World War III

A eccellent two part mini-series starring David Soul,Brian Keith and Rock Hudson about the Soviets trying to take control of the Alaskin pipeline to try and blackmail the U.S. . They send troops in to try and secure the pipeline and the U.S. responds to the threat by sending it's troops in and so a powderkeg confrontation occures which could start World War III,hence the title. The snow scenes are well done. It reminds me a bit of Ice Station Zebra which was about another Soviet-US confrontation. It is nice to see Brian Keith and Rock Hudson again and I hope that one day it will be released to DVD.

This is one film that can be watched over and over again because it is the best. The story is top of the line. I also loved the barren locale. It just added to the story. The sound track was also top of the line. I think of it now while I am writing these comments. This movie is just like Failsafe.The drama and tension are tops. The main setting is this barren area of Alaska where a troop of Russia soldiers have invaded with the intention of capturing a pumping valve station and destroying it thereby cutting off oil supplies to the lower United States. How they are stopped and the horrible consequences that follow are what makes this such a great movie. The impasse at the end where the Soviet and American commanders agree is great but not long-lasting.

Why is it not available on DVD? The music also??. I know that it was a made for t.v. movie by NBC> Is there any way that NBC be contacted?

Thankfully, this 1982 miniseries no longer has any contemporary relevance unless you're doing a study of Cold War era movies (I won't comment on the dated aspects of the political outlook, since I've done that with other movies like "2010" and "Dr. Strangelove"). I have to wonder though if the previous reviewer is confusing Brian Keith's performance in "Meteor" with this one, because that was the film where he spoke only Russian. In this one, it was just accented English.

Rock Hudson is credible as the president, though there's really not much to brag about from the rest of the cast. I do have to give the producers credit for their metaphorical depiction of the end. Gil Melle's music accompanying the images is probably the most frightening sounding I've ever heard in a TV score. It's much more eerily effective than the graphic attempts at realism in "The Day After" (and reminiscent of the ending of "Fail Safe").

This film made an enormous impression on me at 12 yrs old, so much so that it sticks with me 21 years later. The film is suspenseful. The cinematography is top of the line. The climax (no spoilers follow) involves an application of military strategy dating from ancient times, which seemed imaginative to me at the time. And the cold of Alaska, the threat of Soviet invasion, the stakes of nuclear holocaust... all had me on the edge of my seat. I'd love to buy the film, but alas, there are no releases on DVD or video.

I can believe that this is how it would happen... the approach of the end of the world, propelled by miscalculation, obstinacy, and pride, set in motion at a half-forgotten army base and snowballing along unknown to almost everyone but a handful of footsoldiers on the one hand and a handful of world leaders on the other.

A chillingly credible job of work, this series was.