When the Wind Blows (1986)
December 4, 2022 2:42 PM - Subscribe
A naïve elderly rural British couple deal with the aftermath of a nuclear war. Trailer.
This is based on a graphic novel by Raymond Briggs (who many readers will recognize as the author and illustrator of The Snowman) and, while there is a bleak sense of humor running throughout, it is probably best remembered for traumatizing a generation of children.
88% on Rotten Tomatoes; available for free in the U.S. on Ruku, Tubi, Vudu, etc. JustWatch listing.
This is based on a graphic novel by Raymond Briggs (who many readers will recognize as the author and illustrator of The Snowman) and, while there is a bleak sense of humor running throughout, it is probably best remembered for traumatizing a generation of children.
88% on Rotten Tomatoes; available for free in the U.S. on Ruku, Tubi, Vudu, etc. JustWatch listing.
Originally, David Bowie was supposed to contribute several songs to the soundtrack for the film, but decided to pull out so he could focus on his upcoming album Never Let Me Down, and instead only submitted the title track. Roger Waters was brought in to complete the project instead. - via
posted by fairmettle at 8:17 PM on December 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by fairmettle at 8:17 PM on December 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
This was absurdly, terribly funny. But it gets tiresome after a while, not because of bleakness, but because it's just too long. I've compared it before to The Big Snit, from 1985, which is a much more concise and merciful treatment of such subject matter.
posted by 2N2222 at 8:49 PM on December 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by 2N2222 at 8:49 PM on December 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
But....The Big Snit isn't about the same subject matter.
The Big Snit is about a couples' spat, and about how such couples' spats can get all-consuming to the point that the couple in question actually doesn't notice that a nuclear attack has broken out.
This, however, is about an older couple whose faith in The Powers That Be is woefully misplaced, and whose understanding of the gravity of the nuclear threat is woefully incomplete; so they die thinking that the government knows what it's doing and that they just have to keep a stiff upper lip for a few days and the Government will come along and help them fix things up and everything will be right as rain. In a larger sense, it's kind of "about" how most people - including our leaders -really didn't seem to get how much of a threat nuclear war actually was, and how this lack of understanding was a grave danger to us all. It's not at all comparable to The Big Snit; the only thing they have in common is that each movie has a couple and each movie has a bomb go off.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:45 AM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
The Big Snit is about a couples' spat, and about how such couples' spats can get all-consuming to the point that the couple in question actually doesn't notice that a nuclear attack has broken out.
This, however, is about an older couple whose faith in The Powers That Be is woefully misplaced, and whose understanding of the gravity of the nuclear threat is woefully incomplete; so they die thinking that the government knows what it's doing and that they just have to keep a stiff upper lip for a few days and the Government will come along and help them fix things up and everything will be right as rain. In a larger sense, it's kind of "about" how most people - including our leaders -really didn't seem to get how much of a threat nuclear war actually was, and how this lack of understanding was a grave danger to us all. It's not at all comparable to The Big Snit; the only thing they have in common is that each movie has a couple and each movie has a bomb go off.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:45 AM on December 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
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posted by Ursula Hitler at 8:15 PM on December 4, 2022