When the Wind Blows (1986)

A naive elderly British rural couple survive the initial onslaught of a nuclear war.

Director:

Jimmy T. Murakami

Writers:

Raymond Briggs (book), Raymond Briggs (script)

Stars:

Peggy Ashcroft, John Mills, Robin Houston

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Peggy Ashcroft	...	Hilda Bloggs (voice)
John Mills	...	Jim (voice)
Robin Houston	...	Announcer (voice)
James Russell	...	(voice)
David Dundas	...	(voice)
Matt Irving	...	(voice)

Storyline

With the help of government-issued pamphlets, an elderly British couple build a shelter and prepare for an impending nuclear attack, unaware that times and the nature of war have changed from their romantic memories of World War II.

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Plot Keywords:

tragedy | adult animation | nuclear war | nuclear fallout | black comedy | 

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Taglines:

...It's No Fairy Tale

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Drama | War

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Details

Official Sites:

At Entertainment [Japan]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 March 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Quando o Vento Sopra

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,597, 13 March 1988, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$5,274

Company Credits

Production Co:

Meltdown Productions, British Screen Productions, Film Four International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was part of a cycle of movies about nuclear war and the risks of nuclear energy, which had started with The China Syndrome (1979). The movies included Silkwood (1983), Testament (1983), Threads (1984), WarGames (1983), The Day After (1983), The Atomic Cafe (1982), The Manhattan Project (1986), Whoops Apocalypse (1982), Special Bulletin (1983), Ground Zero (1987), Barefoot Gen (1983), Rules of Engagement (1989), When the Wind Blows (1986), Dead Man's Letters (1986), Memoirs of a Survivor (1981), and The Chain Reaction (1980).

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Goofs

At the beginning of the scene in which Jim and Hilda are bedridden, Hilda's feet are missing for a few frames as the camera pans across.

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Quotes

Hilda: The grass looks a funny color.
Jim: Yes. I'll pop down to Mr. Sponge's tomorrow and get some bone meal and dried blood.
Hilda: He may be closed due to the bomb dear.
Jim: What, old Sponge? Heh heh. Miss a day's trade? Oh not him. He'd rather die.

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Crazy Credits

After the end credits, Morse code can be heard in the background. The code, when translated, means "MAD". MAD is an abbreviation for the term "Mutually Assured Destruction".

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Connections

Referenced in QI: Fight or Flight (2009)

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Soundtracks

What Have They Done
Written by Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford
Performed by Squeeze
Produced by Glenn Tilbrook and Pete Hammond

User Reviews

No movie comes close!

This is a MUST SEE movie! I won't bore you with details right out of the chute, so heres the simple version: GET IT - WATCH IT - TELL OTHERS!

Here's the skinny: This is a movie that not only will stir you in amazing ways, but it has music from Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Genesis, etc. NOTE: The music is written FOR this movie, so even if you have all of your favorite artists albums, until you have this you don't have their best works! So not only are you watching a quality movie, but the soundtrack is a collector's item!

When I first watched this movie I had no idea what to expect. What it presented was far more than I could ever imagine!

It didn't try to goad me with scenes of the horrors of war, it didn't try to move me with petty sympathies, it spoke up about the realities in a very demure way that any viewer will find hard to ever forget!