Threads (1984)

Threads is the British answer to the American anti-nuclear war tele-film The Day After, only its considerable harsher, more depressing, and effective. Done in a quasi-documentary style, the film focuses on two families, as well as one government official in Sheffield England, and how they cope with an impending nuclear war, the attack its self, and the aftermath. A tremendous job is done in building the tension. A mounting foreign policy crises centering on Iran begins as little more then passing news items in the background of the everyday lives of our characters. Gradually things become more and more heightened and uncertain, panic sets in, the government steps up, fear grips the nation and the world. This goes on for roughly the first hour, then we have the attack, and its of course a catastrophic one. It is followed by the long, decaying descent of the aftermath. The world of before has been destroyed, it is never to be again, the government tries but it is no where near up to the task. One of the things that distinguishes this film from its Yankee precursor The Day After, beyond simply its increased harshness and graphicness, is that it doesn't wind down in the immediate aftermath of the nuclear conflict, no it goes much beyond that, almost 15 years, and we get to the see the long term effects this has on civilization. Not only is most of the infrastructurean d production capacity wiped out, and not only do countless millions, the vast majority of the pre-war population die, but those born after the blast suffer from learning disabilities and deformities, they simple are not going to be capable of returning civilization to anything close to what it was before the war. This is a dark and depressing film, and an extremely effective one. It can be hard going at times, and it will stay with you long after you've finished it, but I think sitting through Threads (the title by the why is a reference to the threads that hold society together gradually unwinding) is well worth the time and effort. You can even watch it free online. Mighty impressive. ****