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Testament (1983)
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Overview
Release Date:
December 1983 (USA) moreTagline:
It happened in an instant. The televisions went blank, the radios - silent. The cities were gone, the future abandoned. And the only thing they have left to hold onto, is the people they love. morePlot:
Nuclear war in the United States is portrayed in a realistic and believable manner. The story is told... more | add synopsisPlot Keywords:
moreAwards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations moreUser Comments:
A real horror film moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Jane Alexander | ... | Carol Wetherly | |
| William Devane | ... | Tom Wetherly | |
| Rossie Harris | ... | Brad Wetherly (as Ross Harris) | |
| Roxana Zal | ... | Mary Liz Wetherly | |
| Lukas Haas | ... | Scottie Wetherly | |
| Philip Anglim | ... | Father Hollis Mann | |
| Lilia Skala | ... | Fania Morse | |
| Leon Ames | ... | Henry Abhart | |
| Lurene Tuttle | ... | Rosemary Abhart | |
| Rebecca De Mornay | ... | Cathy Pitkin | |
| Kevin Costner | ... | Phil Pitkin | |
| Mako | ... | Mike | |
| Mico Olmos | ... | Larry | |
| Gerry Murillo | ... | Hiroshi | |
| J. Brennan Smith | ... | Billdocker |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
90 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
MonoCertification:
Hong Kong:IIA | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Norway:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PGFilming Locations:
Sierra Madre, California, USAMOVIEmeter: 
Fun Stuff
Quotes:
Father Hollis Mann: I'm sorry I'm late. Let's begin.Carol Wetherly: Not yet!
Father Hollis Mann: God said...
Carol Wetherly: [hysterical] Forget God! No one is touching him! No one is burying him until I find his bear! Do you hear me? You understand?
[Carol runs back to the house, pause]
Father Hollis Mann: ...whosoever believeth in me shall never die.
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Soundtrack:
All My Loving moreFAQ
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Forget Freddie and Jason, if you want a real horror film then I recommend this because I think it will keep most normal people awake long into the night. This film doesn't rely on gore or violence to get its message across; instead it takes the very familiar scene of a loving young family living in a close-knit town and dumps them into the harsh, harrowing realities of nuclear war where there is no mercy for either the good or the innocent.
'Testament' is a tale of what would happen if a nuclear strike devastated America and how average people, who have no military training or the like, would cope. There is no computer virus to fix things nor is there some hunky, muscular hero to save the day; people are left to fend for themselves in a world forever changed, in conditions that are unforgiving and demoralising. The film revolves mainly around the Wetherly family, made up by parents- Carol and Tom - and their three children, fourteen-year-old Mary Liz, twelve-year-old Brad and six-year-old Scottie and it packs no punches for the fate of this little group.
For a film that couldn't have had a massive budget, not only is the script of good quality but so was the acting. Jane Alexander was excellent as a Carol, a mother striving to see her family through this disaster, watching as the town around her dwindles as people die of radiation poisoning or flee for safer pastors. But Ross Harris definitely deserves recognition for his part as young Brad. Through him, we are able to see how a child would deal with such an event and how the innocence of childhood is brought to a sharp end as Brad is forced to take the role of an adult for the sake of his family.
After seeing 'Testament', I don't think I'll ever really stop pondering the issues it raised and how it is vitally important that the governments of all countries do anything and everything to ensure we never have to deal with such an event in real life. It is very thought-provoking and terrifying in a way no horror flick can be. And if you want to add to your trauma, I recommend checking out 'Threads' (the same situation only set in England and so chilling that it makes this film out to be a bag of laughs) and 'The Day After'.