40 replies to this topic

[Sheffield History]

THREADS



Documentary style account of a nuclear holocaust and it's affect on the working class city of Sheffield, England; and the eventual long run affects of nuclear war on civilization.



It is the mid-1980's, during the Cold War. Ruth Beckett & Jimmy Kemp, residents of the town of Sheffield, England, are planning for their upcoming marriage and birth of their first child. Sheffield is home to a major R.A.F. base and has a major industrial base of steel, energy & chemical production. But the Soviet Union marches troops into Iran, in a plan to convert it to a Soviet satellite state.

The United States, Great Britain, and other members of NATO and the U.N. angrily condemn the Soviet aggression and military activity in England starts to mount, especially at the nearby R.A.F. base.

The families of Ruth & Jimmy go about their daily business, paying little attention to what is going on in Iran. One spring day, without warning, the Soviet Union attacks England with ICBMs - two of which hit Sheffield, annihilating most of the city and its inhabitants.

But what is even more horrifying is the aftermath that follows - a world without public order, clean food, water, electricity, or the ability to produce any of them. Ruth struggles for more than 10 years just to stay alive in this horrible, barren, radioactive homeland...

Threads....set in Sheffield in the early 80's this film depicts the build-up to nuclear war, a strike on Sheffield itself and the aftermath.

Words can barely describe how profoundly disturbing this film is, especially if you lived through the era as the events preceding the attack are eerily familiar and once again have relevance given the various troubling political situations that we find the world in today. What was a film about a certain time in history has now become a timely warning about what could possibly be again.

I revisited this film when studying film at university and was actually reluctant to watch it again because of the impact it had on me the first time around (I'd have been about 9 or 10 years old then). The effect was as massive on me 20 years later and I found myself transfixed with horror. The brutal effects of mankind's most indiscriminately destructive and dirty weaponry are shown with no sparing of the audiences feelings, there is no happy ending, no hope and no winners, how this ever got to be aired on television, especially in the 80's, is remarkable.

The nearest comparison I can give to this would probably be the BBC docudrama 'The War Game' and although this is more obviously a dramatization rather than a documentary style recreation it is still highly effective and absolutely chilling.

I recommend this film wholeheartedly; it is shocking and disturbing for the right reasons.

EXACT FILMING LOCATIONS

The Moor - Sheffield City Centre





IMDB Entry - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090163/

GOOGLE VIDEO Entry - http://video.google....=...88&hl=en-GB

BUY THE DVD - http://www.play.com/...ds/Product.html

Do you know the exact locations where the film was shot ?

If so - please let us know - post below so we can add to the list and get some pictures of what the area looks like today.

[coffee cup]

THREADS



Documentary style account of a nuclear holocaust and it's affect on the working class city of Sheffield, England; and the eventual long run affects of nuclear war on civilization.



It is the mid-1980's, during the Cold War. Ruth Beckett & Jimmy Kemp, residents of the town of Sheffield, England, are planning for their upcoming marriage and birth of their first child. Sheffield is home to a major R.A.F. base and has a major industrial base of steel, energy & chemical production. But the Soviet Union marches troops into Iran, in a plan to convert it to a Soviet satellite state.

The United States, Great Britain, and other members of NATO and the U.N. angrily condemn the Soviet aggression and military activity in England starts to mount, especially at the nearby R.A.F. base.

The families of Ruth & Jimmy go about their daily business, paying little attention to what is going on in Iran. One spring day, without warning, the Soviet Union attacks England with ICBMs - two of which hit Sheffield, annihilating most of the city and its inhabitants.

But what is even more horrifying is the aftermath that follows - a world without public order, clean food, water, electricity, or the ability to produce any of them. Ruth struggles for more than 10 years just to stay alive in this horrible, barren, radioactive homeland...
EXACT FILMING LOCATIONS

The Moor - Sheffield City Centre
IMDB Entry - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090163/

GOOGLE VIDEO Entry - http://video.google....=...88&hl=en-GB

BUY THE DVD - http://www.play.com/...ds/Product.html

Do you know the exact locations where the film was shot ?

If so - please let us know - post below so we can add to the list and get some pictures of what the area looks like today.

[coffee cup]

I remember this film coming out, but I feel it was better first time round (bought it on DVD at Christmas this year so we could see it again,} plus the fact it is used in class for year 10 students at Bradfield School.

Think the first photo you have shown is down the moor outside Woolworths.

[Sheffield History]

Agree about it being better first time around

Watching it now it's very grimy, gritty and dark as well as slow

But back then...

