One of the ‘most depressing and scary films ever made’ which has only been shown on mainstream TV a handful of times, is now available for all to watch.
Doesn’t that fill you with joy?
Seriously though, if watching grim tales of post-apocalyptic hellscapes is your thing, we can only recommend this classic to you.
This film is seriously depressing, but also somehow relevant to our times
Picture the scene - a world beset by the threat of another horrific and life-consuming world war, constantly peering towards the skies in fear of the threat of nuclear conflict.
Sounds a world away from where we are currently, doesn’t it?
No, we’re not talking about World War Three, saber-rattling between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, the ongoing and potentially escalating conflict in Ukraine, or even ‘rocket man’ Kim Jong-Un’s North Korean nuclear ambitions.
We’re talking about a film set in the British city of Sheffield in the 1980s.
Rather aptly, a film that came out in 1984.
Threads is a seriously grim tale. Credit: BBC
It’s called Threads, and it’s been nightmare fuel to many since it was released.
Sure, it’s an important watch, but it’s one that you're probably only going to want to watch once.
It stars Reece Dinsdale and Karen Meagher as a couple who are expecting a baby, but end up having their plans somewhat altered after a global thermonuclear war breaks out between the USA and the Soviet Union.
Don’t you just hate when that happens?
Threads is a truly harrowing tale - and you can now catch it online!
The film shows the full aftermath of the nuclear attack in grim detail, from the initial blast that kills most people in the country, to the fallout that leaves many wishing they had been killed.
It was first broadcast on the BBC in 1984, and again a year later, but then it wasn’t shown for another 18 years.
After that, it was 21 further years until it was shown again, this time for the 40th anniversary of the film itself.
If you’re in the UK, you can stream the film on BBC iPlayer, or - if you're outside the UK - it’s available in full on YouTube.
It tells the sad story of a nuclear war. Credit: BBC
It’s grim, it’s altogether too close to a world that could exist for us soon, but it’s ultimately a classic for a reason, and an important watch.
So, if you’re stuck for something to watch this weekend, why not sit yourself down in front of Threads and count your lucky stars we don’t live in that terrible timeline.
Yet, anyway.