The War Game (1966)

Michael Aspel: Commentator

Quotes 

• Anglican Bishop : I believe in a system of necessary law and order. And I still believe in the war of the just.

  Commentator : Within this car, a family is burning alive.

• Interviewer : Carbon-14 is among the most dangerous elements of radioactive fallout. Do you know what it does to the human body?

  Interviewee #1 : Ooh... No, I'm sorry, I haven't heard of it.

  Interviewee #2 : Afraid I don't know much about atomic... radiation at all.

  Interviewee #3 : No, I don't.

  Interviewee #4 : No, I'm sorry, I don't know.

  Commentator : In 1959 a Home Office manual wrote: "Public education in the matters of radioactivity will be progressive during the next few years"

  Interviewer : Do you know what strontium-90 is and what it does?

  Interviewee #5 : Erm... No. No, I'm afraid I don't.

  Interviewee #2 : No, I don't.

  Interviewee #6 : I've... no idea really. I... I know it's some sort of... gunpowder or something, that blows up.

• Commentator : When the carbon-dioxide content of inhaled air is greater than 30 per cent, it will cause diminished respiration, fall of blood pressure, coma, loss of reflexes and anaesthesia. When the carbon-monoxide content of inhaled air exceeds 1.28 per cent, it will be followed by death within three minutes. This is nuclear war.

• Commentator : These children are orphans of the attack. They were each asked what they now wanted to grow up to be.

  Child : I don't want to be nothing.

• Commentator : 9:16 A.M., a single megaton nuclear missile overshoots Manston Airfield in Kent and airbursts 6 miles from this position.

  [people screaming in pain] 

  Commentator : At this distance, the heatwave is sufficient to cause melting of the upturned eyeball, 3rd degree burns to the skin, and ignition of furniture.

  [the drapes and sofa catch fire inside] 

  Commentator : 12 seconds later, the shock front arrives.

  [ceiling caves in]