[graham c]

MY MISSUS GOT A CONNECTION ON TWO ACCOUNTS OF THREADS. FIRSTLY SHE WAS ONE OF THE WOMEN RUNNING AROUND THE MOOR.(NOT IN THE PICTURE). SECONDLY SHE WAS WORKING AT BASSETS WHEN VOLUNTEERS WAS ASKED TO HELP BY LAYING DOWN AFTER BIG BANG.
AND WE BELIEVE THE BURNING BUILDINGS WERE A DERILECT OLD HOUSING AREA JUST OFF BEULAGH ROAD, WHERE THE HILLSBOROGH LIESURE CENTRE IS NOW.
HAVE BEEN TOLD IT WAS DUTTON ROAD.

[Sheffield History]

really !

I would never have guessed it was down there that they filmed the shots for the movie of the burning housing

Great post - say hello to your missus from us too

The movie makes bleak watching even these days..

[docmel]

The movie makes bleak watching even these days..

I agree - without doubt one of the most depressing, and bleak films I have ever seen.

During my time at school in the 0's and 60's it was during the infamous 'Cold War', Cuban Missile crisis etc., and I recall every school had to show two movies to all the pupils - attendance was compulsry - One was 'War Games' - made in the early 60's - about the start of a nuclear attack on Russia by the USA - all caused by a technical accident - that just showed how nervous both sides were at the time.

The other movie I cannot remember the title, but was in the same vein as 'Threads', but no where near as harrowing but was, at the time, pretty moving I think. I do remember that it had been made for showing on general release, but was never shown at cinemas because it was thought that the subject matter was too upsetting.

I think the powers that were at the time thought that if teenage kids saw these movies we may think twice about going to war or something if any of us rose to a hallowed position of power. I refrain from any obvious comments about current world leaders.

[acquiescefc]

The bit where the army have the food locked up and people are trying to get in is the Tennis club on Devonshire road in Dore i believe.

This film still scares the cr@p out of me.

[acquiescefc]

Oh yeah the pub that Jimmy and his g/f are in is the Nottingham house near broomhill.

[tsavo]

According to the cast list for Threads, 'Old man in graveyard' was played by Nat Jackley. Older members will remember the "India Rubber Man" who was very popular in the 1950s.
I have seen a post asking what became of him, somewhere, but can't find it. At least he was still alive and acting in the 1980s.

[echo]

The 'mushroom' bomb was detonated on the car park of the old Shirecliffe College.

[glencheney]

Does this film seem worse because it is set in our home town. If this was say a French film set in Lille would it seem as horrible?

[witch74]

I remember being allowed to watch threads when it was first on and i was ten years old. It unnerved me then because i was so young and i thought it was really going to happen but it educated me at the same time.I watched it again recently and i have to say it made me really depressed even after all these years. Its an unforgettable film, it does its job and sticks in your mind.

[Hjdary]

I got a copy a while back.

Wished I hadn't...made me utterly depressed

[Zeb]

I knew a chap who had a part in this...Andrew Fields (if i remember correctly) and he played a copper. Tall blond haired lad and was very funny indeed. Dont think he went on to get a bafta but was still acting last i heard

[plain talker]

MY MISSUS GOT A CONNECTION ON TWO ACCOUNTS OF THREADS. FIRSTLY SHE WAS ONE OF THE WOMEN RUNNING AROUND THE MOOR.(NOT IN THE PICTURE). SECONDLY SHE WAS WORKING AT BASSETS WHEN VOLUNTEERS WAS ASKED TO HELP BY LAYING DOWN AFTER BIG BANG.
AND WE BELIEVE THE BURNING BUILDINGS WERE A DERILECT OLD HOUSING AREA JUST OFF BEULAGH ROAD, WHERE THE HILLSBOROGH LIESURE CENTRE IS NOW.
HAVE BEEN TOLD IT WAS DUTTON ROAD.

Yes, the housing was around Beulah Road/ Penistone Road.

The shot of The Moor, where the people were running around, as the sirens were going off was taken from around the top of the old Emgas building which is now the Poundland, looking toward Atkinsons. ( Judging by the angles of the shot, it could possibly have been the buildings next door, from Lloyds bank/ Home Bargains, which are currently being demolished for the new Market)

[Only me]

You can watch Threads here in full http://uk.youtube.co...feature=related I wonder if anyone remembers the actor Reece Dinsdale at the start of Threads who played alongside John Thaw in the sitcom Home to roost. There are a lot of known actors, if you watch carefully you might see a Dingle .

[Sheffield Steve]

I have this on DVD and like many other people I find it very harrowing and horrific. I think the old egg boxes are seen in the film as well as that memorable scene when Woolworths explodes on The Moor. The underground bunker where the government officials are based is supposedly beneath the old egg boxes I think. I rarely spin this disc in the player as it completely freaks me out and brings back memories of the threat of nuclear war when I was at school back in the 80's.

An excellent piece of story-telling all the same which thankfully never came true.

[Sheffield Steve]

Does this film seem worse because it is set in our home town. If this was say a French film set in Lille would it seem as horrible?

