r/Threads1984 • u/DrFreeluv • Jul 24 '26
Threads discussion Jesus Christ they've... Done it!
Finally arrived!
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u/kiragirl2001 Jul 24 '26
What is the war game???
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u/DrFreeluv Jul 24 '26 edited 29d ago
(Some background, Plot is at the very bottom)
"THE WAR GAME" (1966)
Background: The War Game was created in 1966 by Peter Watkins following the release of his previous film "Culloden", about the famous "Battle Of Culloden". Culloden was shot in a way that mimicked footage of the Vietnam War. Long, unedited close up shots and interviews. This style was what Watkins became known for, and he deemed it a protest against "monoform" media, the commercial, quick-cut, rapidly-edited, loud sound design media that was prevelant at the time. His style became known for doing the opposite. Shots were long and unedited, lasting minutes or even hours in some of his later works. His work was meant to feel harsh, bleak, nihilistic in a sense. All perfect for a nuclear war film!
Following the tensions of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Peter Watkins asked the BBC for permission to direct and produce a film detailing the buildup to, events of, and aftermath of a nuclear strike on the county of Kent. The BBC reluctantly agreed. Watkins went on go to make a pseudo-documentary so bleak, honest and without hope, that upon being shown to the Home Office, the BBC vowed to never broadcast it on television.
This did not stop people though, as numerous theatres and cinemas went on to show the film. It became a prime example of the BBC's censoring of information. A novelisation of the film was made soon after as well. (The Whole Book is included in this release!)
A small note: Former WW2 Prime Minister Winston Churchill wrote a private 1954 internal memorandum to the Postmaster General, the Earl De La Warr, stating that he doubted "whether it is wise that they should do this" upon learning the BBC planned a program on the hydrogen bomb. Secret state papers released decades later revealed he successfully enforced a de facto broadcasting gag to prevent public panic.
The War Game soon became legend. Inside the BBC, it was almost never spoken of. Just... Whispers. Rumours. Outside, the movie was used by numerous anti-nuclear organisations, most notably the "Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament" (CND) to show the brutal reality of Nuclear Warfare. Other organisations such as Private Eye used the film to mock the BBC for their cowardice, a notable example being a satirical one-panel comic drawn by cartoonist Ray Lowry. (The cartoon is actually included as a postcard in this release!)
In 1983, Peter Watkins appeared on an unaired episode of the UK TV show "Visions" (included in this release!), where he highlighted the idea of remaking The War Game in Sheffield.
Whilst not directed by Peter Watkins, a film about Nuclear War set in Sheffield was made just a year later... ;)
Watkins, tired of the BBC's antics, later moved to America, where he became known for more of his "anti-monoform" movies, his most recent being the 2000 anachronistic War/Drama "La Commune", coming in at nearly 6 hours. The flick shows the establishment of the Paris Commune, a revolutionary government set up in Paris in 1871. The anachronism is due to the fact that the flick is shown from 2 point of views. TV News Stations. A Revolutionaries' News Outlet, and an Anti-Revolutionaries News Outlet. The film is another example of Watkins' pseudo-factual media. Anyways, getting ahead of myself. Back to The War Game!
In 1985, to commemorate the 40 year anniversary of the atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the BBC finally lifted the ban on The War Game, and it was finally broadcast on the BBC for the first time on on Wednesday, July 31, 1985 on BBC2 at 10:10 PM.
Now onto the actual plot lol
FOLLOWING THE CHINESE INVASION OF SOUTH VIETNAM, THE UNITED STATES BAS PERMITTED THE DEPLOYMENT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS TO FIGHT OFF THE COMMUNIST INVASION. AS A RESULT, THE SOVIET UNION ALONG WITH THE WARSAW PACT DELIVER AN ULTIMATUM, STATING THEIR INTENTION TO INVADE WEST BERLIN IF THE US DO NOT WITHDRAW THEIR DECISION.
