3 Most chilling nuclear war aftermath movies of ALL TIMES
Published 2024-03-31
"The Day After" is a television film that aired in 1983. Directed by Nicholas Meyer, it portrays the events leading up to and following a nuclear war between NATO forces and the Warsaw Pact, with a particular focus on the residents of Lawrence, Kansas. The film depicts the devastation caused by the nuclear exchange and the struggles of the survivors to cope with the aftermath, including radiation sickness, societal collapse, and the breakdown of civilization. "The Day After" was notable for its realistic portrayal of the effects of nuclear war and sparked widespread debate and discussion about nuclear disarmament and the consequences of global conflict.
"Testament" is a 1983 drama film directed by Lynne Littman. Set in a small suburban town in Northern California, the film follows the struggles of a family and their community in the aftermath of a nuclear attack on the United States. The story primarily focuses on Carol Wetherly, played by Jane Alexander, a mother who must navigate the challenges of survival and maintain hope for her children amidst the devastation.
As society crumbles and resources become scarce, the characters face increasingly difficult choices and must confront their own mortality. "Testament" offers a poignant portrayal of human resilience, compassion, and the bonds that hold communities together in times of crisis. The film received critical acclaim for its powerful performances and sensitive exploration of the emotional and psychological toll of nuclear war.
"Threads" is a British television drama that aired in 1984. Directed by Mick Jackson, it is a harrowing and realistic depiction of the effects of a nuclear war on the city of Sheffield, England. The story follows the lives of several characters before, during, and after the nuclear attack, illustrating the breakdown of society, the struggles for survival, and the long-term consequences of radiation exposure.
All Comments (21)
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"On the Beach" 1959. A nuclear sub surfaces after WW III ends carrying sailors who are some of the last survivors on Earth. Chilling.
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Threads is a very realistic movie. All the cast did a great job
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When the Wind Blows. Animated film that truly shows the aftermath of nuclear war.
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"THREADS" 🇬🇧
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Threads scared the Hell out of me in 1984. The arms race was at its height, the USSR was an existential threat and as kids, we honestly thought a nuclear war was likely. CND marches and protests outside nuclear air force bases and sub ports were a permanent fixture, and it just felt like a fuse had been lit on the planet. How sad that for almost the same reasons as back then, we find ourselves wondering the same thing again 40 years later.
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Threads, the ultimate horror movie. Raw, unrestrained. We have returned again to disturbing times.
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I was a teenager when I watched Threads back in the early 80s... that movie freaked me out! I hadn't seen it since. About a yr ago, I was talking with someone about it & after I bought a copy from eBay. I have to say it still resonates today. The most realistic portrayal of nuke war & its aftermath. When that young girl screamed at the sight of her baby at the end, wow, you know humanity is f****d
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Horror movie producers would die to hire the producers of Threads because as a previous commenter mentioned, Threads is THE ultimate horror movie and while the other two movies had their moments Threads exposes the devastating effect fallout has on the human body, the breakdown of civilisation and how close we are to annihilation.
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Threads is easily the “best” depiction of both the lead up, the attacks and the aftermath of nuclear war. It should be required watching annually for the leaders of all nuclear nations.
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I would add "The War Game" (1966) to this list. Definitely worth a watch if you liked the other three mentioned here.
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"When the Wind Blows" It is animated, but it is realistic enough.
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Threads and The Day After, both are great in their own way, already knew what would happen after reading Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivor accounts (and yes while they were horrifying in themselves they're peanuts compared to nukes that came later and now) and all the other info I read out there. But watching them helped me put it all into perspective. Right until last year I'd think of survival as well as prevention, now I'm just all about prevention. I'm not a parent, I've nobody to rely on me after an attack, I barely fit in now and get picked on so I dread to think what most people would be like after and physically and mentally I'm already not well, I would not do well surviving a nuke. So now I'd choose to stay at ground zero, but I'd rather they never happen. Please anyone sees this, i know it's easy to think you can't do anything, but please join a CND or Global Zero. With enough protest we can work on getting rid of these things, no matter where we are. There are no winners in any war, but especially nuclear war.
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Testament is underrated, probably what most people would have to deal with.
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Threads scared the hell out of me as a 17 year old when it was first released. I think this is the most realistic move about nuclear war and filmed in an almost documentary style. The Day After and Testament, whilst worthy depictions of nuclear war and its aftermath, have more of a focus on drama and the characters.
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The Day After to me was the most realistic of all 3 movies. It used actual test nuke footage to make it feel more real. I own that movie.
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Every genre has a movie that defines it and is the definitive work, for submarine warfare its Das Boot, for nuclear war it's Threads.
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The hell of all these are they are the BEST case scenarios of the aftermath of a nuclear war. Mad Max: Fury Road goes deeper into radiation sickness, showing how the body deteriorates even further, demonstrating lymphomas and other cancers.
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The War Game 1966 made by the BBC in Uk wasnt shown on tv as it was deemed to frightening. Was shown in cinemas . I saw it , at the end there was just stunned silence from the audience , everyone just sat there instead of heading for the exit as usual.
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Great movies and if you already have seen these and are looking for more, give Damnation Alley a try. It's a bit campy but pretty cool. Another really good movie is Miracle Mile. Great soundtrack.
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threads frightened the shit out of me