Most definitely - it makes it much worse because it was set in my home town.

[mickjj]

Just watched the movies on streaming Video it was good quality. Its the first time I have watched it in twenty years. It is still as harrowing today as it was then. I found it interesting that the "Conflict" was caused by issues in the Middle East, not much different from today is it. BTW here is the link for the streaming video.http://www.watch-mov...movies/threads/

[Only me]

Just watched the movies on streaming Video it was good quality. Its the first time I have watched it in twenty years. It is still as harrowing today as it was then. I found it interesting that the "Conflict" was caused by issues in the Middle East, not much different from today is it. BTW here is the link for the streaming video.http://www.watch-mov...movies/threads/

Thats great quality, thanks for that link.

[dr stanley]

For anyone wanting the DVD, I've just come across this link to HMV:

http://hmv.com/hmvwe...WT.mc_id=101450

Price £6.99 Delivered (Currently out of stock but more stock expected in 7 days)


As the review says: "This powerful film depicts the aftermath of the most heinous destruction imaginable - global thermonuclear war. A realistic and chilling portrayal."

I know it gave me nightmares as a kid.

[tommyking]

The bit where the army have the food locked up and people are trying to get in is the Tennis club on Devonshire road in Dore i believe.

This film still scares the cr@p out of me.

That scene was filmed at Western Park - you can see the modernist Geography building in the background

[tommyking]

All pub scenes were filmed in the Nottingham House at Broomhill. If you look closely you can see the pubs name in reverse on the glass windows.

Took me hours to work out which pub it could have been!!!

[simon38]

i have it on dvd and with the way things are between russia and the west at the moment it may still come true.

[cdp206]

Hi all,

You can watch the entire 1hr 47mins of it here: http://video.google.. without it being in thirteen parts, as on Youtube.

Some good questions regarding locations. Barker's Pool is certainly one, in the anti-war demo.

Chris

Edited by SteveHB, 08 October 2012 - 12:59 PM.
broken link repaired

[Stuart0742]

Link to a Radio Sheffield Gallery page for Threads

http://www.bbc.co.uk...gallery.shtml?1

[RichardB]

Link to a Radio Sheffield Gallery page for Threads

http://www.bbc.co.uk...gallery.shtml?1

Don't see anywhere I know on there ... nice link though. Thand you.

[Stuart0742]

Don't see anywhere I know on there ... nice link though. Thand you.

Thand you

[Leonr2z]

I know the story (read all the reviews at the time) but could never bring myself to watch it simply because it was Sheffield and it was well publicized in advance that it was Sheffield.

I also found "The Last Train" disturbing for similar reasons (watched that without seeing any previews so had no idea what it was about!). Guess I'm a sentimental old fool who doesn't like seeing his home town destroyed for any reason.

[THYLACINE]

I saw Threads only once 20-odd years ago, I think my brain has shut out all the disturbing and heart-breaking scenes and left me with this one memory which to me is so precious. Do you remember it? (Some of the dialogue might not be exact) A young lad bursts into the corner shop and shouts "Mam, Russians 'ave dropped a bomb. Dad says yer 'ave to cum 'ome" I love it because it is SO Sheffield. Dad, sitting in his armchair watching telly sends the lad down to' shop to get Mum because when there's a crisis she'll organise everything, she'll know what to do. Even if they drop an atom bomb.

[DaveH]

I know the story (read all the reviews at the time) but could never bring myself to watch it simply because it was Sheffield and it was well publicized in advance that it was Sheffield.

I also found "The Last Train" disturbing for similar reasons (watched that without seeing any previews so had no idea what it was about!). Guess I'm a sentimental old fool who doesn't like seeing his home town destroyed for any reason.

Isn't it strange that Sheffield was chosen as the prime target for a nuclear attack?

Why?

Surely London would have been the main target of any attack on this country.

Then again, the world of news reporting works in strange ways.

If the BBC had 2 news stories to report, -

Item 1)
Pre-emtive nuclear attack made on London, entire Greater London area destroyed, 13 million killed, expected to rise rapidly with radiation sickness and fallout.

Item 2)
David Beckham leaves Manchester United and signs for A.C. Milan

Then I am sure that the BBC, being the BBC, would attach far more importance to item 2 and report that first as the news headline.

Great thing about the football World Cup this year wasn't it, - according to the BBC news reports there were no British troops lost in Afghanistan during the entire World Cup! Suprising really as just before and after the contest we were losing about 3 troops per day.

It's all down to the poor handling of how important various items of news are.