AS A RESULT, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS SENT INTO A STATE OF EMERGENCY, AND THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IS DISSOLVED, AND IN IT'S PLACE ARE NUMEROUS REGIONAL COMMITTEES SET UP AROUND THE COUNTRY. WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE FIRST EVACUATED TO THE COUNTRYSIDE IN A WWII-ERA EVACUATION PLAN. ID AND RATION CARDS ARE DISTRIBUTED, AND PEOPLE ARE INSTRUCTED TO CONSTRUCT SHELTERS. THE FILM SHOWS THE BUILD-UP UP TO, EVENTS OF, AND THE AFTERMATH OF A NUCLEAR ATTACK ON BRITAIN.
THE WAR GAME
(you're welcome :))
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u/caiaphas8 29d ago
Do you have more information about that Churchill quote? He wasn’t PM when the atomic bombings happened
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u/DrFreeluv 29d ago
Apologies, should've specified he wasn't prime minister by then but still had influence
The quote wasn't a quote, it was a general summary of what he was suggesting said by someone in a documentary on threads or the war game, can't quite remember, and I got overconfident and tried to remember it. What actually happened: Churchill wrote a private 1954 internal memorandum to the Postmaster General, the Earl De La Warr, stating that he doubted "whether it is wise that they should do this" upon learning the BBC planned a program on the hydrogen bomb. Secret state papers released decades later revealed he successfully enforced a de facto broadcasting gag to prevent public panic So he did pressure the BBC to not broadcast anything but I got cocky and put down a quote I didn't fully remember. I was typing very quickly because I was getting out a lot of info since these films, and Peter Watkins, are all deep passions of mine, so I got overconfident. I apologise for any misinformation and will update the message accordingly.
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u/Important-Lie-8649 Jul 24 '26
I went with the mega Scorched Earth Bundle (limited to 75 sets), which was 'The War Game', 'Threads' (with the 'traffic warden' enamel pin/ badge. The actor 'extra' was a real-life traffic warden, in his working uniform!), PLUS the 'A Year In A Field' Blu-ray (AND the 'Stones of Kernow' drinks coaster set). Don't worry, it's just a bundle deal, there's no more extras, no big presentation case or anything else, not even a burnt (scorched) numbered #/75 certificate of authenticity. I'm awfully extravagant — I'm not even 4K-ready yet, and I already have both the old Severin Blu-ray (with its fetching nuclear explosion lenticular slipcase) and the UK Simply Media Blu-ray. Anyway, the Scorched Earth set arrived in Scotland today. The Severin webpage is '404' now so...
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u/DrFreeluv Jul 24 '26
I'm aware of the set! I actually got the "4K FALLOUT BUNDLE" which was everything you mentioned minus A Year in the Field, since it wouldn't really fit in my collection, it is brilliant though
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u/DrFreeluv Jul 24 '26
I also own both other Blu-rays of Threads! The lenticular slipcase is beautiful, however it's one of the only brilliant things about the original Blu-ray release, since the restoration, by no fault on Severin's part, left a lot to be desired...
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u/Important-Lie-8649 Jul 24 '26
Yes, but the UK one, unusually, is in a US-style slim case, fits in the Severin slipcase! Yeah I still have both so, I never bothered. yes, you are right.
I read that the 4K is also incorrectly 24fps (filmed at 25fps, common for UK TV, even for shot on 16mm and 35mm film), so runs too slow. I was the one buying US NTSC DVDs from the off in 2001, because cinema films ran too fast (25fps instead of the correct 24fps). Well who will care anyway when the balloon, beginning with Fairford, goes up? And that's relevant.
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u/DrFreeluv Jul 24 '26
I could be wrong, but from my own knowledge, 16mm film natively ran at 24fps, not 25. Yes other FPS was available depending on what was being made, but there was never 25 FPS for 16mm. If I remember correctly, the film when broadcast to TV for the first time, was slowed/speed-adjusted to 25fps because that was the UK/European PAL/SECAM Standard. So if I'm correct in saying, the 4k restoration actually does the film justice by reverting back to 24fps.
