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The War Game/Culloden | 
 enlarge | Director: Peter Watkins
Actors: Michael Aspel, Peter Graham, Kathy Staff, Peter Watkins, Olivier Espitalier-noel
Studio: New Yorker Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $22.99
You Save: $6.96 (23%)
New (6) Used (6) from $16.50
Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 29036
Format: Black & White, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 121
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: NYVD100206D
UPC: 881751200341
EAN: 0881751200341
ASIN: B000FSME6U
Theatrical Release Date: May 24, 1968
Release Date: July 25, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW AND FACTORY SEALED
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Product Description
Studio: New Yorker Films Video Release Date: 07/25/2006 Run time: 120 minutes
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 The Wargame, reviewed. October 30, 2008
The Wargame, made in the mid-1960s, dealt with the prospect of a major nuclear strike on the UK. In its depiction of the effects and consequences of using these weapons it quite rightly pulls no punches. However, I would take issue with premise that it was all OUR fault. The Russians were lobbing their nukes at us because we had the temerity to arm ourselvs with our own deterrent, ie the V-Force of Vulcan, Victor and Valiant bombers, thus, so the argument went, making us a target.Just why the Russians would resort to such apocalyptic measures knowing the response would be their own inevitable destruction was never explored. I think the film was very well made, believable in its depiction of the transition to war and then the effects of that war, but at the same time I felt it was rather biased in the usual left-wing "blame the west" manner, ala CND. I think the other nuclear horror story "Threads" was more balanced in its presentation, and all the MORE terrifying for it.
War Game / Culloden 40+ years on May 13, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I first saw these "documentaries" 40+ years ago and was impressed by their power and the logic of their messages. Seeing the programmes now is to lament the demise of powerful, committed and issue dominated documentary film making appearing on our TV screens. The War Game & Culloden haven't lost their ability to shock and stimulate debate.
Culloden, with its Vietnam war sub-text, carries, now, a message about decisions to declare war in Iraq while the War Game reminds us that policies of MAD & WMD are based on faulty logic.
This DVD is worth many viewings.
More effective than even "Threads" in some ways March 1, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
"The War Game" is a surprisingly effective documentary, especially for the time that it was released. I felt that it was actually more haunting than "Threads", due to its colder atmosphere of hard facts and ebony and ivory images of charred bodies and demolished edifices. I often found "Threads" to actually be somewhat of a disappointment, especially with the initial attack scenes and cinematography that REALLY looks dated--especially for a movie that was made in--1984?!?! (Looking more like it was made in the early 70's in many spots). "The War Game", I felt, did a better job at hitting you with both fists--especially without any element of a "standard British kitchen sink drama" that "Threads" contained. Don't get me wrong, I still feel "Threads" is a good film, but one that could have been better, especially in light of how brutally honest "The War Game" was with its theme. Overall, I will always feel that when it comes to nuke films, "The Day After", does it best, due to its extremely chilling atmosphere and convincing performances. Also, contrary to what people have said, "The Day After" is NOT a soap opera with nukes, nor is it "Mister Roger's Neighborhood" as some reviewers of "Threads" have mentioned, but a HIGHLY effective thriller and a bona fide wake-up call. In conclusion, for me "The Day After" is the best, but second in line is "The War Game" with its bona fide chilling effectiveness. Definitely worth a viewing.
a pair of lost masterpieces December 5, 2006
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
a double bill of films made for bbc-tv, i had seen both of these some thirty years back and never got over them. the earlier of them, "culloden" is a recreation of the events leading up to and following the 1746 battle that spelled the final end of scotlands days as a seperate country from england. adapted from the classic book by john prebble (incidentally, the rabbits favorite book), the film is a brilliant reflection on the conflicts among the idiotic bonnie prince charlie and his advisors, the ruthless english army, and the average scottish soldieer caught in the crossfire. filmed on a minimal budget (they had ONE cannon!), the battle scenes are so creative that you will believe youre part of it. this was the old walter cronkite "you are there" concept taken to the heights of art. now as to "the war game" -- well, once watkins had a major surprise hit on his hands with "culloden", he got to make "war games". akin to the similar path of patrick mcgoohan a few years later, who followed up the overwhelming success of "secret agent" with the artistically brilliant but controversial "the prisoner", watkins shot his wad with "WG", and never recovered. this fantasy about an english town in the days leading up to and following a nuclear attack is far more frightening than any of the myriad of other films which have used the same conceit. its matter-of-factness and use of ordinary people in lieu of actors works in watkins's hands in a manner that would have been artsy in the hands of another director. the finished product proved so controversial that the bbc declined to air it, and the movie was ultimately released in theaters, where ironically it won an oscar as best documentary. as i said previously, i saw both films on television in the 70s -- back when pbs still carried out its mandate to air quality television, rather than wayne dyer infomercials or doo-wop retrospectives. i cant more heartily recommend a dvd to watch than this.
Too intense in its own time for tv. October 26, 2006
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Remember that in 1965 we were in an intense cold war with the Soviet Union. It seems quaint now but is shot as a news story with immediancy to it. The documentary feel gives it life. We lived with the possibility of nuclear annilation always in the back of our collective minds. This film gives short shrift to Her Majesty's government's lack of preparation or the ignorance of the people affected by a nuclear attack on Britain. England is a small country & one wonders how indeed we would react in the U.S. to a nuclear attack with all our wide open spaces & places to escape. This movie gives the Soviets the benefit of moral relativism. Maybe U.S. foreign policy is responsible for this attack. It was totally devoid of references to God by the victims which is unrealistic but still refreshing. It's documentary feel made it seem like it could happen this way. The interviews with victims & government representative was effective & I suspect much more so 42 years ago.
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