One of the traditions most common in the UK is the annual viewing of The Snowman, a sweet animated tale about a boy whose snowman comes to life on Christmas Eve and taken on a magical adventure. Based on the Children’s illustrated book by Raymond Briggs, the adaptation was nominated for an Academy Award and is a cherished part of the holidays. Briggs is lesser well known for another tale, one that was also adapted into an animated feature. It’s themes of nuclear war make it less accessible for most, but is equally if not more deserving of attention than his more famous work.
THE MOVIEWhen the Wind Blows is a tragic tale of an old couple living in the idyllic British countryside and are suddenly subjected to the sudden plunge of the UK into Nuclear War with Russia. For the most part, Jim and Hilda (voiced by Sir John Mills and Dame Peggy Ashcroft) while away their time in the film as something more akin to a sitcom. Charming banter between the pair, daydreams about a possible invasion and how they would act, propel the film onwards with the pair largely oblivious to the realities of their situation. The film starts with a startling radio warning leads Jim to preparing his home for an attack, painting windows white, stockpiling water and constructing a crude “shelter” within their home. When the bomb hits, they emerge to a ravaged home and land and try to restore order to their lives. The continued absence of other people or help going largely unnoticed as the couple retain an obliviousness to the reality of their situation. Food and water start to run low and the pair begin to feel the effects of radiation sickness and the tragic outcome of their situation moves slowly to its inevitable outcome.
It’s bleak. But somewhat heartwarming at the same time. Being a Brit myself I know the stubborn and somewhat focused mindset an older generation can have. There is a “Keep Calm” mentality ingrained into a lot of the population, having survived WW2. There is something common in us all in that when faced with a terrifying truth, we choose to ignore it. Some may watch and feel disbelief in how the film unfolds but the poignancy of the situation and relationship between the pair will move all viewers. It works well to realign your perception of what “Keep Calm…” was actually intended for, its gross misappropriation being one of my enduring irritations with the US. Essentially it was a movement to raise morale and maintain that stiff British upper lip during bombing of Britain by the Germans in WW2, read this this Wikipedia entry and join me in saying “fuck the Chive”. This attitude has always been a ingrained facet of British society, to sally on, whatever the conditions and When the Wind Blow exemplifies it wonderfully, even if such an attitude is to our own detriment.
The story itself would lend perfectly to a stage production but its animated visuals lend the film an additional haunting quality. Murakami chose to blend different media to create the film. While 2D animation is used for the characters, the background uses models and stop-motion. It is a intricate and visually interesting approach. The film also intercuts newsreel footage and images of real war events that punctuate the film with some jarring scenes at opportune moments.
Special mention must be made for another impressive component of the film, its score. The soundtrack has contributions from Roger Waters, Genesis, Paul Hardcastle and most notably David Bowie. Embracing a progressive rock theme, very much in keeping with that popular in 80s Britain, the contributions are moving and complex, frequently paired with real life footage to underscore their resonance to great effect. The release includes a isolated music and effects track to help you really appreciate this aspect of the film.
THE PACKAGEThe film is presented in a 1.34:1 ratio and the image shows a consistent level of quality, good detail but slightly soft in the animated portions, however the intercut pieces of news footage look a little grainier. A host of methods were used to put the film together and overall it looks very cohesive but the limits of the source material are evident at times.
As well as the traditional accompanying Twilight Time booklet, the disc includes a lengthy interview with the director, Jimmy Murakami: Non-Alien. It delves into his past, views on World War 2 and the relationships between the US and Japan as well as how his work served to comfort him when dealing with his life as a Japanese-American. Also included is The Wind and the Bomb — The Making of When the Wind Blows which looks more at the creative side of production. An Interview with Raymond Briggs brings insights from the original author too. Finally, an audio commentary with First Assistant Director Joe Fordham and a isolated music and effects track are available rounding out a very well put together set of features.
THE BOTTOM LINEWhen the Wind Blows is a commentary on both the horror and futility of nuclear war. A grim and tragic tale painted with a lot of creative flair and poignancy from the two protagonists. It is rare an animated film will tackle such heavy material and rarer still when it does it justice. A moving film and a great release from Twilight Time.
When the Wind Blows is available from Twilight Time in a limited edition of 3000 Units, you can buy it here now.