Directed by Nicholas Meyer, The Day After disturbed a generation of TV audiences in 1983. On the 40th anniversary of its first airing, we look back at its immediate and lasting impact.
“If you can, take a quick look out of the window,” said TV host Ted Koppel immediately after the first airing of The Day After on the 20th November, 1983. “It’s all still there. Your neighbourhood is still there. So is Kansas City. And Lawrence. And Chicago, San Diego, Moscow and Vladivostok…”
Koppel’s words of reassurance were a sign of how nervous the ABC Network was about airing its multi-million dollar, two-hour feature about the nuclear destruction of the United States. The company had reason to be on edge: aside from the expense, the film had alienated advertisers, angered the political right, and left ABC executives fearing that audiences would switch off their televisions – all before the film had even aired.
“If you can, take a quick look out of the window,” said TV host Ted Koppel immediately after the first airing of The Day After on the 20th November, 1983. “It’s all still there. Your neighbourhood is still there. So is Kansas City. And Lawrence. And Chicago, San Diego, Moscow and Vladivostok…”
Koppel’s words of reassurance were a sign of how nervous the ABC Network was about airing its multi-million dollar, two-hour feature about the nuclear destruction of the United States. The company had reason to be on edge: aside from the expense, the film had alienated advertisers, angered the political right, and left ABC executives fearing that audiences would switch off their televisions – all before the film had even aired.
- 11/20/2023
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
John Llewellyn Moxey, a prolific TV director who helmed episodes of “Charlie’s Angels,” “Mannix,” “Magnum, P.I.” and “Murder, She Wrote,” died of complications from cancer on April 29 in University Place, Wash. He was 94.
The Argentinean-born British director was also known for a long string of 1970s-era TV movies, including “The Night Stalker,” “Panic in Echo Park,” “Smash Up on Interstate 5,” “Conspiracy of Terror” and “The House that Would Not Die.” His TV credits also include “The Saint,” “The Avengers,” “Hawaii Five-o,” “Mission: Impossible,” “Miami Vice” and the pilot episode of “Charlie’s Angels.”
He began as an editor, then moved on to direct episodes of the British series “London Playhouse,” “The Adventures of Tugboat Annie” and “Coronation Street.” He made his feature film directorial debut with “The City of the Dead” in 1960 in the United Kingdom, later released in the U.S. as “Horror Hotel” in 1961. Even though the cast was mostly British actors,...
The Argentinean-born British director was also known for a long string of 1970s-era TV movies, including “The Night Stalker,” “Panic in Echo Park,” “Smash Up on Interstate 5,” “Conspiracy of Terror” and “The House that Would Not Die.” His TV credits also include “The Saint,” “The Avengers,” “Hawaii Five-o,” “Mission: Impossible,” “Miami Vice” and the pilot episode of “Charlie’s Angels.”
He began as an editor, then moved on to direct episodes of the British series “London Playhouse,” “The Adventures of Tugboat Annie” and “Coronation Street.” He made his feature film directorial debut with “The City of the Dead” in 1960 in the United Kingdom, later released in the U.S. as “Horror Hotel” in 1961. Even though the cast was mostly British actors,...
- 5/2/2019
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
Hello, readers, and welcome to a new year of releases! We may already be well into the month of January, but this is our first official weekly Blu-ray and DVD recap of 2019, since last week was a quiet one on the home media front, and we already have a ton of titles to get excited for this Tuesday. If you happened to miss Hell Fest when it was in theaters last year, you can now catch up with Gregory Plotkin’s slasher on various formats, and as far as recent genre series are concerned, the first seasons of both The Purge and Castle Rock are making their way home tomorrow as well.
Scream Factory is kicking off another great year of releases with the Nic Cage thriller 8Mm, and Scorpion Releasing has put together a special edition Blu for Blind Date that cult fans are going to want to pick up.
Scream Factory is kicking off another great year of releases with the Nic Cage thriller 8Mm, and Scorpion Releasing has put together a special edition Blu for Blind Date that cult fans are going to want to pick up.
- 1/8/2019
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.