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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.

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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...

Quote
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.

 

 

 

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EXACT FILMING LOCATIONS

The Moor - Sheffield City Centre

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

GOOGLE VIDEO Entry - http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=...88&hl=en-GB

BUY THE DVD - http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/681257/Threads/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.

threads.jpg

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Guest 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.co.uk/videoplay?docid=...88&hl=en-GB

BUY THE DVD - http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/681257/Threads/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.

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Guest 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.

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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...

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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.

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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..

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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.

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Guest 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.

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Guest 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.

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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?

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Guest 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.

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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

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Guest 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)

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Guest 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.

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Guest 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.

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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-movies.net/movies/threads/

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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-movies.net/movies/threads/

Thats great quality, thanks for that link.

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

http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetail...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.

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Guest 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

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Guest 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!!!

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Guest 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.

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