Threads

Saw Threads, a film from the 80s about what might happen if an atomic bomb attack were to hit Great Britain. The film is essentially anti-nuclear-war propaganda (a point which you'd think scarcely needs to be made anymore, although...) As such, its primary focus is on horrifying us. During the immediate fallout of the bomb, the film is truly horrifying. It was difficult to watch in a way that Philosophy of a Knife wishes it was. After the fallout, the film morphs into speculative fiction about what life and society would be like without gasoline or electricity, and with 90% of the population dead. It's interesting if a bit odd at parts. Ultimately however, the film is most interested in sounding the alarm-bell, warning us that if a nuclear war breaks out, that there can be no future.

Again and again we are shown the image of a woman holding a dead baby, an obvious symbol of a dead future. To begin with, society is directed by a team of officials in a bunker under city hall. Although they are in charge, they are also buried under three floors of rubble, and will probably die. The film's morbidity makes it a bit monotonous. We are hammered with the nukes = death message so often and so heavily that that's all the film becomes. It is harrowing and a very emotional roller-coaster, but don't look for deep characters or plot here, and don't expect subtlety at all. I mean, the film has both expository text-crawls and a narrator, so a smooth plot was not on the agenda. Also, by its nature, it kind of a downer (to put it lightly.)

The film is interesting. It sometimes serves up ghastly, train-wreck-like images, but it always held my attention. It's very grim and very good at being grim (for example: the film shows us a post-bomb montage of dead people, but also of dying pets. This is a low blow, I feel.) whether you're ever going to be in the mood for such a grim film, I don't know. I supposed this film could best be sold to the general public as a sort of what-if sci-fi. Really though, I'd stay away from this unless you're a masochist or insane.