The War Game (1965) (4K Ultra HD Review)
DIRECTED BY: Peter Watkins
STARRING: Michael Aspel, Peter Graham
RATED: UR/Region: 0/1:33/1080P/NUMBER OF DISCS 2
AVAILABLE FROM Severin Films
Some movies are designed to entertain you.
Some movies are designed to scare you.
And then there’s The War Game, which looks you square in the eye and says, “I’m about to ruin your afternoon.”
Directed by Peter Watkins, this 1965 pseudo-documentary is only 48 minutes long, but don’t let that runtime fool you. It somehow packs more emotional devastation into less than an hour than most disaster movies manage in three.
The film imagines the horrifying consequences of a nuclear attack on England, presenting everything with such grim realism that the BBC famously decided it was simply too disturbing to air. Imagine making something so convincing that the people who commissioned it basically said, “Absolutely not… the public might never sleep again.”
Honestly… fair.
Watching The War Game today, it’s easy to see why it caused such a stir. There’s no heroic military rescue, no last-minute scientist saving the world, and definitely no inspirational speech while dramatic music swells in the background. This movie simply asks, “What would actually happen?” and then spends the next 48 minutes making you wish it hadn’t answered the question so thoroughly.
Peter Watkins presents everything with the detached style of a news report, which somehow makes the horror even worse. The matter-of-fact narration, documentary approach, and realistic performances blur the line between fiction and reality so effectively that you almost forget you’re watching a movie.
Then you remember.
Then you wish you hadn’t.
For something made in 1965, it’s astonishingly powerful. There are sequences here that still land with an uncomfortable punch decades later. The practical effects, the bleak atmosphere, and the complete lack of Hollywood optimism all combine into one of the most unsettling anti-war films ever produced.
It’s not a fun watch…It’s not supposed to be.
Now, if you’re going to own a movie that’s guaranteed to make your day significantly more depressing, you might as well own the best possible version—and thankfully, Severin Films absolutely delivers.
Despite the film only running 48 minutes, Severin treats it like the landmark piece of cinema it is. The new 4K collector’s edition looks excellent, preserving the stark black-and-white photography while giving the film the respect it deserves. It isn’t flashy—nor should it be—but it’s easily the best the movie has ever looked.
The extras are where this release really earns its shelf space. It’s packed with bonus material that explores the production, the controversy surrounding the BBC ban, Peter Watkins’ career, and the lasting impact the film has had over the decades. If you’re the type who immediately heads for the special features after the credits roll, this set will keep you busy for quite a while.
As if that wasn’t enough, Severin also includes a reprint of the 1967 book written by Peter Watkins and designed by Paul Watkins, which is the kind of collector’s bonus boutique labels used to dream about and now somehow keep making a reality. It’s a fantastic addition that makes the package feel genuinely special rather than just another disc on the shelf.
The War Game isn’t a movie you “enjoy” in the traditional sense. You endure it. You admire it. You think about it long after it’s over. It’s one of the most effective anti-war films ever made precisely because it refuses to soften the blow.
And thanks to Severin Films, you can now experience every uncomfortable, horrifying minute in stunning 4K… before diving into hours of fascinating extras that explain exactly why this little 48-minute film has cast such a massive shadow over cinema history.
It’s the feel-bad movie of the year…
…from 1965. And somehow, it still hits just as hard today.
Extras
Disc 1: 4K UHD (Film + Special Features)
- Audio Commentary With Film Critic Kim Newman And Director Sean Hogan
- Trailer
Disc 2: Blu-ray (Film + Special Features)
- Introduction By Filmmaker Alex Cox
- Audio Commentary With Film Critic Kim Newman And Director Sean Hogan
- Conflict By Design – Interview With Anne Davey Orr, Production Designer On CULLODEN And THE WAR GAME
- Who Banned THE WAR GAME?– An Interview With Peter Watkins Historian John Cook
- Games Of Fact And Fiction – Video Essay By Dr. Alexandra Heller-Nicholas And Filmmaker Stephen Broomer
- THE WAR GAME At Cine City – Featurette By Journalist Eric Veillette
- Nuclear Britain– Interview With Attack Warning Red!: How Britain Prepared For Nuclear War Author Julie McDowall
- Archival Interview With Editor Michael Bradsell
- Peter Watkins Reflects On THE WAR GAME And The Media – 1983 Interview From The Australian Film Television And Radio School (AFTRS)
- Introduction To THE WAR GAME In Sheffield By Visions Producer John Ellis
- THE WAR GAME In Sheffield – Peter Watkins Recruits For A Proposed WAR GAME Remake In Unused Footage For The UK TV Show Visions
- Trailer
- THE DIARY OF AN UNKNOWN SOLDIER (Peter Watkins Short Film)
- THE FORGOTTEN FACES (Peter Watkins Short Film)
Disc Specs:
- Runtime: 48 mins
- Audio: English Mono
- 4K Video: HDR10
- Closed Captions
- Region Free
- Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
*All foreign-language featurettes are subtitled in English.
Limited Edition Slipcase & Postcards:
(Ray Lowry Postcard Reprinted In Cooperation with the Ray Lowry Estate)
New Postcard designed by Rob Carmichael at SEEN STUDIO.
Limited Edition THE WAR GAME Book – Authorized Reprint Of The 1967 Book Written By Peter Watkins And Designed By Paul Watkins
Reprint of Government-Issued Evacuation Card
