Threads (1984)

[paulguitar]

Apologies if this has been here before, or if it is in the wrong place….


Has anyone seen the 1984 film ’Threads’? I did not see it back then, when I was 13, and having recently seen it for the first time, I am mighty glad…..It is TERRIFYING!


I don't think I have ever seen anything so bleak in my life……..

[jmorgan]

Watched it when it was released. I understand there was one joke in it, a traffic warden with a rifle as part of a militia.

But yes, scary. Proper scary. I think the US version at the time was a bit tame. When I say version, not Threads itself, but a similar theme.

[Pieman68]

Was that the one about the nuclear winter?

I was only 9 when it came out and didn't watch it but picked up an image from somewhere of milk bottles melting after the blast and it scared the out of me!

[Captain Benzo]

watched it about 6 months ago,

seriously bleak, quite an eye opener.

I think with the Zombie Apocalypse being a more modern topic, I do think that some people would survive reasonably well if the worst was to happen. however I think the majority would be seriously screwed.

[daddy cool]

jmorgan said:

I think the US version at the time was a bit tame. When I say version, not Threads itself, but a similar theme.

"Testament"?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086429/?ref_=nv_sr_4
I downloaded it recently but haven't watched yet. But yeah, Threads is really good. Not entirely sure about the very end, and the regressing to caveman-type stuff...

[Halb]

THis is a cheery watch for a Tuesday morning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AYMS1po0L8

I recalled it from this thread.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Mark Benson]

We were shown it at school (I was 14). We had a right-on, ban-the-bomb CND supporting head and he insisted that we see it.

Scared the crap out of us, I found an exercise book from the time a few years ago when clearing out my parents' loft and I was convinced we were all going to die in a nuclear war.

Mind you, we were hardened to the scary stuff by being shown Apaches at primary school (rural area, lots of us lived on or near farms), I remember going home from school in utter shock (as the kids featured were doing pretty much what I did all the time but dying one-by-one in ever more inventive ways).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAQZaUixmpA

[jmorgan]

daddy cool said:

jmorgan said:

I think the US version at the time was a bit tame. When I say version, not Threads itself, but a similar theme.

"Testament"?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086429/?ref_=nv_sr_4
I downloaded it recently but haven't watched yet. But yeah, Threads is really good. Not entirely sure about the very end, and the regressing to caveman-type stuff...

Might be it, I remember it was shown but a bit too American TV if that makes any sense. No grit and grime of Threads.

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

Th American one was called: "The Day After".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZhjpHYjZpc

[kdri155]

jmorgan said:

I think the US version at the time was a bit tame. When I say version, not Threads itself, but a similar theme.

The American one was called "The Day After" starred Jason Robards and a young Steve Guttenberg. It's on https://youtu.be/yif-5cKg1Yo

[Halb]

I don't tink one needed to be a stereotype back in the 80's to have a justified fear of the nuclear holocaust.

Although, for myself, I was more scared of Aliens and the Terminator, and probably zombies.

I remember watching (and reading) Z for Zachariah, another sobering story. And of course, When the Wind Blows, which Thatcher hated. Which shows how the useless advice told by the establishment just melted away under what happen.

edit, this has got me interested.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nuclear_holo...

I fancy watching some of these, Virus sounds really good, I stopped myself reading most of the plot.

Edited by Halb on Tuesday 24th January 10:28

[daddy cool]

Halb said:

edit, this has got me interested.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nuclear_holo...
I fancy watching some of these, Virus sounds really good, I stopped myself reading most of the plot.

Yep - and stars Capt Hocken from Naked Gun, and General Adama from Battlestar Galactica!

I see "On the Beach" is on the list - thats a bleak film. (The story its based on inspired Morrissey's song "Every Day is like Sunday", fact-fans)

[V8A*ndy]

Ahh the good old 1980's Scaremongering brought to you by....

Nuclear Holocaust, AIDS and the IRA......

Thank goodness today we only have to worry about....

Nuclear Holocaust, Antibiotics/Flu Pandemics and ISIS....

[motco]

I saw 'Threads' when it was broadcast and it made a permanent impression on me. I have a commercially made VHS tape of it but despite the tape being on the shelf ans still having a working VHS machine, I have never watched it. Now might be a good time...

[Terzo123]

I saw threads at a family friends house years ago when I was a kid. I remember puking in the car in the way home. Not sure if it was through fear after watching threads or a dodgy sandwich. Either way, it left it's Mark.

The full film is available on vimeo.

https://vimeo.com/channels/1055902

[Europa1]

I seem to recall there was a black and white film on a similar theme, but it wasn't shown until the 1980s because it was felt it would cause panic if it had been shown when it was made. Spectacularly unhelpful in terms of detail from me, but does anyone else remember it?

Threads scared the crap out of me, too.

And When the Wind Blows was pretty gloomy, too (excellent Bowie soundtrack, though).

[Hugo a Gogo]

I was 12 when I saw it, with all the other anti-war stuff going round at the time, info about which areas you would all die straight away, which areas you would survive for weeks etc, it really made me believe the future was fked

how wrong we were, eh?

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

Europa1 said:

I seem to recall there was a black and white film on a similar theme, but it wasn't shown until the 1980s because it was felt it would cause panic if it had been shown when it was made.

Thatwas: "The War Game", made in 1965.

https://archive.org/details/TheWarGame_201405

Edited by Ginetta G15 Girl on Tuesday 24th January 13:45

[GCH]

daddy cool said:

jmorgan said:

I think the US version at the time was a bit tame. When I say version, not Threads itself, but a similar theme.

"Testament"?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086429/?ref_=nv_sr_4
I downloaded it recently but haven't watched yet. But yeah, Threads is really good. Not entirely sure about the very end, and the regressing to caveman-type stuff...

Maybe he means 'The Day After?'

Equally as terrifying as Threads imho

[Pugster]

Watched this as a 12 year old and it scared the crap out of me.

I had nightmares for weeks and was convinced we were going to get nuked.

Still depresses the hell out of me now. The ending is just so grim.