Testament- has anyone seen this 1983 flick? (1 Viewer)

[Scott Strang]

I was listening to Art Bell the other night and heard mention of this nuclear death movie. Has anyone heard of it being released on DVD? It's currently on VHS.

The studio is Paramount.

thnx

Scott

 

[Vickie_M]

I've seen it. It's a very good movie, very powerful. Wha'd the ding-a-ling have to say about it?

I don't think it's on DVD. I'd buy it if I saw it. It's a good movie starring Jane Alexander as woman with 3 children (Roxana Zal, Lucas Haas and Rossie Harris) living in a small town in Northern California. Her husband (played by William Devane) is in the city (San Francisco) on business when the bombs fall, though none of that is shown on-screen. Unlike Threads or The Day After, where the point of view is from the people directly affected by the nuclear war, Testament is about how people not directly affected cope. Except for the grief and worry about what happened, everything seems fairly normal at first. Then the sickness from the fallout begins, and supplies start running out. It's a pretty good look at what most people would have to deal with (considering that most people don't live in cities) in the event of a nuclear war. Jane Alexander is magnificent, and was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as a mother who's just trying to keep her children alive.

Rebecca DeMornay and Kevin Costner have small roles (it was her 3rd film, his 5th).

(Roxana Zal, where are you?)

 

[Chad R]

I saw it way back when on HBO, and still think it's much more horrifying than the very in your face "The Day After."

I enjoyed the subtlety much more here, and the building isolation and slow, terrifying onset of the war's fallout was the most affecting of the nuclear war genre.

 

[Marshall Alsup]

I saw this a long time ago when I was a little kid. It scared the shit out of me. The fear that movie gave me as a kid is still with me today, perhaps thats why I haven't seen it since. VERY depressing, but great depiction of the horror that that situation would be.

-Marshall

 

[Dave Miller]

I vaguely remember this movie, but I was in Jr High. According to IMDb, Kevin Costner stars in this movie. I don't remember that.

Peace,

DM

 

[Scott Strang]

Vickie_M

I've seen it. It's a very good movie, very powerful. Wha'd the ding-a-ling have to say about it?

He was saying that it's a horrifying movie and that since he saw it, he was never able to forget it.

Art's show is pretty interesting but usually sounds like so much BS. The alien stuff I can accept but the remote viewing/out of body/head implosion/etc stuff I can't.

 

[Jack Briggs]

I agree that it's a more emotionally mature drama than The Day After. Good film--and one that won't appeal to more conservative tastes, as the film does pursue an agenda: the futulity of any sort of nuclear conflict (a hot-button topic at the time of its appearance).

 

[Scott Strang]

Jack Briggs

I agree that it's a more emotionally mature drama than The Day After. Good film--and one that won't appeal to more conservative tastes, as the film does pursue an agenda: the futulity of any sort of nuclear conflict (a hot-button topic at the time of its appearance).

This would be more of a matter of logic rather than "liberal" or "conservative". Nuclear fire doesn't care who or what it kills.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

I saw Testament a few years back on PBS. I'll watch the world's goriest horror movies, but this is a movie I almost wimped out on. The Day After scared me (as a kid) 1,000 times more than did The Exorcist, but I watched Testament anyway. Solid flick overall. It's even more effective than The Day After, and it packs a powerful emotional wallop.
(I don't even remember Costner being in the movie! Did he have a tiny part?)