MovieChat Forums > The Day After (1983) Discussion > Never heard of this before.

Never heard of this before.

posted 9 years ago by djk-930-38279
25 replies | jump to latest

I was just watching "The 80s: Decade That Made Us," on the National Geographic channel and they talk about this movie a lot. I had never heard of it before and I was 10 when it first aired. They've got all these people talking about how it affected them when they watched it, and even a woman who says she too was age 10 at the time.

I think back though, and I know that my parents would have seen it in the TV Guide and knew it would scare the crap out of me. I remember being only vaguely aware of nuclear war and the possibility of the USSR bombing us, but I don't think I had much of a clue of how grave a situation it could have been.

But I'm sure my parents didn't want to scare me with the movie, and and they weren't really the type to watch disaster flicks, even if they were made to prepare the country for possible dispare.

But now I'm a disaster flick junkie and now that I know this is out there, I'm dying to watch it! 😁

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[–] CGSailor 9 years ago

You can see the entire movie on YouTube, though it's a pretty low resolution (240) copy and not very easy to watch... but the whole thing is there in multiple parts.

I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!

[–] jbrobinson76 9 years ago

It's definitely not a traditional disaster movie. There's no happy ending.

[–] znapper 9 years ago

Compared to Threads, this movie is quite happy and leave room for a future, inter-human understanding and a new start for the survivors.

Threads show you what would really happen and it takes you 13 years forward, after the nuclear war.

Threads will really ruin your day.

[–] ughmoretodealwith 9 years ago

The day after has a much better nuclear attack scene. Day After was also written before Nuclear Winter became commonly known among the scientific community.

Without The Day After there would be no Threads.

[–] Miyagis_Sweaty_wifebeater 8 years ago

Check out The War Game it predates both by twenty years.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (49761343) 8 years ago

Compared to Threads, this movie is quite happy and leave room for a future, inter-human understanding and a new start for the survivors.

It's not "happy" at all. Yes, it leaves room for a "future," but the last shot of Robards pretty much states that it's a future that human beings wouldn't want to live in.

Also, I'm not sure where you're getting this idea that the survivors are getting a "new start." All the major characters in this movie either die or are dying.

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[–] ughmoretodealwith 9 years ago

Out of 250 million people in the US at the time it is estimated over 100 million people watched the movie on its premiere. The networks setup 1800 numbers with counselors. schools had discussions about the movie, tv networks had shows devoted to discussing the film.

[–] scarlettsdad 9 years ago

I saw it when I was 23 and living within a short distance from Charleston, SC. (I won't put a spoiler in here, but those who have seen it will understand. )I was totally freaked out, even knowing it was just a movie. The very end still brings me to tears.

[–] ggiroux3 9 years ago

The final scene with John Cullum's character was like a punch in the stomach. That was the scene that got to me the most.

[–] HereIsTheIsNot 9 years ago

The final scene with John Cullum's character was like a punch in the stomach. That was the scene that got to me the most.

To make that scene even worse, apparently there is a part cut out (vs the original airing) where he actually tells the squatters they can stay and I think he also offers them food. He was probably moved by the little girl sitting silently by the fire.

[–] CGSailor 9 years ago

If you lived near Charlestown, SC... then you should watch "Special Bulletin"

Filmed and presented much like War of the Worlds radio program was presented back in 1939, only with TV... as though real, all filmed as though "we interrupt this broadcast"

About terrorists detonating a nuke in Charlestown Harbor.

I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!

[–] scarlettsdad 9 years ago

I remember that! I just couldn't remember the title of it. Thanks for that--now I need to start looking for it. I found "The Day After" at a book/DVD sale, but it wouldn't play.

Signatures annoy me.

[–] CGSailor 9 years ago

A low quality (360p) copy of the full film is available to watch on YouTube...
https://youtu.be/rUUxu_m6mrU

I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!

[–] scarlettsdad 9 years ago

Thanks! Just finished watching it. Still get choked up at the ending.

Signatures annoy me.

[–] CGSailor 9 years ago

Did the whole video play for you? After I posted the link I discovered that most of the later half of the video would not play. it cuts off around the time they storm the terrorists boat. but nothing of the latter half of the film where the bomb explodes while they are trying to disarm it.

I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!

[–] scarlettsdad 9 years ago

Yes it did. The video quality wasn't the best, but I wasn't expecting it to be.

Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yif-5cKg1Yo

Signatures annoy me.

[–] HereIsTheIsNot 9 years ago

Someone uploaded a great quality copy, the audio and video is very clear!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKY-2zkWJuo

[–] scarlettsdad 9 years ago

Thanks!

Signatures annoy me.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] !!!deleted!!! (49761343) 8 years ago

I had never heard of it before and I was 10 when it first aired.

I find it strange that someone at the time didn't hear about this film. It was one of the most hyped up TV events of all time, and there were tons of sensationalist news stories and magazine articles talking about it in the weeks leading up to the airing. It also had to have been talked up in schools across the country. I remember that the next day the movie aired, the first thing my teacher told our class was, "Let's not talk about last night," or something to that effect.

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[–] darrinoberhofer 8 years ago

It may be strange, but I too have never heard of it until about 5 minutes ago when I was reading Steve Guttenberg's bio. I was 10 in 1983 and distinctly remember having school drills for an attack. (a lot of good it would do to go in the basement lol) I plan on watching this soon.

[–] darrinoberhofer 8 years ago

I couldn't get it out of my head. Watched it last night on youtube. Powerful.

[–] djk-930-38279 8 years ago

Yes! Now that I think about it, I do remember having a drill like that in elementary school where we went down to the lunch room in the basement and had to tuck our heads down like that. I think I wasn't really getting it since I hadn't seen or even heard about the movie. So when they talked about it, I was oblivious and was like, okay, whatever. Cause like I said in the original post, my parents were extremely careful with what I was allowed to watch on TV. If the heard or saw that this movie would be discussed, they would be sure I didn't see or hear about it. And I never did. So if everyone else saw it and the teacher talked about it, I was probably on another planet because when someone talks about something I don't know about, I went off into another world.

[–] znapper 8 years ago

How did you manage to learn new things then? :P

Eheh....sorry, could not resist. ^_^

Every child should see these nuklear-movies when they are 10, it will scar any future president enough to prevent a future nuclear holocaust.

[–] omoxus 8 years ago

I remember my school Principle, during his morning adress to the school, warned us about the graphic nature of this film. As it was basically a national TV event.

I am the Alpha and the Omoxus. The Omoxus and the Omega