This ‘horrific’ film first aired on BBC2 in 1984 before disappearing from public view for decades.
Threads is an apocalyptic war drama that follows the potential consequences of a nuclear war in Britain. Its “realistic” medical, economic and environmental effects left viewers in shock, as years later, the fiction seems closer to reality.
Written by Barry Hines and directed by Mick Jackson, the war film captures the tragedies of families living in Sheffield in the aftermath of a nuclear bomb strike. The Soviet attacks result in mass destruction and devastation across Britain, with tens of millions of people injured and dead.
A viewer took to Rotten Tomatoes to share their thoughts on the emotive film. They said: “I first saw this when it came out – the public were often still fairly innocent about the bomb, and of course the Berlin Wall still existed, a symbol of issues with Russia. 40 years and many disaster films later, all with special effects & everything, and this old TV film still hits extremely hard.”
They went on to explain that Threads’ focus on “normal people” makes the film “absolutely horrific”. They added: “It’s hard watching, but it does what it means to do – underlines that there are no winners in nuclear war. Fantastic film which still holds its own, if extremely depressing. Bring a tissue or two.”
What makes the film stand out amongst other war films of its time is that instead of focusing on war heroes, it tells the story of everyday civilians left in the rubble. Threads shows the events that follow after war, as people try to carry on with their daily lives, once coming face-to-face with death and destruction.
The horrors of the film are still talked about today, making it a “unique” classic in British history. Its story even inspired a future of filmmakers, including Charlie Brooker, the creator of Black Mirror.
In 2018, Booker opened up on Desert Island Discs about his formative experience watching the film at 13. He said: “I remember watching Threads and not being able to process what that meant, not understanding how society kept going… While the world has changed in so many ways since Threads was first broadcast, it retains its harrowing power.”
Before its ban, the film was nominated for an impressive total of seven BAFTA Awards and went on to take away four awards, including Best Single Drama and Best Design. It’s the intentional creative decisions of its filmmakers that viewers believe make the film “realistic and horrifying”.
A review states: “It is bleak to its very final frame and is something I can understand most viewers only watch once. Very well made and a powerful message.
“Though I do debate the accuracy of some of its claims, this is an important film for multiple generations to see.”
Over forty years on from its release, with rising global tension, film fans are urging people to watch Threads, available now on BBC iPlayer.