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The Day After

  • TV Movie
  • 19831983
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 2h 7m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
16K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,879
202
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Day After (1983)
  • Drama
  • Sci-Fi
The effects of a devastating nuclear holocaust on small-town residents of eastern Kansas.The effects of a devastating nuclear holocaust on small-town residents of eastern Kansas.The effects of a devastating nuclear holocaust on small-town residents of eastern Kansas.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
16K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,879
202
  • Director
    • Nicholas Meyer
  • Writer
    • Edward Hume
  • Stars
    • Jason Robards
    • JoBeth Williams
    • Steve Guttenberg
Top credits
  • Director
    • Nicholas Meyer
  • Writer
    • Edward Hume
  • Stars
    • Jason Robards
    • JoBeth Williams
    • Steve Guttenberg
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 196User reviews
    • 46Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Primetime Emmys
      • 6 wins & 10 nominations total

    Photos119

    The Day After (1983)
    The Day After (1983)
    Jason Robards in The Day After (1983)
    Steve Guttenberg, John Lithgow, Jason Robards, and JoBeth Williams in The Day After (1983)
    The Day After (1983)
    John Lithgow in The Day After (1983)
    Jason Robards in The Day After (1983)
    Jason Robards in The Day After (1983)
    The Day After (1983)
    John Cullum in The Day After (1983)
    Jason Robards and Georgann Johnson in The Day After (1983)
    Madison Mason in The Day After (1983)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jason Robards
    Jason Robards
    • Dr. Russell Oakesas Dr. Russell Oakes
    JoBeth Williams
    JoBeth Williams
    • Nurse Nancy Baueras Nurse Nancy Bauer
    Steve Guttenberg
    Steve Guttenberg
    • Stephen Kleinas Stephen Klein
    John Cullum
    John Cullum
    • Jim Dahlbergas Jim Dahlberg
    John Lithgow
    John Lithgow
    • Joe Huxleyas Joe Huxley
    Bibi Besch
    Bibi Besch
    • Eve Dahlbergas Eve Dahlberg
    Lori Lethin
    Lori Lethin
    • Denise Dahlbergas Denise Dahlberg
    Amy Madigan
    Amy Madigan
    • Alison Ransomas Alison Ransom
    Jeff East
    Jeff East
    • Bruce Gallatinas Bruce Gallatin
    Georgann Johnson
    Georgann Johnson
    • Helen Oakesas Helen Oakes
    William Allen Young
    William Allen Young
    • Airman Billy McCoyas Airman Billy McCoy
    Calvin Jung
    • Dr. Sam Hachiyaas Dr. Sam Hachiya
    Lin McCarthy
    Lin McCarthy
    • Dr. Austinas Dr. Austin
    Dennis Lipscomb
    Dennis Lipscomb
    • Reverend Walkeras Reverend Walker
    Clayton Day
    • Dennis Hendryas Dennis Hendry
    Doug Scott
    • Danny Dahlbergas Danny Dahlberg
    Ellen Anthony
    • Joleen Dahlbergas Joleen Dahlberg
    Kyle Aletter
    • Marilyn Oakesas Marilyn Oakes
    • Director
      • Nicholas Meyer
    • Writer
      • Edward Hume
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    The frightening story of the weeks leading up to and following a nuclear strike on the United States. The bulk of the activity centers around the town of Lawrence, Kansas. —Anthony Ventarola <theventman@aol.com>
    • fallout
    • nuclear war
    • nuclear holocaust
    • missile silo
    • nuclear winter
    • 243 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • They told us it would be impossible to make this movie. They told us it would be impossible for you to watch it. We hope nothing is impossible.
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Sci-Fi
    • Certificate
      • TV-PG
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The program originally aired November 20, 1983. It remains the most watched TV movie in U.S. history. Estimates put the viewership at over 100 million Americans, with a Nielsen share of 62 percent.
    • Goofs
      When Dr. Austin is explaining the effects of the Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) from the nuclear blast, he says. "It's all theoretical. It's never happened before." In actuality, the United States detonated a 3.8 Megaton warhead at an altitude of 50 miles, 1 August 1958, in the Operation Hardtack Teak shot nuclear test. This event caused unexpected communications disruption and damage to electrical equipment in an area that ranged between Hawaii and New Zealand. It was the first observation of the EMP effect.
    • Quotes

      Joe Huxley: You know what Einstein said about World War III? He said he didn't know how they were gonna fight World War III, but he knew how they would fight World War IV: With sticks and stones.

    • Crazy credits
      [After movie has ended, before end credits.] The catastrophic events you have just witnessed are, in all likelihood, less severe than the destruction that would actually occur in the event of a full nuclear strike against the United States. It is hoped that the images of this film will inspire the nations of this earth, their peoples, and leaders to find the means to avert that fateful day.
    • Alternate versions
      The rare laserdisc version (released by Image Entertainment in 1995) is advertised as being a director's cut. This version runs 127mins, is widescreen in its proper ratio of 1:75:1 and has a commentary track by director Nicholas Meyer. At the time of this release full versions of the film were not readily available. So it stands to chance this director's cut is actually the same as the current mgm dvd (US region 1) as far as content and running time goes, with the exception of the widescreen format and commentary track which so far has only be found on this laserdisc.
    • Connections
      Edited from Two-Minute Warning (1976)
    • Soundtracks
      Music from 'The River'
      by Virgil Thomson

      Arranged by David Raksin (uncredited)

    User reviews196

    Review
    Top review
    My Nuclear War film is better than your Nuclear War film.
    I only stopped by to comment on this film after discussing Threads on another board and seeing how much of a beating it The Day After was getting. Having seen this during its premiere and Threads almost a year later I will say this. No matter how poorly the effects or the acting, or how graphic and extravagant the visuals were all these films serve one purpose. To educate us on the value we have as creatures that not only have control over our individual destinies but the destiny of our world and the lesser species. To show us what the cost would be, no matter how graphic and obscene. The Day After, Threads, Testament, The War Game, Failsafe, Wargames, and all the other media programming that has shown us the horror of nuclear war. Each has its strengths and flaws, its highs and lows, but the message inherrently remains the same.

    So why is there any discussion of the differences? To debate the flaws and merits of one horror in many variations is pointless, for they are all important, all special and all as relavant today as they were when they were first created. Perhaps we have learned nothing?
    helpful•43
    1
    • HyperPup
    • Dec 27, 2002

    FAQ2

    • Is this any relation to the recent blockbuster, 'The Day After Tomorrow?'
    • How many different versions do exist of this movie?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 20, 1983 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Der Tag danach
    • Filming locations
      • Lawrence, Kansas, USA
    • Production company
      • ABC Circle Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 7 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

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    'Television Event' about the making of classic 'The Day After' (1983)
    'Television Event' about the making of classic 'The Day After' (1983)
    Nov 17FilmExperience

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