The War Game is a 1965 television documentary-style drama depicting the effects of nuclear war on Britain. Written, directed, and produced by Peter Watkins for the BBC's
The Wednesday Play anthology series, it caused dismay within the BBC and in government and was withdrawn from television transmission on 6 August 1965 (the twentieth anniversary of the
Hiroshima bombing). The Corporation said that "the effect of the film has been judged by the BBC to be too horrifying for the medium of broadcasting". However, it had some distribution in cinemas and won the
Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1966. But it remained unshown in full on British television until 1985. It's frightening stuff, especially because it's both so old and yet so highly realistic and up-to-date regarding the style of its presentation and production values.

Published on August 07, 2012 14:16