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Threads (TV)

7.4

880

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Original title

Threads

Year

1984

Running time

110 min.

Country

United Kingdom

Director

Mick Jackson

Screenwriter

Barry Hines

Cast

Cinematography

Andrew Dunn, Paul Morris

Producer

Co-production United Kingdom-United States;

BBC, Nine Network Australia, Western-World Television Inc

Genre

Sci-Fi. Drama. War | Mockumentary. Nuclear Holocaust. Post-apocalyptic Future. Survival Film. TV Movie

Synopsis

Threads is a 1984 BBC television play set in the city of Sheffield in Yorkshire, depicting the effects of a nuclear war and its aftermath on the United Kingdom. Written by Barry Hines and directed by Mick Jackson, Threads was filmed in late 1983 and early 1984. The premise of Threads was to hypothesise the effects of a nuclear war on the United Kingdom after an exchange between the Soviet Union and the United States escalates to include the UK. The primary plot centres on two families: the Kemps and the Becketts—as an international crisis erupts and escalates. As NATO and the UK prepare for war, the members of each family deal with their own personal crises. Meanwhile, a secondary plot centered upon Clive J. Sutton, the Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council serves to illustrate for the viewer the UK Government's then-current continuity of government arrangements. As open warfare between NATO and the USSR-led Warsaw Pact begins, the harrowing details of the characters' struggle to survive the attacks is dramatically depicted. The balance of the film details the fate of each family as the characters face the medical, economic, social, and environmental consequences of a nuclear war. Both the plot and the atmosphere of the play are extremely bleak.

Awards: 1984: BAFTA Awards: Best Single Drama and Film Editor. 5 Nominations

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Critics' reviews

"Threads is an incredible watch for a number of reasons (...) The film wants to pull you into this reality and make the impact real."

Chris Coffel: Bloody Disgusting
"It wasn’t until I saw 'Threads' that I found that something on screen could make me break out in a cold, shivering sweat and keep me in that condition for 20 minutes, followed by weeks of depression and anxiety."

Peter Bradshaw: The Guardian
"Horrifying, moving and powerful. Watch it by yourself, late at night and never sleep again. Not a good date movie. (...) Rating: ★★★★★ (out of 5)"

Sam Toy: Empire
"Clearly, Threads is not a balanced discussion about the pros and cons of nuclear armaments. It is a candidly biased warning. And it is, as calculated, unsettlingly powerful. "

John J. O'Connor: The New York Times
"Nuclear war is brutal, ugly, and piss-yourself terrifying, Threads argues. Why should its movie depiction be anything different?"

Sean O'Neal: AV Club

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Threads (TV)

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