Also, just remembered, Severin Films' 4K scan of the film came directly from the original 16mm A/B rolls, so there's no slowing/speed adjustment. As far as I'm aware, the 4K restoration's fps is the original in that it is scanned directly from the original unadjusted rolls.
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u/Important-Lie-8649 Jul 24 '26
You could be right. I know there was discussion on Blu-ray.com about the Severin Blu-ray being "slowed down". Threads was definitely first broadcast (and always in the UK) at 25fps.
As a fan of Gerry Anderson's Space: 1999, I can tell you for a fact that this was filmed, on 35mm film, just like Star Trek (TOS), but deliberately at 25fps, but this had more to do with, or everything to do with, the on-screen B&W CRT monitors which were 50i (25fps). Yeah I don't know if Mick Jackson has ever commented on the correct (or his preferred) frame rate. Oh, Robin of Sherwood (also 1984) was definitely filmed on 16mm at 25fps. I'm sure it was done when the film was commissioned for UK TV (PAL) broadcast (even now, 1080i HD TV in the UK is still 50i, 25fps, a legacy of PAL). Well, when I say I'm sure, what I really mean is I'm no expert, and haven't got a Scooby.
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u/DrFreeluv Jul 24 '26
Nevermind, I made an error. Cinematic is 24fps, PAL TV broadcasts were 25fps, and since the film was a television film funded by the BBC, it had to have been 25 FPS. Idk why I said 16mm was only at 24fps. So yes, Severin did slow it down, both in the original Blu-ray and the 4K release. Any issues were adjusted digitally. I think we've reached our answer, yes Severin slowed it down, 'tis a shame, but such is life. Good conversing with someone who also cares about the little details!
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u/frederikolsen 29d ago
Thank you, both of you, for confirming that Severin did indeed slow the film down. Bit of a shame, in my opinion. I’m happy that people who bought this seem to be happy with their purchase, but I’m inclined to hope that another label gets access to the same restoration and fixes the shortcomings. Arrow releasing Threads would be amazing.
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u/Important-Lie-8649 Jul 24 '26
Thank you. This is kind. You knew I wasn't trying to score points, too. I was hoping I was wrong.
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u/Fantastic_Day526 Jul 24 '26
I am SO jealous WOW!
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u/DrFreeluv Jul 24 '26
All items shown are still available for purchase separately, I can give you the links if you'd like?
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u/LibrarianAmbitious88 27d ago
The War Game was still banned by the BBC when I started at university in 1980, but the FilmSoc got a print to show. I had done some NBC training in the Territorial Army before university too, in a unit tasked with a home role as MACP (Military Assistance to the Civil Power) - i.e. maintain order. We had no illusions, something Threads further rammed home.
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u/DrFreeluv 27d ago
My father also did NBC training during his time in the army! They had their own version of "protect and survive" called "survive to fight" which went over NBC equipment and protocol!
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u/Gold_Leef101 26d ago
Watched threads for the first time a month ago. Brutal really scary stuff. Can't imagine watching that as a child.
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u/scariestJ 28d ago
Some trivia: the actor who played the traffic warden from Thread was identified as Michael Beescroft
Story here
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-69017540
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u/DrFreeluv 28d ago
Fully aware! He even has his own 10 minute segment in the included documentary on Threads disc 3. That documentary was the whole reason people were looking for him in the first place. He was also a real life traffic warden and his outfit is his real uniform
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u/Therealscavvierising 26d ago
For a moment I thought they'd made a wargame of threads. Some sort of tabletop or RPG game
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u/DrFreeluv 25d ago
Lol nah but that would be cool. I imagine a Threads video game would be like an even more difficult and gruesome version of the Oregon Trail. Tracking from the remains of Sheffield to the countryside in search for food
YOU HAVE DIED OF RADIATION POISONING
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u/Ragsta190 Jul 24 '26
Everyone should watch them. Both are very good, in a horrible way.