Threads (1984)

The effects of a nuclear holocaust on the working class city of Sheffield, England and the eventual long-term effects of nuclear war on civilization.

Director:

Mick Jackson

Writer:

Barry Hines

Stars:

Karen Meagher, Reece Dinsdale, David Brierly

4 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Karen Meagher	...	Ruth Beckett
Reece Dinsdale	...	Jimmy Kemp
David Brierly	...	Mr. Kemp (as David Brierley)
Rita May	...	Mrs. Kemp
Nicholas Lane	...	Michael Kemp
Jane Hazlegrove	...	Alison Kemp
Henry Moxon	...	Mr. Beckett
June Broughton	...	Mrs. Beckett
Sylvia Stoker	...	Granny Beckett
Harry Beety	...	Clive Sutton
Ruth Holden	...	Marjorie Sutton
Ashley Barker	...	Bob
Michael O'Hagan	...	Chief Supt. Hirst
Phil Rose	...	Medical Officer
Steve Halliwell	...	Information Officer

Storyline

Documentary style account of a nuclear holocaust and its effect on the working class city of Sheffield, England; and the eventual long running effects of nuclear war on civilization.

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Plot Keywords:

nuclear holocaust | nuclear war | air base | collapsing building | mass killing | 

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Taglines:

The closest you'll ever want to come to nuclear war.

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi | War

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Details

Country:

UK Australia USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 1984 (UK)

Also Known As:

A Teia

Filming Locations:

Buxton, Derbyshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£400,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC),Nine Network Australia,Western-World Television Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the aftermath of the nuclear blast, footage of a cat supposedly "suffocating" outside in the extreme heat is shown. This is actually footage of a cat enjoying a hefty dose of catnip, then they just reversed the film to give the impression of the cat suffocating (the way the cat is rolling on the ground is the giveaway).

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Goofs

In several scenes set in May the trees are bare, the actors' breath 'fogs' and people are wearing winter coats.

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Quotes

Mrs. Beckett: Ruth, Ruth love, come on love, you'll have to eat something. You'll have to love, it's not just you now you know, the baby needs food as well.
Ruth Beckett: [crying] I can't care about this baby anymore, I wish she was dead.
Mrs. Beckett: Oh Ruth! Don't say things like that.
Ruth Beckett: There's no point! There's no point with Jimmy dead.
Mrs. Beckett: But you don't know...
Ruth Beckett: He is! He is! I KNOW he is!
Mrs. Beckett: Can't be certain.
Ruth Beckett: Everything in all this radiation, all the time my baby!
[sobs]

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Connections

Features Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)

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Soundtracks

Alpine Symphony
Written by Richard Strauss
[Opening bars of music for spider web and title is from beginning of Richard Strauss composition 'Alpine Symphony']

User Reviews

Possibly the grimmest movie ever made

I first saw "Threads" in high school, and saw it again recently as a grown adult. It does make a measure how old you are when viewing this movie; you take the actions on screen more seriously.

"Threads" plays like BBC documentary about a catastrophic nuclear war, interjecting live scenes with a bland monologue and various statistics, although one wonders what audience would be viewing this documentary.

Since it does play like a documentary, it feels no need to either overplay events or sugarcoat things for our sensibilities. There's no speeches or heroic actions, everything occurs as it happens, no matter how horrifying.

The gore is moderate (it was a TV movie after all) but is unsettling because it's taken to be real. Throughout you look for some hopeful thought to intrude, even comic relief, but "Threads" stares you down, making you watch the horror and woe to the bitter end. There is no hope or salvation, only despair.

It's worth seeing a movie like this as a reminder of the horrors of nuclear war; the threat of a mututal destruction by superpowers seems to be fast fading, but there's always the possibility of terrorists or new enemies.

"Threads" is to nuclear war what "Saving Private Ryan" is to war movies, a landmark film that delivers a strong political message without ever really mentioning it.