[Chapeltowner]

I recall some scenes were shot in Hillsborough,near the bottom of Park side Road at the junction with Penistone road.
There were some old houses that have since been demolished.The area is now an industrial estate i believe,just before the leisure centre when heading towards Owlerton.
My Dad and Brother were on one of the roads changing a wheel on the car.They were told to leave asap as filming was about to start.I was told by my Dad that he can be seen in the background,but i havnt seen the film to confirm this.
Pubs like The Victoria,Royal and Sportsman no doubt kept the film cast and crew in supply of food n drink.

Craig.

[Unitedite Returns]

I remember watching this film the first time around and I was extremely horrified by the stark brutality and chilling implications of it's content, as both the Soviet Union and the Cold War were still very much a reality at that time.

I have never watched the film again since, but I would imagine that it could not have the same impact now as it did back then, as the chances of an East-West nuclear conflict are now much much more remote than they were back then.

I do remember that the mushroom cloud pictured from down The Moor was supposed to represent a Soviet, Nuclear First Strike on RAF Finningley [now Robin Hood Airport] which was a "front line bomber command base" "back then" and which would almost certainly have been a prime target in any pre-emptive strike, as would have been the RAF command and control centre in nearby Bawtry.

I also seem to remember that the "attack" on Sheffield when it came, was supposed to represent part of the second stage escalation of any such nuclear war, when followup strikes would have been made on stragegically important, but, none military targets, such as large population centres, major industrial complexes [which we since seem to have managed to destroy ourselves, without any help from the Soviets], communication hubs, etc, etc.

A very gritty and a very thought provoking film and for me, one of the best portrayals of the horrors of nuclear war.

[Deejaysnr]

The location of some of the film was also in the old Royal Infirmary which is now Tesco. My Wife, mother-in-law, sister & brother - law and many of the St Johns Ambulance Sheffield Branch were all extras in that location. Deejaysnr

[Annn]

at 29.25 mins

This was filmed on Hawksley Road at Hillsborough. I know, because the black car in it is my husband's and he couldn't go to work, because they'd already done so many shots, so for continuity he had to be at work late!! That's his claim to fame!!

When we watched it, we had to laugh, because all the cars turning left to escape were actually going down a dead end!!

[SteveHB]

at 29.25 mins This was filmed on Hawksley Road at Hillsborough. I know, because the black car in it is my husband's and he couldn't go to work, because they'd already done so many shots, so for continuity he had to be at work late!! That's his claim to fame!! When we watched it, we had to laugh, because all the cars turning left to escape were actually going down a dead end!!

Welcome to SheffieldHistory Annn.

[CJax kid]

Agree about it being better first time around Watching it now it's very grimy, gritty and dark as well as slow But back then...

Would agree that the impact of the film was far greater at the time. I was near enough 18 years old back then and it really got me going the wrong way..it made you' think what if?'...without going too far from the sheffield theme, other films have the same effect. 'On the beach' (1959) with gregory peck, 'When the wind blows' animated film with the voices of John Mills and peggy ashcroft is dreadful to watch..and I remember a U.S drama being show in this country about the effects of nuclear war on a u.s town. The scene where a base ball match is interrupted by minute man missiles taking off bound for russia from the local military base is particularly memorable. Cannot remember for the life of me what it was called though. The day after threads was broadcast everyone was talking about it at work, A lass that I worked with told me that in the middle of the night she was so scared thinking about it that she got in the car and drove to her mum and dads house and stayed over night!! I will give it another viewing..and see if I start digging my fall out shelter in the morning!

[CJax kid]

Would agree that the impact of the film was far greater at the time. I was near enough 18 years old back then and it really got me going the wrong way..it made you' think what if?'...without going too far from the sheffield theme, other films have the same effect. 'On the beach' (1959) with gregory peck, 'When the wind blows' animated film with the voices of John Mills and peggy ashcroft is dreadful to watch..and I remember a U.S drama being show in this country about the effects of nuclear war on a u.s town. The scene where a base ball match is interrupted by minute man missiles taking off bound for russia from the local military base is particularly memorable. Cannot remember for the life of me what it was called though. The day after threads was broadcast everyone was talking about it at work, A lass that I worked with told me that in the middle of the night she was so scared thinking about it that she got in the car and drove to her mum and dads house and stayed over night!! I will give it another viewing..and see if I start digging my fall out shelter in the morning!

the U.S drama was called 'the day after'....watch all four films back to back and feel utterly depressed...awesome!!

[DaveH]

But I bet you never saw this bit in threads.

Having received a 4 minute warning from Fillingdales that a nuclear strike on the City is incoming, the City council having signed up to the MAD pact (Mutually Assured Destruction) takes the decision to launch its own nuclear missile from a secret underground silo in Casle Square, set to strike Moscow within a further 4 minutes.



That was the frightening thing about the cold war, - the way it could escalate in such a way that no one could possibly win or gain by it.

OK, in a war there are never any real winners, only losers, but in this type of war everyone stood to lose absolutely everything with no peace or future of any sort beyond it.