Science FictionDramaTV Movie

The Day After

- They told us it would be impossible to make this movie. They told us it would be impossible for you to watch it. We hope nothing is impossible.

In the mid-1980s, the U.S. is poised on the brink of nuclear war. This shadow looms over the residents of a small town in Kansas as they continue their daily lives. Dr. Russell Oakes maintains his busy schedule at the hospital, Denise Dahlberg prepares for her upcoming wedding, and Stephen Klein is deep in his graduate studies. When the unthinkable happens and the bombs come down, the town's residents are thrust into the horrors of nuclear winter.

Release Date : 1983-11-20

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : ABC Circle Films

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Dr. Russell Oakes

Original Name : Jason Robards

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse Nancy Bauer

Original Name : JoBeth Williams

Gender : Female

Character Name : Stephen Klein

Original Name : Steve Guttenberg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jim Dahlberg

Original Name : John Cullum

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joe Huxley

Original Name : John Lithgow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eve Dahlberg

Original Name : Bibi Besch

Gender : Female

Character Name : Denise Dahlberg

Original Name : Lori Lethin

Gender : Female

Character Name : Alison Ransom

Original Name : Amy Madigan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bruce Gallatin

Original Name : Jeff East

Gender : Male

Character Name : Helen Oakes

Original Name : Georgann Johnson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Airman Billy McCoy

Original Name : William Allen Young

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Sam Hachya

Original Name : Calvin Jung

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Austin

Original Name : Lin McCarthy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reverend Walker

Original Name : Dennis Lipscomb

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dennis Hendry

Original Name : Clayton Day

Gender : Male

Character Name : Danny Dahlberg

Original Name : Doug Scott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joleen Dahlberg

Original Name : Ellen Anthony

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marilyn Oakes

Original Name : Kyle Aletter

Gender : Female

Character Name : Cynthia

Original Name : Alston Ahern

Gender : Male

Character Name : Professor

Original Name : William Allyn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ellen Hendry

Original Name : Antonie Becker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Pamela Brown

Gender : Female

Character Name : Julian French

Original Name : Jonathan Estrin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aldo

Original Name : Stephen Furst

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tom Cooper

Original Name : Arliss Howard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Wallenberg

Original Name : Rosanna Huffman

Gender : Female

Character Name : TV Host

Original Name : Barbara Harris

Gender : Female

Character Name : Cody

Original Name : Bob Meister

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mack

Original Name : Vahan Moosekian

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Landowska

Original Name : George Petrie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barber #2

Original Name : Glenn Robards

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barber #1

Original Name : Tom Spratley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Vinnie Conrad

Original Name : Stan Wilson

Gender : Male

Character Name : TV Newscaster (uncredited)

Original Name : Arthur Ashe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dying Old Man Squatter (uncredited)

Original Name : Billy Beck

Gender : Male

Character Name : College Student (uncredited)

Original Name : Brian Beltran

Gender : Male

Character Name : College Student (uncredited)

Original Name : Bill Baker

Gender : Male

Reviews

talisencrw

@talisencrw

2021-06-23

This was solid and, considering its epoch, scary. I remember being a teen when this came up, and with U.S./Soviet relations at a nadir, nuclear war films were just starting to appear on the cinephile's radar once again, after taking a breather from their 60's heyday for the sake of the glut of natural disaster films that hit theatres in the interim. This was one of the first and best, simply because director Nicholas Meyer was so good at sci-fi. I fervently wish he had made a lot more movies.

znapper

@znapper

2021-06-23

Well worth the view and it's surprisingly hard-hitting, for an American movie. TDA depict the full nuclear exchange between NATO and the Warsaw-pact and how this affect the population in and around Kansas. I think TDA really works better as a pure movie, because it is. Compared to the UK-made "Threads", which is more of a docudrama, TDA sets the scene and develop the characters. Many of the characters also survive the initial attack and we follow them 2-4 weeks after the initial attack. Even though TDA was both politically incorrect at the time and is also pretty bleak and scary, it does fall into the trap of being more of a movie than a film meant to shock and present facts. Some of the cheesy dialogue and characters also feels a little 'meh' (love stories, family-drama etc). Threads also has some of that, but avoid the most cheesy moments, because it's more 'real' than 'played out by actors'. Anyway, TDA works well, it will keep you seated and you will indeed feel moved by the buildup and attack-scene, as well as the aftermath. Acting is for the most part very good and the film flows nicely trough the story. The thing I don't like too much with TDA, is that it does pull it's punches concerning the consequences of such a nuclear exchange and it does leave the viewer with a slightly positive outlook, that things will improve in time and that mankind will prevail. Dr. Oakes, one of the main-characters in the film is probably the voice of the most realistic views on what is to come, but his views aren't lifted up as being the view of the movie itself. Still a highly recommended film, it does cover a subject only covered properly by this and the UK made 'Threads'.

Nutshell

@nutshell

2021-06-23

James Robards is exceptional in this sad nuclear holocaust fable, made for TV but a top notch production in most all respects.