The Day After

The Day After is an American TV-movie aired in 1983 on the ABC network. The film presented a theoretical situation which led to nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union, and its consequences as felt by residents of Lawrence, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri. The film was written by Edward Hume and directed by Nicholas Meyer.

Reaction

On the day of its television broadcast, on November 20 1983, ABC opened several 1-800 hotlines to have counselors available to calm viewers. After the film's broadcast ABC also aired a live discourse between scientist Carl Sagan and William F. Buckley, Jr.. During the heated debate Sagan introduced the concept of nuclear winter, the global climatic change that was theorized to come following nuclear war.

Related Topics:
November 20 - 1983 - Carl Sagan - William F. Buckley, Jr. - Nuclear winter - Nuclear war

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The film garnered both praise and criticism upon its release. Depending on their view on politics, critics tended to claim the film was either sensationalizing nuclear war or was too tame regarding the subject. Technically speaking, however, the film was praised for its use of special effects and realistic portrayal of nuclear war and its victims. The film won two of twelve Emmy nominations.

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Nearly 100 million Americans watched The Day After on its first broadcast, making the film one of the most successful television broadcasts. MGM picked up distributive rights to the film, and released the film theatrically around the world to great success.

Related Topics:
Americans - MGM

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While the story is possibly apocryphal, it is said that U.S. president Ronald Reagan burst into tears after watching the movie at a private screening (Gerald Degroot, The Bomb: A Life, 2005).

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In 1987 during the era of Mikhail Gorbachev's Glastnost and Perestroika reforms, the film was shown on Soviet TV.

Related Topics:
Mikhail Gorbachev's - Glastnost - Perestroika - Soviet TV

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