Made me think of my grandparents and how they would have coped.

Don't watch it, Gilly. Think happy thoughts instead.

There were loads of programmes about nukes in the 80's

I also remember this edition of QED on the topic nothing but facts about the consequences of a 1megaton bomb over St Pauls, coldly delivered by Ludovic Kennedy ....

Nuclear War: A Guide To Armageddon Pt.1




Nuclear War: A Guide To Armageddon Pt.2




Nuclear War: A Guide To Armageddon Pt.3



Showing up the Government's "Protect and Survive" advice up for the complete bullshit it was.

hugorune wrote: This is the brilliance of that film, to so effectively personalise something that has huge implications.

I have to disagree, Gilly, it's an unmissable film in my opinion. There are only about eight countries with nuclear weapons anyway...

wake_up_bomb wrote:
....officially.

Well we have nukes.................. 'cept they're really the America's nukes and we can't fire them without their say so.
But we still pay for them.