At any moment, our world leaders are just a few nuclear codes away from upending life as we know it. The consequences of that decision are more terrifying than any ghouls that haunt your nightmares. Threads (1984) is a movie that pulls no punches, reveling in the slow-building sense of dread that arises from its nightmarish—and painfully realistic—depiction of the lead-up, destruction, and years-long aftermath of a nuclear attack. Commissioned by the BBC to warn audiences about the dangers of the Cold War, this television film has since been reclaimed and celebrated by horror fans as one of the scariest movies ever made.

Combining decades of nuclear activism and hands-on research at ground-zero sites with a background in film and cultural studies, Bob Mielke examines Threads through the lens of history, pop culture, and horror. Mielke’s impeccable research, sharp analysis, life experience, and gallows humor bring new insight into exactly what makes this film so disturbing—and disturbingly enduring.