Connection
The War Game is a British film of genre Drama directed by Peter Watkins with Peter Watkins
The War Game (1966)
If you like this film, let us know!
Add to a movie listLength 48minutes
Directed by Peter Watkins
OriginUnited-kingdom
Themes Post-apocalyptic films, Films about religion, Films set in the future, Documentary films about nuclear technology, Political films, Dystopian films, Disaster films
Rating79%
The War Game is a 1965 television drama-documentary film depicting a nuclear war. Written, directed, and produced by Peter Watkins for the BBC's The Wednesday Play anthology series, it caused dismay within the BBC and in government, and was withdrawn before the provisional screening date of Thursday 7 October 1965. The corporation said that "the effect of the film has been judged by the BBC to be too horrifying for the medium of broadcasting, it will, however, be shown to invited audiences..."
Despite this decision, it was publicly screened and shown abroad, winning the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1966.
The film was eventually broadcast on 31 July 1985 on the BBC, during the week before the fortieth anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, the day before a repeat screening of Threads.
Synopsis
Filmed in black-and-white with a running time of just under 50 minutes, The War Game depicts the prelude to and the immediate weeks of the aftermath to a Soviet nuclear attack against Britain. A Chinese invasion of South Vietnam starts the war; tensions escalate when the United States authorises tactical nuclear warfare against the Chinese. Although Soviet and East German forces threaten to invade West Berlin if the US does not withdraw that decision, the US does not acquiesce to communist demands and the invasion takes place; two US Army divisions attempt to fight their way into Berlin to counter this, but the Russian and East German forces overwhelm them in conventional battle. In order to turn the tide, the US president authorises the NATO commanders to use their tactical nuclear weapons, and they soon do so. An escalating nuclear war results, during which larger Russian strategic IRBMs are launched at Britain. The film remarks that many Soviet missiles were, at the time, believed to be liquid-fuelled and stored above ground, making them vulnerable to attack, and hypothesises that in any nuclear crisis, the USSR would be obliged to fire all of them as early as possible in order to avoid their destruction by counter-attack, hence the rapid progression from tactical to strategic nuclear exchange.Actors
Peter Watkins
(Documentist (uncredited))
Comments
Leave comment :
Suggestions of similar film to The War Game
There are 2 films with the same actors, 11 films with the same director, 80934 with the same cinematographic genres (including 2 with exactly the same 5 genres than The War Game), 11798 films with the same themes (including 1 films with the same 7 themes than The War Game), to have finally 70 suggestions of similar films.If you liked The War Game, you will probably like those similar films :
The Journey (1987)
, 14h33Directed by Peter Watkins
Origin Australie
Genres Documentary
Themes Environmental films, Documentary films about environmental issues, Documentary films about war, Documentary films about historical events, Documentary films about nuclear technology, Documentary films about technology, Arme nucléaire
Actors Peter Watkins, Ronald Reagan
Rating74%
The Gladiators (1969)
, 1h9Directed by Peter Watkins
Origin Suede
Genres Drama, Science fiction, War, Action
Themes Films about television, La téléréalité, Political films, Dystopian films
Actors Arthur Pentelow, George Harris, Pik Sen Lim, Jeremy Child
Rating66%
In order to prevent a Third World War, the superpowers decide to introduce “international peace games,” a deadly miniature battle fought between small teams of drafted teenage soldiers from each country and broadcast on TV around the world as the most popular reality TV program.
Culloden (1964)
, 1h9Directed by Peter Watkins
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Documentary, Historical
Themes Documentary films about war, Documentary films about historical events, Political films
Actors Peter Watkins
Rating77%
16 avril 1746. La bataille de Culloden, dans les landes marécageuses de l'Écosse. Sous les ordres du Duc de Cumberland, les régiments d'élite anglais écrasent les partisans de Charles Edouard Stuart, qui cherchait à renverser le trône de Hanovre à Londres, scellant le sort définitif de l'Écosse. L'ultime bataille à s'être déroulée sur le sol britannique tourne au massacre. Une fois les Highlanders décimés, une impitoyable « pacification » des Hautes terres s’ensuivit. Plus de 2000 Écossais tomberont, victimes des combats et de la féroce répression qui s'abattit sur tout un peuple et sa culture.
La Commune (Paris, 1871) (2007)
, 5h45Directed by Peter Watkins
Origin France
Genres Drama, War, Documentary, Historical
Themes Political films, Histoire de France
Actors François Damiens, Laurent Roth, Patrick Dell'Isola, Gérard Watkins, Aurélia Petit, Tilly Mandelbrot
Rating79%
Napoléon III perd la guerre contre la Prusse après un siège de Paris particulièrement dur pour le peuple parisien. Nous sommes en 1870-1871 et la misère est grande. Les 17 et 18 mars 1871, le peuple parisien, qui refuse la capitulation, se révolte. La Commune de Paris est née.
