Testament (1983)

Director:

Lynne Littman

Writers:

Carol Amen (story)
John Sacret Young (screenplay)

Release Date:

December 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

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.

Plot:

Nuclear war in the United States is portrayed in a realistic and believable manner. The story is told...

Plot Keywords:

Nuclear | Nuclear War | Missile | Nuclear Holocaust | Father Daughter Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

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
Lesley Woods	...	Lady Mayor
Wayne Heffley	...	Police Chief
William G. Schilling	...	Pharmacist (as William Schilling)
David Nichols	...	Worried Man
Gary Bayer	...	Angry Man
Martin Rudy	...	Dr. Jenson
Jamie Abbott	...	Boy Mayor
Rocky Krakoff	...	Pied Piper
Rachel Gudmundson	...	Nancy
Keri Houlihan	...	Lisa
Pauline Lomas	...	Woman
Jesse Wayne	...	Man in Line
Clete Roberts	...	Newscaster
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lila Kedrova	...	(uncredited)
Helen Kelly	...	Woman in line (uncredited)

Directed by
Lynne Littman

Writing credits
Carol Amen		(story "The Last Testament")
John Sacret Young		(screenplay)

Produced by
Andrea Asimow	....	associate producer
Jonathan Bernstein	....	producer
Lynne Littman	....	producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Steven Poster

Film Editing by
Suzanne Pettit

Casting by
Margery Simkin

Production Design by
David Nichols

Art Direction by
Linda Pearl

Set Decoration by
Waldemar Kalinowski

Costume Design by
Julie Weiss

Makeup Department
Marilyn Poucher	....	hair stylist
Tonya Blackmore Wexler	....	makeup artist (as Tonya Wexler)

Production Management
Peter Cornberg	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Bogart	....	first assistant director
Richard Graves	....	second assistant director
William Hassell	....	first assistant director
Ralph S. Singleton	....	second assistant director (as Ralph Singleton)

Art Department
Cynthia Carr	....	assistant props
Cheryl Cutler	....	assistant art director
Waldemar Kalinowski	....	construction coordinator
Gregory Mabry	....	swing gang
Kevin McDermott	....	swing gang
Robin L. Miller	....	property master (as Robin Miller)
Steve Olson	....	swing gang
Melody Ramirez	....	swing gang
Eric Zimmerman	....	swing gang
George Goode	....	illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gary Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lee Alexander	....	sound mixer
Douglas B. Arnold	....	boom operator (as Doug Arnold)
Don Digirolamo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Roberta Doheny	....	sound effects
Lars Nelson	....	sound effects
Larry Stensvold	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Chuck E. Stewart	....	special effects (as Chuck Stewart)

Stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Herb Ault	....	grip
James R. Bagdonas	....	additional first assistant camera (as James Bagdonas)
Ray Boyle	....	gaffer
Martin Conn	....	lightflex consultant
Rick Cutler	....	grip
Michael S. Endler	....	second assistant camera (as Michael Endler)
Michael E. Gips	....	electrician (as Michael Gips)
Melinda Sue Gordon	....	still photographer
John Koester	....	camera operator
Michael E. Matteson	....	key grip (as Michael Matteson)
Charles Minsky	....	additional photographer
William Moffitt	....	additional camera operator
Frank Montoya	....	best boy
John Page	....	best boy
Norman Parker	....	first assistant camera
Allen Smith	....	grip (as Al Smith)
Roger Tonry	....	electrician
Joseph A. Unsinn	....	vtr operator (as Joe Unsinn III)

Casting Department
Susie Johnson	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Csilla Márki	....	costumer: women (as Csilla Marki)
John Sowle	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Cheryl Bloch	....	assistant editor
Susanne Gervay	....	negative cutter
Lynn Goodhall	....	apprentice film editor (as Lynn Goodhill)
Arthur Tostado	....	color timer (as Art Tostado)

Music Department
Shawn Murphy	....	music recording engineer
William Saracino	....	music editor
Joel Sill	....	music supervisor
James Horner	....	conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Bill Nuss	....	driver: camera car

Other crew
Laura Blumenthal	....	production assistant
Becky Butler	....	production assistant
George Cooper	....	stand-in
Laurie Gilbert	....	production assistant
John Kaufman	....	production assistant
Pauline Lomas	....	stand-in
Jay May	....	production assistant
Mark Mentzer	....	production assistant
Maggie Mills	....	production assistant
Lyle Ann Morris	....	stand-in (as Lyle Morris)
Barbara Myerhoff	....	project consultant
Gladys Nelson	....	labor representative
Gladys Nelson	....	teacher
Sarah Olson	....	production assistant
Guy Pohlman	....	production assistant
Jenise Rogers	....	production accountant
C.D. Tiger	....	script supervisor
Cassandra Wilson	....	production office coordinator
Nancy Zearfoss	....	location manager

Thanks
Stuart Benjamin	....	special thanks
Ben Bennett	....	special thanks
Teresa Carr	....	special thanks
Norman Fleishman	....	special thanks
Robert Goldstein	....	special thanks (as Robert Goldston)
Timothy J. Hayes	....	special thanks
Jean Hill	....	special thanks
Robert Knudson	....	special thanks (as Buzz Knudsen)
Lindsay Law	....	special thanks
Leslie Linder	....	special thanks
Geralyn Miller	....	special thanks
Rita Riggs	....	special thanks
Heather Sheets	....	special thanks
Truman Van Dyke	....	special thanks
Jerry Vernig	....	special thanks
Ron Ward	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• American Playhouse
• Entertainment Events
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1984) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• High Noon Transportation  mobile dressing rooms
• Hill Production Services  camera equipment provided by
• J's Fine Art Inc.  sound effects
• Keylight  location equipment
• Lightflex America Inc.  lightflex
• Movie Magic  opticals
• Moviecam  camera equipment provided by
• Pacific Title  titles
• Petite Caterers  catering
• Tavoularis Design  title design
• The McBride School  special thanks
• The People of Sierra Madre  special thanks
• Todd-AO Studios  post-production services

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Hong Kong:IIA | Sweden:11 | Finland:K-12 | Norway:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Sierra Madre, California, USA

Company:

American Playhouse

Trivia:

Final film of Lurene Tuttle.

Quotes:

Brad Wetherly: Doesn't radiation get into water?
Carol Wetherly: Well, it can. Maybe it won't be so bad here. But we'd better be careful.
Scottie Wetherly: What's "radation"?
[pause]
Mary Liz Wetherly: Here, have a banana.
Scottie Wetherly: You never gave me one before.
Mary Liz Wetherly: I did now.
Carol Wetherly: There may not be any... more for a while.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Between Two Worlds: The Making of 'Witness' (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Hello! My Rag Time Gal!

Draining but worth it

This is one of those films that is very draining to watch, but worth it. It is a slightly more tame approach to the subject matter, but excellently done.

It is often compared with "Threads", which many people think is too graphic. Regardless, I like both films. I have to say that "Testament" will look more realistic to rural people, who may just die slowly as the characters in this film do, rather than be subjected to the immediate effects of the attack.

Rebecca De Mornay's appearance in this film, which I only saw after seeing "By Dawn's Early Light", makes a connection between these two films. Everyone should see both films at least once, as well. Excellent performances from Rossie Harris and Mako make this film stand out even further.

Having seen "The Day After" now, I prefer "Testament" but find both films excellent.