Review of Threads

Introduction

`When two tribes go to war, a point is all that you can score…` So sang 80`s pop merchants extraordinaire Frankie Goes To Hollywood in 1984 on their second number one hit Two Tribes. This was a worrying time for the world as the Cold War was at its height, CND were doing their usual thing and East and West faced off over the Iron Curtain. Although it never got as serious as any of the events depicted in the film, there was a worry that things may go that way at some point. Contemporary culture was full of these concerns. Music had Frankie and Ultravox (Dancing With Tears In My Eyes) amongst others, books were on the bestseller lists and even TV started to get in on the act.

The first to hit the screens was the US film The Day After in 1983 in the US, although I think, if I recall, correctly that they both aired in the UK in 1984. I certainly remember that there was massive attention in the press and the inevitable centre spread in The Sun. Threads was quite extraordinary in that it was a film made by the BBC and also was the first time that serious drama had tackled nuclear war on a more mundane and factual basis, outside of the nuclear aftermath so beloved of science fiction. The reaction was immense and the film was repeated the year after and then shelved as the Cold War moved into real détente with the arrival of Mikhail Gorbachev, the beginning of the end for the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact.

So, what was Threads all about? Well, the film focuses on both the deterioration of the World situation leading to outright nuclear war against the backdrop of two ordinary teenagers and their families in the steel city of Sheffield, at the time the home to such musical luminaries as Human League, Heaven 17, ABC and Cabaret Voltaire amongst others. Jimmy (Reece Dinsdale) and Ruth (Karen Meagher) are the teenagers who find out that Ruth is pregnant whilst tensions are rising at a political level. The two families meet, the teenagers find a place to live and Jimmy does his best to earn a crust at a nearby joinery.

Elsewhere the civil authorities are trying to organise themselves into bunkers in the ultimately futile attempt to both gather information on the ensuing devastation and try to organise some control over resources and food.

Three-eighths of the way into the film, the inevitable Air Attack sirens erupt and all hell breaks loose. With sentiment playing no part at all, characters die in all sorts of ways both during and after the initial attacks as the film slowly builds to its grim and shock ending 13 years later.

Video

Visually this film varies between good and disappointing. The very first thing you notice is the wobbly on-screen graphics/credits; later on some if these will be almost illegible (a bit of touching up would not have gone amiss).

Obviously we`re talking 1984, effects-wise, so you can`t raise your expectations too much as CGI was merely a random collection of letters at this point of time. That said, the effects are incredibly effective and sometimes quite simple, but also quite memorable. Melting milk bottles on the smaller scale with buildings blowing out and the mushroom cloud over Sheffield all add to the overall feeling of impending doom.

A fair amount of stock footage is used to signify the current events portion of this film, particularly the military aspects of the story. As you would expect, picture quality does decline during these shots.

This is by and large an unknown cast, although viewers may well recognise ex-Blue Peter stalwart Lesley Judd as the Newsreader dressed in what seemed to pass for Sloane Ranger-type clothing from my own recollections.

Audio

No music during this at all bar anything that appears in the background on the radio or TV. Very unusual to see a film with no soundtrack at all, particularly as modern consensus appears to be that music helps to ratchet up tensions and stir emotions. Trust me, you don`t need any music during this film to help either of those.

Patrick Allen is the voice behind the Government Protect and Survive films that appear during this film, parts of which were sampled by Frankie for their Two Tribes single (see, there was a good reason for mentioning them earlier…).

Plenty of Yorkshire accents on show as well from the good folk of Sheffield, which is a bit unusual for a big drama piece from the BBC, or any other channel for that matter, at that time.

Features

Nothing and this is a massive disappointment. Whilst the film is first class, the circumstances of that decade will be lost on those who weren`t aware of the situation around them or not born during that time. A decent documentary showing the Cold War situation during this decade would have helped immensely and made this a truly must-buy release.

Conclusion

I can remember the feeling of utter hopelessness I felt after seeing this at the age of 16, and it was something that everyone was talking about in school. This was a definite must-watch. Most, if not all, programmes I`d been exposed to at this point had happy endings whilst this one didn`t even give a glimmer of hope.

This film works on so many levels. Firstly it attempts to show both the horrors of the initial blasts but also the complete devastation and horrific living conditions in the aftermath. By focusing on ordinary people, the feeling of being removed from the situation is lost and you find yourself with a lot of empathy for the people involved in this story. Secondly, and possibly more important, is you get to witness the inevitable breakdown in society as every man, woman and child try to fend for themselves and what is left of the authorities struggle to get to grips with the complete breakdown of law and order. Survival of the fittest and looting or killing for the basic necessities are the new order of the day.

What I do find really interesting about watching this film twenty odd years after my last viewing is the attention to detail both in the story and the picture. Radio transmissions and a sporadic narrator provide the background to the political and military build-up whilst also providing necessary overview information on the current stage of the story. We see museum`s packing away works of art, although we have no idea what will happen to them, just that there are clearly contingency plans. Overall you get a good idea of the complexity of the planning that must have taken place right across society (and still does) for certain situations, although it is clear that despite the immense planning that ultimately most of it will almost certainly never see fruition or work effectively. One of the laughable moments for me was an anti-war demonstration where a member of the T.U.C called for a General Strike to show both the Americans and Russians that the `brothers` wouldn`t stand for the escalating crisis. I`m sure the party apparatchiks in Moscow took plenty of notice of that before pressing the button, comrade.

Overall the quality of the DVD itself is a bit disappointing, but Threads is a valuable piece of cultural history and doesn`t deserve to be forgotten. It was important in its time and deserves to be appreciated and allowed to educate now. It should have been much better, and could easily have been, as there is plenty of material that could have been added, but don`t let that put you off. Even by itself this film is a worthy piece of almost forgotten TV history.

A powerful film that demands to be watched, which for a TV broadcast is unique in itself. Watch it when you can, but expect to be thoroughly depressed when you`ve finished.

Recommended without hesitation.