Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #75010 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-01-27
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Black & White, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 84 minutes

Special Features
4:3
English
Region 2
Audio Commentary

Synopsis
Commissioned by the BBC to dramatize the effects of a nuclear attack on Great Britain, this film of monumental devastation so shocked and stunned the heads of the agency that it was never shown in television.

Customer Reviews

dated but still deeply disturbing.
These days I guess "The War Game" has been overshadowed by the similar 1980s offerings "Threads" (one of the most terrifying films you will ever see) and "When The Wind Blows". In its day "The War Game" caused untold controversy and was actually banned by the British Government from being shown for about 20 years. I believe it was finally first aired to coincide with the 40th anniversy of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs in 1985. It shows the effects of an all-out nuclear attack on Britain, not just the horror of the attack itself, but the after-effects too, with the country being turned into a ruthless police state, having people put up against a wall and shot for stealing food. It's not as graphic as "Threads", and because it was made so much earlier the effects of a nuclear drop aren't quite as devestating as we know it would be now, but I guarantee you will still find this highly disturbing viewing. And the one line where the narrator describes the sound of the nuclear impact as "like a giant door being slammed in Hell" will stay with you.

The most upsetting thing I have ever seen
I watched this when studying the Cold War at school, and I was barely able to speak afterwards. Although it was made in the sixties and looks somewhat dated, this film is extremely effective, giving a very realistic glimpse of what would have actually happened if the Soviets had dropped atomic bombs on Britain. It combines contemporary interviews about nuclear issues with 'footage' of a nuclear attack on Rochester and its aftermath. Starting with the thirty-second warning, what was a quaint English town quickly becomes hell on earth. The images of countless charred bodies, screaming and suffocating people, riots and executions are more shocking than anything else I've ever seen. There is the overriding sense of how quickly a civilised community can degenerate into lawlessness, as we are shown how the police have to impose martial law. It's remarkably well-acted, and looks very authentic via the use of shaky hand-held camera work (reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan). It is made all the more disturbing when we are told that the kind of events being shown are highly possible 'before 1980'. As this film was made in 1965, one can appreciate why it was banned; it really would have caused mass hysteria. I'm not easily disturbed, but this documentary really did leave me with tears in my eyes. As absurd as it sounds, I will definitely not sleep very well tonight after seeing this. The War Game should be shown to everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, to make sure we never, ever, EVER even consider the use of nuclear weapons. It would, quite literally, mean the end of human civilisation. Although it is certainly not an enjoyable experience, the War Game is essential viewing for every human being.

Spine Chilling.
I bought this based on other reviews that I had seen from other amazon.co.uk customers. This film deserves all the praise it gets. It is a little dated now, however the facts presented are still as relevant today as they were when the film was made. The BBC banned this film, under pressure from the government because of the subject matter and critical references throughout the film. It is a "must see"!