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Nuclear war – the unthinkable – has been a favored dark subject for a number of Hollywood movies. Here are ten dramatic nuclear war/atomic holocaust films that no serious fan of the cinema should ever miss. Duck and cover? Not here…
Fail Safe (Columbia, 1964)
Based on the 1962 best-selling novel of the same name by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler, Fail Safe came to selected movie theaters on October 7, 1964. Henry Fonda plays the President, who must make a fateful decision when a group of six American Vindicator bombers are mistakenly sent past their fail-safe point by a malfunctioning computer. The errant Group Six, led by Lt. Colonel Jack Grady (Edward Binns), are now headed to Moscow where they will unload their nuclear payload on the Russian capital unless they can be recalled. Walter Matthau, Larry Hagman, Frank Overton, Fritz Weaver and Dan O’Herlihy also appear. Keep in mind the biblical story of the Sacrifice of Abraham and the flashing fail-safe code CAP-811 when viewing this nail biter.
Director: Sidney Lumet
Review: "It packs a melodramatic wallop that will rattle a lot of chattering teeth..." - Bosley Crowther, The New York Times (9/16/64).
On DVD: Fail Safe Special Edition (Columbia/TriStar, 2000)
One sheet movie poster: Fail Safe (1964)
On the Beach (United Artists, 1959)
Nevil Shute’s moving 1957 novel of the same name was brought to the screen two years later. The film takes place in 1964 during the aftermath of a nuclear war waged in the Northern Hemisphere. The only known survivors are in Australia, but their time will soon come to an end when the radioactivity reaches Down Under. Gregory Peck plays Commander Dwight Towers, the skipper of an American submarine, with Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins and Donna Anderson also on hand. There is no happy ending here, with the Australian folk song “Waltzing Matilda” used to haunting effect.
Director: Stanley Kramer
Review: "Deserves to be seen. It is an honest and provoking picture..." - Variety (12/2/59)
On DVD: On the Beach (MGM, 2000)
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (Columbia, 1964)
Peter Sellers has a field day in this dark comedy, playing three different characters: Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffey and Dr. Strangelove. When Brigadier General Jack Ripper (Sterling Hayden) seizes an American airbase and threatens to start World War III, the War Room goes into action trying to prevent a nuclear holocaust. George C. Scott, Keenan Wynn and Slim Pickens as gonzo cowboy pilot Major “King” Kong also “brighten” up the atomic festivities. “Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room,” Peter Sellers as the President admonishes his advisors.
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Review: “The ultimate touch of ghoulish humor is when we see the bomb actually going off, dropped on some point in Russia, and a jazzy sound track comes in with a cheerful melodic rendition of ‘We'll Meet Again Some Sunny Day.’ Somehow, to me, it isn't funny. It is malefic and sick.” - Bosley Crowther, The New York Times (1/30/64)
On DVD: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (Columbia/TriStar, 2001)
Italian photobusta movie poster: Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Testament (Paramount, 1983)
“It happened in an instant. The televisions went blank, the radios – silent. The cities were gone, the future abandoned. And the only thing they have left to hold onto, is the people they love.” So reads the promotional tagline for Testament, a harrowing story of the aftermath of a nuclear attack on the United States as seen through the eyes of a family residing just outside San Francisco. Jane Alexander, William Devane, Ross Harris, Roxana Zal and Lukas Haas head the cast. Testament was originally filmed as a made-for-television movie, but impressed with its quality Paramount made the decision to release it theatrically.
Director: Lynne Littman
Review: "Testament may be the first movie in a long time that will make you cry. It made me cry. And seeing it again for the second time, knowing everything that would happen, anticipating each scene before it came, I was affected just as deeply.” - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times (11/4/83)
On DVD: Testament (Paramount, 2004)
Crimson Tide (Buena Vista, 1995)
Based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Richard P. Henrick, Crimson Tide stars Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington as two naval officers who clash aboard the USS Alabama over an emergency action message (EAM) authorizing them to launch a nuclear strike. Hackman is the veteran submarine commander and Washington the up-and-coming executive officer. Also on board are Matt Craven, George Dzundza, Viggo Mortensen and James Gandolfini. "Con, Weapons. Missiles will be ready to launch in four minutes," a nervous, sweating Viggo Mortensen reports. Will the Alabama’s “birds” fly?
Director: Tony Scott
Review: "The torpedoes, missiles and testosterone levels all are on red alert in Crimson Tide, the latest exercise in high-tech macho from director Tony Scott and producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer...This is a boy's movie all the way, with enough expensive military hardware and tough-guy power plays to appeal to teenagers of all ages." - Variety (5/8/95).
On DVD: Crimson Tide Extended Edition (Buena Vista, 2006)
One sheet movie poster: Crimson Tide (1995)
WarGames (MGM/UA, 1983)
Matthew Broderick plays David Lightman, a computer whiz kid who hacks his way into the Defense Department’s new automated system known as WOPR – War Operation Plan Response. It seems young David has activated the supercomputer’s operating system via a secret password, with WOPR now believing that the United States is under nuclear attack and readying an all-out response. Ally Sheedy, Dabney Coleman, John Wood and Barry Corbin also appear. “Shall we play?” the computer asks David, with Global Thermonuclear War as one of the games on the menu. Check out David’s computer, a clunky (by today’s standards) IMSAI 8080.
