Threads

"The closest you'll ever want to come to nuclear war."

1984 1h 57m EN

🙌

7.6

BANGER

★7.6TMDB · 442

WarDramaScience Fiction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Documentary style account of a nuclear holocaust and its effect on the working class city of Sheffield, England; and the eventual long run effects of nuclear war on civilization.

“The closest you'll ever want to come to nuclear war.”

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Cast

Karen Meagher
Ruth Beckett
Reece Dinsdale
Jimmy Kemp
David Brierly
Mr. Kemp
Rita May
Mrs. Kemp
Nicholas Lane
Michael Kemp
Jane Hazlegrove
Alison Kemp
Henry Moxon
Mr Beckett
June Broughton
Mrs Beckett

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Mick Jackson
Writers: Barry Hines
Languages: Russian, English
Countries: Australia, United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $0.4M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

42 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Russian, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Australia, United Kingdom.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Mick Jackson, shot by Paul Morris. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Jim Latham shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Karen Meagher and Reece Dinsdale and David Brierly carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The closest you'll ever want to come to nuclear war.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Mick Jackson directs. Paul Morris behind the camera. Jim Latham cuts. Produced in Australia, United Kingdom. Dialogue in Russian, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $0.4M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
242 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Russian, English.
4International production across 2 countries: Australia, United Kingdom.
5Directed by Mick Jackson, shot by Paul Morris. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Editor Jim Latham shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Karen Meagher and Reece Dinsdale and David Brierly carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "The closest you'll ever want to come to nuclear war.".
9IMDB entry: tt0090163 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 15 themes, including "great britain", "northern england", "despair", "yorkshire".

The technical file

Cinematography: Paul Morris
Editing: Jim Latham
Production design: Christopher Robilliard
Costume design: Sally Nieper
Makeup / hair: Jan Nethercot
Runtime: 117 min · 1h 57m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $420,000
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NC-17
IMDB: Threads (1984)

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Community reviews

What people are saying

znapper2017-02-20
★ 10/10
This film was, for many, a turning-point regarding nuclear weapons, the cold war and nuclear-politics. Set in a 1984 UK industrial-suburbia, as the cold war gets hot, we follow regular people in their daily lives and how they prepare for the coming apocalypse. Barry Hines and Mick Jackson explains and shows us how the world is interconnected and woven together, each strand in this web is dependent on the others and when the threads start to break, the webbing that hold society together, unravel and we are quickly left with hardship and irreparable loss. There is no help from the outside, as most places are left in the same sorry state. With the lingering pollution from the war, there is only one way human kind can go from there. This film has no high-notes and there are no cheesy Hollywood-lines to comfort you during the viewing, just cold-hard facts and statistic. When the inevitable starts, we follow Ruth in particular, the main character, on her journey, 13 years into the future. We see how she tries to cope, as the remnants of the industrial world and human kind slowly crumble and whither around her. The film use simple effects and has a natural gritty style. This prevents the film from looking too dated. In addition, most of the film work with limited sets and scenes, so the time-period it is shot in, is somewhat removed from the story and experience. The acting is real and very good, they are real people, playing real people, 'no time for plastic Hollywood-figures here'. What we are left with, is most likely one of the bleakest, grimmest and most depressing film, that everyone needs to see at least once. It will remain a testament to the cold war, but as long as there are nuclear weapons, it will continue to be an ever-relevant warning. It will stick with you indefinitely.
Rodney Wollam2018-03-17
★ 9/10
Once again, I struggled to understand the British English. At least this time, I didn't really need to. Not a word needed to be spoken to convey the very real horror we might all be subjected to. Now, closer to that armageddon than ever before in our history. I just hope I die in the initial blast. The after is actually worse than the blast itself. God help us all.
TkA2026-07-30
★ 9/10
Hauntingly Grim. Threads is a hauntingly grim, yet important film that portrays the devastating effects of a nuclear war. Set in the UK during the 1980s, it follows the lead up to a worldwide nuclear crisis and the aftermath of the bombs wiping out most of the country. The film paints a bleak picture of the first year post-apocalypse, as well as the subsequent 8-15 years of survival. It doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of a nuclear disaster, showing the struggle and desperation of the survivors. The film serves as a stark reminder of the horrors of war and the catastrophic consequences of nuclear conflict. It's a powerful and thought-provoking film that will leave a lasting impact on viewers, highlighting the importance of never engaging in such destructive warfare. This is a must-watch for anyone seeking a sobering look at the potential horrors of nuclear war.