Threads (1984 BBC post-nuclear film set in Sheffield)

[Sigmund Fraud]

.
Square Leg, the table-top exercise that produced the scenario considered most likely in the early 80s, and which Threads was based on, assumed 200 or thereabouts. Still enough to obliterate most built-up areas and kill half the population at a stroke, though.

The snappily titled Greater London Area War Risk Study (GLAWARS) from 1986 examines two main attack scenarios, one with 9MT hitting the capital and one with 12MT. The chiling conclusion (and I stupidly read the whole book of 20 odd separate studies with a terrible flu on the go) was that anything more than 9MT was unnecessary; 9MT was enough to destroy 97% of all housing stock in all London boroughs and kill 70% of the population instantly with the survival rate dropping down to just tens of thousands after attack +5days. 12MT just made more ash.

 

[Roadkill]

The snappily titled Greater London Area War Risk Study (GLAWARS) from 1986 examines two main attack scenarios, one with 9MT hitting the capital and one with 12MT. The chiling conclusion (and I stupidly read the whole book of 20 odd separate studies with a terrible flu on the go) was that anything more than 9MT was unnecessary; 9MT was enough to destroy 97% of all housing stock in all London boroughs and kill 70% of the population instantly with the survival rate dropping down to just tens of thousands after attack +5days. 12MT just made more ash.

I can believe that. As this Q.E.D. episode from 1982, 'A Guide to Armageddon,' makes clear, 1mt would be more than enough to finish off most of the city:



This was made by Mick Jackson, and a few bits of footage look familiar, as they were recycled for Threads a couple of years later.

 

[Mumbles274]

there's a few other things on youtube i've now been watching, having watched a fair bit of Threads again earlier.. once it gets to the radiation sickness i kinda lose interest.. and that applies to the others too.. I find it more interesting as a historical reflection of how MAD could have occurred, wathcing through the lens of time.. and what they see the build up would be, not only in terms of the scenarios that cause it but the responses.. emergency plans etc..

just started watching this one

 

[Mumbles274]

agh, and now distracted i am reading wikipedia.. and find this..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Petrov

 

[dylanredefined]

agh, and now distracted i am reading wikipedia.. and find this..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Petrov

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasili_Arkhipov

At least twice Russians saved the world.

 

[Santino]

A lecture/discussion on Threads at the University of London next week: http://www.history.ac.uk/sites/history.ac.uk/files/2014_threads_poster_v2.pdf

 

[not-bono-ever]

There is a shop called threads on the Bellend road in peckham

Even the name spooks me

 

[Kaka Tim]

Bellend road though ....

 

[The Boy]

Bellend road though ....

Glad it wasn't just me .

 

[Orang Utan]

It's actually Bellenden Road but it is stuffed full of rampant bellends paying £4 for stale chewy bread.

 

[Roadkill]

Bump.

Barry Hines died last week. RIP.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Watching it now - found a download with Italian subtitles - a minor irritation.

 

[A380]

Watching it now - found a download with Italian subtitles - a minor irritation.

“Cazzo a me. che era brillante!”

?

 

[farmerbarleymow]

“Cazzo a me. che era brillante!”

?

Can't work out the exact translation of that phrase, but breaking it into two parts throws up these results:

Cazzo a me - Translation into English - examples Italian | Reverso Context

che era brillante - Translation into English - examples Italian | Reverso Context

 

[A380]

Can't work out the exact translation of that phrase, but breaking it into two parts throws up these results:

Cazzo a me - Translation into English - examples Italian | Reverso Context

che era brillante - Translation into English - examples Italian | Reverso Context

“Fuck me, that was bright! “

 

[Lancman]

It's available on TPB. Or so I'm told.

 

[discobastard]

Remastered version recently released with extra documentaries about the production, how they shot the crowd scenes, special effects etc.

Still one of the best and most horrific pieces of television I've ever seen.

 

[Reno]

This horrified me unlike any film or tv programme since. I haven’t rewatched it since it was first shown, more because I think it wouldn’t effect me as much rather than because it would traumatise me all over.

 

[discobastard]

This horrified me unlike any film or tv programme since. I haven’t rewatched it since it was first shown, more because I think it wouldn’t effect me as much rather than because it would traumatise me all over.

It affected me almost as much, with the exception that I'm middle aged now rather than the teenager that watched it when living near Sheffield.

Didn't get the nightmares this time but struggled to concentrate at work the next day.

 

[TruXta]

I started watching it on Youtube a while ago but I think some bits were missing so I gave up just as the bombs were about to start exploding. I can't not watch it after all I've heard about it, but I suspect I might regret it a bit if I do.

 

[belboid]

blimey, it's been more than ten years since i mentioned that my old flat gets blown up in this. I may still have a Betamax copy of it somewhere.

 

[skyscraper101]

It's a harrowing film alright. I love the way it captures the mundane 80s of the north, and ends up with the collapse of all society to the point of basic language abilities and medieval land toiling. I'd have liked if it spent more time in the post nuclear war era, 20-30 years down the line, rather than all the time given over to the pre-war period with the couple, but nevertheless, it's a great watch.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I started watching it on Youtube a while ago but I think some bits were missing so I gave up just as the bombs were about to start exploding. I can't not watch it after all I've heard about it, but I suspect I might regret it a bit if I do.

Definitely worth watching in full.

 

[editor]

From the comments:

As an American, our film The Day After was like a day at Disneyland compared to Threads

 

[editor]

Still as powerful

 

[editor]

From YouTube comments:

America: "We made a movie called 'The Day After'. It's as brutal and horrific depiction of a nuclear war as you can make."
UK: "Hold my pint."

 

[Orang Utan]

Threads was first broadcast today 35 years ago and is now available free online:
Threads 1984 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Great thread on it here on one my favourite Twitter accounts:

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I've found a QED documentary I remember vividly from 1982 - about a 1MT airburst above St Pauls in London. Cheerful stuff - 'you're all going to die' basically.

 

[StoneRoad]

The best place to be in even a limited nuclear exchange is ground zero.

That was my father's considered opinion.


I saw Threads before it was broadcast by the BBC. Still terrifies me.

 

[StoneRoad]

Where the wind blows was another one of these ... the Raymond Briggs animation actually made the message more rather than less stark.