Director: John Badham
Review: "There's not a scene where Badham doesn't seem to know what he's doing, weaving a complex web of computerese, personalities and puzzles...And the ending, a moment of blinding and yet utterly elementary insight, is wonderful.” - Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times (6/3/83)
On DVD: WarGames 25th Anniversary Edition (MGM, 2008)
The Day After (ABC-TV, 1983)
This harrowing made-for-TV movie was originally telecast on November 20, 1983. It graphically depicts the start of a nuclear war and its searing aftermath. Jason Robards Jr., JoBeth Williams, Steve Guttenberg, John Cullum and John Lithgow head the cast. Set in the college town of Lawrence, Kansas, The Day After was nominated for 12 Emmy Awards. “I wonder who was spared? I wonder if New York, Paris, Moscow... are just like Kansas City now?” Jason Robards’ Dr. Russell Oakes contemplates.
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Review: “The Day After exists more as a controversy than it does as a film. Originally made as a TV movie, it promised to deliver a no-holds barred treatment of nuclear war. But when news of its themes leaked, rumors about it containing a shocking, no-holds-barred depiction of the real thing began to circulate. Advertisers began to withdraw and network executives panicked and started to think about withdrawing it. To their credit ABC decided to air it nevertheless – the last half-hour of the film merely ran without ads.” - Richard Scheib, The Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film Review (9/3/08)
On DVD: The Day After (MGM, 2004)
Threads (BBC-TV, 1984)
This highly-acclaimed made-for-TV movie was first telecast in the United Kingdom on September 23, 1984. Set in Sheffield, England, Threads presents in documentary fashion the grim aftermath of a nuclear war launched by the Soviet Union. Karen Meagher and Reece Dinsdale play a pair of Sheffieldites who struggle to survive following the atomic holocaust. “Jesus Christ! They've done it... They've done it!” Ashley Barker as Bob cries out after witnessing the mushroom cloud in the distance.
Director: Mick Jackson
Review: “It's 1984 and downtown Sheffield is about to become a target of the nuclear war between the USA and dependable baddies, the Soviet Union. While it was considered ground-breaking at the time, this BBC feature has dated rather horribly and the DVD release is unable to help.” - Almar Haflidason, BBC Films Review (8/07)
On DVD: Threads (BBC, 2005)
Panic in Year Zero! (American International, 1962)
Ray Milland, Jean Hagen, Frankie Avalon and Mary Mitchel appear as the Baldwin family, who depart Los Angeles for a camping trip just before a nuclear explosion hits the city. With Milland as patriarch Harry Baldwin leading the way, the family struggles to survive in the ensuing chaos and violence. “We've had it, haven't we, dad?” Frankie Avalon as Rick Baldwin asks after seeing the mushroom cloud rise over the City of Angels. Well, not quite…
Director: Ray Milland
Review: “This forgotten, saber-toothed 1962 AIP cheapie might be the most expressive on-the-ground nightmare of the Cold War era, providing a template not only for countless social-breakdown genre flicks (most particularly, Michael Haneke’s Time of the Wolf) but also for authentic crisis—shades of New Orleans haunt its DVD margins.” - Michael Atkinson, The Village Voice (9/20/05)
On DVD: Panic in Year Zero/Last Man on Earth (AIP, 2005)
Insert movie poster: Panic in Year Zero! (1962)
Miracle Mile (Hemdale Film, 1988)
Anthony Edwards, Mare Winningham and John Agar head the cast in this cult nuclear apocalypse movie that was first shown at the Toronto Film Festival on September 11, 1988. Los Angeles is once again the doomed city, about to be hit by Russian missiles and their nuclear payload, with two young lovebirds trying to escape the carnage. Miracle Mile was originally conceived as one of the segments on the ill-fated Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983).
Director: Steve De Jarnatt
Review: “In the nuclear romance ‘Miracle Mile,’ the world ends, as the poet said, not with a bang but a whimper. Humankind's final curtain is a kitchen sheer, suddenly luffed in the finale of this powder-puff thriller.” - Rita Kempley, The Washington Post (6/14/89)
On DVD: Miracle Mile (MGM, 2003)
Ten More Nuclear War/Atomic Holocaust Films Favorites
George Clooney, Richard Dreyfuss, Harvey Keitel, Sam Elliott, James Cromwell, Brian Dennehy, Noah Wyle, et al., in TV's Fail Safe (Warner Home Video)
Images Credit
Great compilations!
Fantastic discussion and great images. Strangelove is my favourite.
Thanks, again, William. I've seen a number of these but I haven't seen Panic in Year Zero---have to see that one!
A good discussion. Tweeted :)
You assembled an excellent list of nuclear war movies, William. I too would definitely place "Fail Safe" at top of the list. My favorite line in "Strangelove", delivered by George C. Scott: "You're not going to let him see the big board are you?" I offer you two dissimilar movies in this category that may someday make your Top-20: "The World, the Flesh, and the Devil" (1959), and "The Omega Man" (1971) Enjoy. Will James
Very informative. Those movies are frightening to me. There is an amazing fact in the ancient story of Mahabarata (story of Barata family) from India that is also well known in Indonesia. At the end of the story in Javanese version there is a war and the war ended because there is weapon that destroyed the world. The description is like nuclear war.
Great list - if I could add one, it would be the "The Bedford Incident" with Richard Widmark, Sydney Portier, and James MacArthur.
I liked By Dawns Early Light. I clearly remember the early 80s when the TV movie The Day After came on, it left an impression on me. About a week later in the middle of the night the air raid sirens went off, by mistake.