Testament

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Buy This Item Testament by Paramount  Available from Amazon  $14.95  on 8-9-2008     There seemed to be a particular spike in nuclear-war paranoia in the early 1980s, probably having to do Reagan's finger being on the trigger. Whatever the cause, it resulted in two particularly powerful 1983 films on the subject: the made-for-TV <I>The Day After</I> and Lynne Littman's <I>Testament</I>, which had a theatrical release before playing on PBS's <I>American Playhouse</I>. Starring Jane Alexander (and Kevin Costner in a cameo), the film shows what happens to a suburban family in the Pacific Northwest after a nearby nuclear attack. As it turns out, those killed by the initial blast are the lucky ones; Alexander and her family must suffer through radiation poisoning and sickness, the daily diminution of life this causes, and, for Alexander, the eventual deaths of those around her. Quietly powerful and never overstated. <I>--Marshall Fine</I> Reader Reviews Early in the film, I got the impression that this could've been taken seriously upon it's release but may be kind of a joke now in 2008 (like 'The Net' for example). Anyway, it got morbidly bizarre as it progressed on. It wasn't what they showed, but what they didn't show that made some of that laughter turn to serious and puzzling thoughts. *Spoiler warning* The movie takes a turn when people begin dying from not-so-obvious signs of radiation poisoning, and they die by the thousands. By the time the shocking garage scene takes place you get a feeling of hopelessness. By the film's end you get no real resolution, no happy ending, which is why the films stuck with me as actually being bizarre and interesting as such post apocalyptic films should be. Sure there were a few bad spots scattered throughout the film, but I guess it shouldn't be judged by 2008 standards. Definitely for fans of Jericho - The First Season.

Testament Available from Amazon Price: $14.95 Updated on 8-9-2008.

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