Is The Day After a Hidden Treasure or Dumpster Fire?

Blu Ray Distributed by Kino Lorber

The countdown has begun! Against the real-life backdrop of the US deployment of WMDs in Europe during the escalating Cold War, this dramatically involving and agonizingly graphic film about nuclear holocaust detonated a direct hit into the heartland of America, becoming the most watched TV movie of all time. Starring Jason Robards (Cabo Blanco), JoBeth Williams (American Dreamer), Steve Guttenberg (The Bedroom Window) and John Lithgow (The Manhattan Project), this controversial, potent drama remains one of the most talked-about programs in history. When Cold War tensions reach the ultimate boiling point, the inhabitants of a small town in Kansas learn – along with the rest of America – that they have less than 30 minutes before 300 Soviet warheads begin to appear overhead! Can anyone survive this ultimate nightmare… or the nuclear winter that is sure to follow? Top-notch direction by Nicholas Meyer (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Company Business), from a teleplay by Edward Hume (Two-Minute Warning, 21 Hours at Munich).

Jamie’s Take

Being only seven years old when The Day After premiered right before the Thanksgiving holiday on ABC, I have no memory of the film being shown and what a cultural phenomenon it was. Aside from the mini-series Roots and the final episode of MASH, it was one of the most viewed TV movies ever made. The Day After even supposedly inspired the beginning of the end of the arms race.

Set in a Kansas City town where a nuclear military base is located, the film follows the disaster-movie formula to a tee; introduce various characters inter-acting in their daily lives while introducing the threat of war looming over their heads until disaster strikes. I couldn’t help but think Irwin Allen would have approved.

While characters are getting prepared for weddings or leave to go off to college, Germany has closed it’s borders and Moscow is in chaos as war threatens overhead. When the military is given the go ahead to arm their missiles and target the USSR, it is inevitable that nuclear missiles are on their way to Kansas City. Even many residents can see the missiles take off right from their own backyard with the anticipation of WWIII about to start.

When the missiles do strike the U.S. the viewer is given a combination of (at the time) state of the art special effects mixed in with stock footage and clips from other films (I swear a quick shot from Superman is used) combining destruction, chaos, and death. While not graphic, the attack is frightening and although I have seen the film several times now, it always chills me to watch this sequence.

The second half of The Day After is in fact, the day(s) after the war and what transpires with these survivors. I would also argue that these scenes are just as disturbing as the initial attack. Hospitals become overcrowded and chaotic, looting starts to take place, and much of humanity crumbles as citizens turn on one another. And don’t expect a happy ending where people come together and put the pieces of their lives back. In fact, it’s final moments with a now deformed, dying Jason Robards is both gripping and a tear-jerker as he travels to his childhood home which is now destroyed and in rubble.

While The Day After is an anti-war film, but it doesn’t become preachy or political. It’s focus is on what we would do if a war took place. The “why” is not important.

Directed by Nicholas Meyer (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) and featuring an all-star studded cast such as Robards, JoBeth Williams, Steve Guttenberg, John Lithgow, Amy Madigan, and Stephen Furst, the film shines thanks to the heavy talent behind and in front of the camera. In fact, The Day After doesn’t feel like a run of the mill TV movie but a feature length film (which was released in theaters overseas). Perhaps the film’s realism and bleakness is what makes this film so memorable as well as shocking. I am surprised in a way with how well this TV movie did in the Nielsen ratings that a sequel was never made, one where the characters are still trying to rebuild their lives. Perhaps it is a good thing that never happened as it may have lessen the impact on this film. In a way, AMC’s The Walking Dead almost seems like a cousin to The Day After, without zombies of course.

Kino’s blu ray release looks and sounds great and allows viewers to watch the original television version or the slightly longer theatrical version. I thought perhaps the longer version would have been gorier with the radiation sickness but it’s only a few scenes added back into the movie, not really making much of an impact. The theatrical cut is opened up a little to a 1:78:1 ratio but the picture on the television cut (1:33:1) is much more clean and crisp. Side note, this is the first time the television cut has ever been released to home video / DVD.

The 2.0 sound is fine and I wasn’t expecting much since this was a made for TV movie. While it would have been nice to hear some of the explosions or missiles coming from rear channels, this isn’t a Michael Bay movie where the film focuses on the destruction but rather on the characters and the human drama.

The special features on this disc I did find disappointing. There is an awful commentary by film historian Lee Gambin and comic artist Tristan Jones that I had to turn off half way thru. Both men talk fast, just break down each actors bio and laugh and make jokes. This is a wasted opportunity to talk about the history of the film and it’s historic airing. A commentary by Meyers would have been welcomed since he has done some great commentary tracks in the past. There is a great interview with him that is included but that left me just wanting more as the man is fascinating to listen to. Jimbo and myself could provide a better commentary track.

There is a nice interview with JoBeth Williams who discusses working with Robards and making the film, also even going so far as to talk about her fear of North Korea and what could happen now.

Now here is my biggest complaint; there is on youtube a short, making of feature from 1983 of Meyers on the set of The Day After that could have been included. Also missing is actor Peter Cullum’s chilling intro that was aired before the film where he asks that families with younger children not to watch the film. Why these were not included, I am unsure but this would have been great to have been included on the blu ray. How about after the film originally aired where ABC had a special with Ted Koppel where he interviewed Carl Sagan about The Day After and how close we could be to making this fictional story turn into a reality? Wouldn’t that have been great to see on this blu ray disc? I feel like there was a missed opportunity to make a real special edition blu ray.

Despite my complaints on the special features, The Day After is still highly recommended. After 35 years, it can still pack a punch and is just as disturbing as it was back in 1983. In fact, this would make for a good double feature with U.K.’s own TV movie Threads.

Hidden Treasure/Dumpster Fire

Movie:	(4.5 / 5)
Video/Audio:	(3.5 / 5)
Extras:	(2.5 / 5)
Average:	(3.5 / 5)

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