Review of When the Wind Blows (1986) by Stuart K — 06 Feb 2015
After the success of The Snowman (1982), director Jimmy Murakami and producer John Coates reunited with author Raymond Briggs to do something completely different. Adapted by Briggs from his own 1982 graphic novel, this dark animation had it's fingers on the pulse of the mood of the world at the time, with impending doom about to happen.
It's amazing that this was allowed to be made then. In the English countryside, elderly couple Jim and Hilda Bloggs (John Mills and Peggy Ashcroft) live a quiet life, but Jim has been keeping an eye on the newspapers, increasingly worried about the impending nuclear war between the west and the Soviet Union.
He prepares the house accordingly using government pamphlets as a guide, while Hilda does her day jobs around the house. Then Jim hears the news that a missile has been launched, and Jim and Hilda hide in a makeshift shelter Jim made.
A distant blast occurs, and Jim and Hilda survive. However, it soon becomes apparent that no-one is coming to rescue them, and they're succumbing to radiation sickness. While Japan had Grave of the Fireflies (1988), we had this.
A very English way of coping with a horrible disaster. It's well made, with the animation done around some very elaborate model shots of the house. It's the true definition of a one-off, you won't see anything like this again, it's just so bleak and upsetting.
This review of When the Wind Blows (1986) was written by Stuart K on 06 Feb 2015.
When the Wind Blows has generally received very positive reviews.
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