When the Wind Blows **** (1986, voices of Peggy Ashcroft and John Mills) – Classic Movie Review 1970

In this bleak but beautifully produced and moving 1987 animated feature from director Jimmy T Murakami and Raymond Briggs, the artist and writer responsible for The Snowman, global nuclear war and its after-effects are seen through the eyes of a simple, elderly and British couple. The couple build a shelter and prepare for the threat of a nuclear attack, helped by government-issued pamphlets. But they are poignantly unaware that the times and the nature of war have changed since the World War Two of their romantic memories.

Innovative graphics and brilliant animation are put to the service of revealing the unbelievably demoralising theme of slow death from nuclear fallout. Voicing Hilda Bloggs and Jim, Peggy Ashcroft and John Mills pitch the voices at exactly the right level, and there’s a very notable soundtrack. David Bowie writes and performs the jaunty title theme song and there’s fine music by Roger Waters, including his songs Folded Flags and Folded Flags, with The Brazilian by Genesis, The Shuffle by Paul Hardcastle, What Have They Done by Squeeze (Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford) and Facts and Figures by Hugh Cornwell.

As a family film it may have a story that is utterly depressing, but as a warning against nuclear war and as a work of animated art it’s totally successful and indeed quite brilliant.

Briggs writes the screenplay, based on his own book. Born on January 18 1934 in Wimbledon, south London, Briggs is also known for The Snowman (1982) and Father Christmas (1991).

After the end credits, Morse code can be heard in the background. The code translated means M.A.D., an abbreviation for Mutually Assured Destruction.

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© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1970

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