I am a 32 year old married man and father of one little princess - I work in Birmingham city centre ...
I am a 32 year old married man and father of one little princess - I work in Birmingham city centre and my main interests are books and music (proper music)
Member since:30.11.2004
Reviews:78
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Few films have caused such controversy as Peter Watkins' The War Game, a drama documentary made for BBC TV in 1965 about a 'limited' nuclear attack on Kent, England. Blending fiction and fact to create a moving and startling vision of the personal as well as the public consequences of such an attack, Watkins exposes the inadequacy of the nation's Civil Defence programme and questions the philosophy of the nuclear deterrent. Conspicuously absent from TV screens until 1985, it was mainly through cinema release in 1966 - and its Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1967 - that it gained a loyal and vociferous following, providing a sharp focus for CND and other peace movements.
***** The Guardian
'One of British television's finest hours' Empire
'Dynamic, disturbing, committed...from a revolutionary filmmaker' Time Out
I bought this film online a couple of years ago to satisfy my wives addiction to all things Atomic - having both been children in the early 80's we remember clearly how scared we were that the world could end at at moment all on the whim of an actor president and transexual PM.
Everywhere you looked in those days you were confronted with these fears so there was no escape - Top of The Pops was no comfort (Ultravox - Dancing with Tears in my Eyes, Nena - 99 Red Ballons, FGTH - Two Tribes), TV had Threads and The Day After, cinema and video had all manner of cheap post-apocalyptic Mad Max rip offs and for the children we had Raymond Briggs (of The Snowman fame) with When The Wind Blows.
These were happy times to be a child. My school still had a working air-raid siren from WWII which they had to test every so often - this was a pleasant break up of the school day when the siren was tested - the imaginations of us terrified children at that time must have given off enough energy to power a nuclear plant.
Now we are all grown up and the daily fear of Armeggedon has been banished forever (only joking) it is interesting to watch all of those films again now. I have watched Threads and The Day After which I missed at the time, and have found that they still have the power to scare me.
I had never heard of The War Game but stumbled upon it when looking for birthday presents for my wife.
As the synopsis above explains this film is made in the style of a documentary using real people off the street and asking them hypothetical questions about a nuclear holocaust.
After the attack the documentary then shows society breaking down, the failure of local councils contingency plans, the chaos that prevails as the law tries to keep order. This makes particularly grim viewing as you witness people going before a firing squad for stealing food.
The film is brilliant in its realism and one can see why the BBC who commissioned then decided not show it. It is quite a short film - around 60 minutes - but this adds to its appeal. I doubt anyone would have the resolve to sit through a longer running time.
DVD extras include a full commentary over the film; Watkins' award-winning The Diary of an Unknown Soldier; and 'The War Game - The Controversy', in which Patrick Murphy reveals new information pointing to a definitive account of the banning of the film. All bfi DVDs feature optional subtitles for the hearing impaired
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Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Ang Lee - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Hugh Laurie, Robert Hardy
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Not something I'd really watched, but a great review none the less! Leila :)
Fantasyman 15.04.2005 13:25
I haven't heard of this before. Sounds interesting.
torr 15.04.2005 12:59
I remember when the film first appeared - telling stuff for the times - and the authorities' inept attempts to downplay it, which of course only made people take more notice. Duncan
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