Privilege (1967)
, 1h43Directed by Peter Watkins, Paul Jones, Jeremy Child, John Heyman, Norman Bogner, Jean Shrimpton
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Science fiction
Themes Films set in the future, Political films
Actors Paul Jones, Jean Shrimpton, Jeremy Child, James Cossins, Arthur Pentelow, Doreen Mantle
Rating67%
The story is set in the then near-future of the 1970s and concerns a disillusioned pop singer, played by Paul Jones, who is manipulated by the church and state which seek to turn him into a messianic leader.
Punishment Park (1971)
, 1h28Directed by Peter Watkins
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller
Themes Documentary films about politics, Political films, Alternate history films
Actors Carmen Argenziano, Peter Watkins
Rating76%
The movie takes place in 1970. The Vietnam War is escalating and United States President Richard Nixon has just decided on a "secret" bombing campaign in Cambodia. Faced with a growing anti-war movement, President Nixon decrees a state of emergency based on the McCarran Internal Security Act of 1950, which authorises federal authorities, without reference to Congress, to detain persons judged to be a "risk to internal security".
Edvard Munch (1974)
, 3h30Directed by Peter Watkins
Origin Suede
Genres Drama, Biography, Documentary, Fantasy, Historical
Themes Peinture
Actors Peter Watkins
Rating80%
Edvard Munch, la danse de la vie, présenté comme un documentaire d'époque, retrace les débuts de la carrière artistique du peintre expressioniste norvégien Edvard Munch (1887-1901). De ses recherches picturales à la réception de son œuvre par le public et les critiques, des drames amoureux à la peur de la maladie qui s'abat sur sa famille telle une malédiction, de son rejet de la société bourgeoise à son accueil par des groupes anarchistes ou d’artistes révolutionnaires, le film brosse un portrait subjectif et intime de Munch tout en liant l’artiste à son époque et aux grands mouvements culturels et sociaux qui agitent cette fin du XIX siècle.
Threads (1984)
, 1h50Directed by Mick Jackson
Genres Drama, Science fiction, War, Documentary, Horror
Themes Politique, Post-apocalyptic films, Films about religion, Films set in the future, Documentary films about nuclear technology, Political films, Dystopian films, Arme nucléaire, Disaster films
Actors Reece Dinsdale, David Brierly, Jane Hazlegrove, Steve Halliwell, Brian Grellis, Victoria O'Keefe
Rating79%
Young Sheffield residents Ruth Beckett (Karen Meagher) and Jimmy Kemp (Reece Dinsdale) decide to marry due to an unplanned pregnancy. Meanwhile, as tensions between the US and the Soviet Union over Iran escalate, the Home Office directs Sheffield City Council to assemble an emergency operations team, which establishes itself in a makeshift bomb shelter in the basement of the Town Hall. After an ignored US ultimatum to the Soviets results in a brief tactical nuclear skirmish, Britain is gripped by fear, with looting and rioting erupting. "Known subversives" (including peace activists and some trade unionists) are arrested and interned under the Emergency Powers Act.
Terminator Salvation (2009)
, 1h55Directed by McG
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, War, Thriller, Action, Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Themes Post-apocalyptic films, Films about religion, Transport films, Time travel films, Aviation films, Films set in the future, Political films, Road movies, Cyberpunk films, Dystopian films, Alternate history films, Chase films, Anticipation, Robot films, Disaster films
Actors Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Bryce Dallas Howard, Roland Kickinger, Moon Bloodgood
Rating64%
In 2003, Dr. Serena Kogan (Helena Bonham Carter) of Cyberdyne Systems convinces death row inmate Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) to sign over his body for medical research following his execution. One year later, the automated Skynet system is activated, begins to perceive humans as a threat, and eradicates much of humanity with nuclear weapons in the event known as "Judgment Day".
The Postman (1997)
, 3hDirected by Kevin Costner
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, War, Action, Adventure, Romance, Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Themes Post-apocalyptic films, Films about religion, Films about sexuality, Films based on science fiction novels, Films set in the future, Political films, Dystopian films, Arme nucléaire, Disaster films
Actors Kevin Costner, Will Patton, Larenz Tate, Olivia Williams, James Russo, Daniel von Bargen
Rating61%
In an alternate history year of 1998, an unspecified apocalyptic event known only as "The Doomwar" erased almost all technology and caused societal collapse, sending the continents back to the Dark Ages. Fifteen years later, in post-apocalyptic 2013, pockets of survivors in more rural areas have formed small villages to maintain some semblance of civilization, while others have joined militias and warlords that prey on survivors. Horses are the standard for travel, and bartering has replaced currency.