The movie that changed the public opinion of nuclear weapons
Some global threats would be so destructive that one hopes they remain the stuff of science fiction horror. Climate change is, of course, a slow and steady crisis that is steadily changing life on Earth. However, the more instantly destructive chaos of nuclear war is a more devastating concept, with public opinion on the existential subject changing significantly since the end of WWII in 1945.
Movies have certainly helped to shift this public conscience, with filmmakers choosing to tackle the subject with a range of different styles, genres and emotions. Some of the greatest movies about nuclear war don’t shy away from the horror of such a possibility, with classics such as Mick Jackson’s terrifying 1984 film Threads asking viewers to imagine the destruction of such an attack on the limits of Sheffield, England.
But, one movie changed the public opinion of nuclear weapons more effectively than any other, with Nicholas Meyer’s TV movie The Day After prompting an instant response from the general public. Released in 1983, The Day After was extremely similar to the aforementioned Threads, telling the story of how the community of a small town in eastern Kansas reacted to a devastating nuclear attack.
Released on the ABC television network, over 100 million people watched the film after its initial broadcast, with the shocking and graphic movie causing a dramatic stir in society. Such was helped by a coinciding campaign led by the marketing team of the film, which saw anti-nuclear activists and peace groups being sent The Day After long before its broadcast, where it was screened in homes and bars, stirring up considerable interest before it had even been seen by the vast majority.
This wonderful PR storm led to the film getting considerable acclaim and attention, with members of the British House of Commons wanting to see the movie, as well as the Pope at the time, John Paul II.
Indeed, there was no better person to watch the movie than US President Ronald Reagan, who had the film screened to him on Columbus Day, 1983, months before it would get a wide release. Shocked by the movie, he penned his thoughts in his diary, writing: “It is powerfully done—all $7 mil. worth. It’s very effective & left me greatly depressed…Whether it will be of help to the ‘anti nukes’ or not, I cant say. My own reaction was one of our having to do all we can to have a deterrent & to see there is never a nuclear war”.
Remarkably, the film also had a considerable impact outside of the US, too, with the film being screened in 1987 on Soviet television, which allegedly led to the Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev signing the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which saw the reduction of the country’s nuclear arsenal.
Take a look at the trailer for the movie below if you fancy a dose of hyper-realistic nuclear dystopia.
