People ‘Can’t Sleep’ After Watching The ‘Scariest Film Ever Made’
One person writes: “It absolutely terrified me.”
Another adds: “I saw it recently for the first time and it’s haunted me ever since.”
“That scarred the s*** out of me,” admits somebody else.
A fourth viewer declares: “One of the scariest British films ever made.”
The Bafta-winning production, directed by Mick Jackson and written by ‘Kes’ author Barry Hines, is a dramatic account of nuclear war and its effects on Britain, specifically on the city of Sheffield, in northern England.
It depicts characters suffering from radiation sickness, starvation, and violence amidst widespread anarchy.
The narrative spans from the lead-up to the attack to 13 years later, illustrating the irreversible destruction of infrastructure and humanity’s descent into savagery.
The 1984 drama’s shocking imagery and themes left a profound impression on both critics and viewers.
Viewer Andrea Cattermole, from Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, told the BBC although she loved the film’s realism, it made her ‘really anxious.’
She said: “It made me think if it did happen, I’d rather be one of the first to die and not have to live through it, with all the effects it has on everyone in the long term.”
While some lauded Threads‘ ability to provoke reflection and awareness, others argued it failed to offer actionable insights for audiences facing similar threats.
It reportedly led distressed viewers to call the Samaritans charity after its release.
Decades later, its latest showing on BBC Four – and subsequent availability on BBC iPlayer – elicited similarly powerful reactions.
Starring Karen Meagher and Reece Dinsdale, the apocalyptic war drama was nominated for BAFTA awards in 1985 and won Best Single Drama, Best Design, Best Film Cameraman, and Best Film Editor.
To this day, Threads is recognized as one of television’s most striking warnings against the horrors of nuclear war.
