Threads - British nuclear war docu-movie

[wiking]

I came arcross this on Google video, interesting to view.

The beginning is a bit dull, but i honestly think this is one of the most scary movies i've seen.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2023790698427111488&q=war

[Hydro]

The first time I saw this, I was scared ****less. Thank **** the Cold War never went hot.

[RMRcallum]

saw it on UKTV documentary it made the "day after" seem tame by comparison.

[wiking]

it hit me rather hard, as the "main carachters" are a young unmarried couple who just found out the girl is pregnant. This is set to 1984, and that is EXACTLY what happened to my parents in 1986. Hardly the height of the cold war, but this is very close to what could have happened to my parents, and me. :|

[Dronetek]

saw it on UKTV documentary it made the "day after" seem tame by comparison.

Yeah, I watched this after a friend described it as "much darker than the day after". It left an impression on me that still lasts to this day.


EDIT: Dosn't the war start because of Iran?

[Hydro]

The Soviets invade Iran, the US protests and sends in troops after them, and it all snowballs from there.


The scariest part was when Traffic Wardens get given SLR's to keep public order! You can't trust those bastards with a pen and paper!

[wiking]

The Soviets invade Iran, the US protests and sends in troops after them, and it all snowballs from there.


The scariest part was when Traffic Wardens get given SLR's to keep public order! You can't trust those bastards with a pen and paper!

rofl to bloody right

One interesting bit is the level of disorder and anarchy they describe, i would have thought the level of organisation was higher and better.

I'll say, watching the mushroom clouds in "Jericho" was creepy enough, but it's nothing compared to this.

[RMRcallum]

The thing about jehirco is they still have order,pleanty of food and clean water threads is quite the oppisite !

[Thumpsquid]

See also "The War Game." A documentary that was pulled before transmission in 1965 because it was deemed "too harrowing"

[Kilgor]

The thing about jehirco is they still have order,pleanty of food and clean water threads is quite the oppisite !

Thats why its a load of crap!

[daily666]

I have downloaded this movie for half a year once on eDonkey2000, bloody difficult to get. One of the best of it's kind. There was a similar concept tv series produced by ABC called "The day after".

[Dronetek]

There was a similar concept tv series produced by ABC called "The day after".

Yeah we know.............:roll:

[fireinthehole]

I'm an hour into watching it now - nightmarish stuff.

I don't ever recall seeing this on mainstream british TV - And I can see why.

thinking about sh*t like this used to keep me awake at night when I was a kid


Still scary even now..........................

[Robbee]

In 2007, is the threat of complete global nuclear annihilation still talked about in schools as a current issue or just part of history class? And no, despite what your hippie wannabe teacher says, Sting didn't end the cold war by singing "The Russians" to open the Grammys in 1986.

(I noticed that the thread starter is 20 years old and that "Threads" came out 23 years ago-so he didn't grow up listening to "nuclear winter" like we hear "global warming" now)

For those interested in further reading,
there's a nice summary article on nuclear weapons in popular culture at wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_in_popular_culture#In_fiction_and_film

[Marvin!!]

Damn :|

That's one of the scariest films I've ever seen. And it's a docu-film :-(

[vryhpyammoadded]

Wow, I have not seen that in a decade or two. I remember I first saw "Threads" at a college film festival along with "Whoops Apocalypse" (The original, not that crappy US rip off) and a few other apocalyptic themed movies.
Ah, I miss those good old days of MAD, SS20’s, Cruise Missiles and Star Wars with all the Euro hysteria about Reagan possibly blowing everyone to kingdom come. Those were the days…

Just you wait; in another two years maybe we all will find out just how close we really did come. Truth is stranger than fiction…

[pascalywood]

its 1000 times scarier than any horror movie. and they should have subtitled it in english, cant understand **** because of the bloody accent!

[nullterm]

Chilling. When the air raid sirens went, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand.

[demotivater]

That movie freaked me out when I was a kid. I'm talking psychologist freaked out. Had no lasting affect on me though.

*seals bunker door*

[Negative Creep]

Crazy movie! Thanks posting it!

[Backwoodshunter]

at 24 mins into the movie, is the marching band playing men of harlech from zulu?

[a_very_ex_STAB]

I came arcross this on Google video, interesting to view.

The beginning is a bit dull, but i honestly think this is one of the most scary movies i've seen.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2023790698427111488&q=war

I saw Threads only once when it was shown on TV here in the UK. I think it was 1981 or 1982 and I was about 17. Scared the sh1te out of me then. There was something really unsettling about seeing the effects of nuclear war on your familiar home environment (rather than a foreign country like the US) - even when you know it's just a TV programme.

The 'War Game' was even more harrowing. IIRC much of the footage of destruction and dying burns victims etc included in that actually came from German cities like Hamburg in WW2 where there had been firestorm attacks.

[HiOct]

Threads has been re-released. And if I remember correctly this version has English subtitles.

http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/681257/Threads/Product.html

IMO scariest and sickest flick ever.

[Marvin!!]

Chilling. When the air raid sirens went, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand.

Yup, that was the scariest part of the movie for me. Everyone just scetching out, with that horrible wail in the background

[Atlantic Friend]

Does anyone remember the mini-series "World War III", with David Soul ? THat one was quite scary too, as it showed how War gained a momentum of its own, with the ambitions and actions of men involved.

[Herrmannek]

I believe I have almost complete collection of nuclear war movies... Threads is best from ones I have...

[daily666]

Does anyone remember the mini-series "World War III", with David Soul ? THat one was quite scary too, as it showed how War gained a momentum of its own, with the ambitions and actions of men involved.

Was that the one with Russian invasion on Alaska? Remember it from the beginning of the 90's on SkyOne.

[Atlantic Friend]

Was that the one with Russian invasion on Alaska? Remember it from the beginning of the 90's on SkyOne.

That's the one. Russia invades alaska to gain some bargaining chip because it needs grain, IIRC.

[wiking]

Yup, that was the scariest part of the movie for me. Everyone just scetching out, with that horrible wail in the background

That is defenitely a creepy moment. Just thank all the gods of all religions we didn't have to hear it for real.

[Kilgor]

I actually remember that jingle from the show the kids were watching in the post holocaust world, "words and pictures"

jezus that movie is all to real.

[Marvin!!]

LOL yeah same. Took me back a few years :D

[Atlantic Friend]

Just watched "Threads" yesterday. Damn ! Just looking at the caption where they say "East/West exhange 3,000 megatons - Great Britain struck by 210 megations" was enough to make your spine tingle.

[Sabre]

Aye, these low budget 'factual' docu's are often far more scary than multi-million pound films, the reality hits you square in the face.

I love the bit where the soldiers/officials shoot one of the looters and search the body:

"Here, I found some crips"

-"What flavour are they?"

"Prawn cocktail"

-"Fvcking would be, I hate them..." :lol:

[Hydro]

Aye, these low budget 'factual' docu's are often far more scary than multi-million pound films, the reality hits you square in the face.

I love the bit where the soldiers/officials shoot one of the looters and search the body:

"Here, I found some crips"

-"What flavour are they?"

"Prawn cocktail"

-"Fvcking would be, I hate them..." :lol:



"Corporal! Two rounds at that man there!"

[Fee Fi Fo Fum]

First time I've ever got to watch all of that.

Chilling to say the least.