On January 22nd, 2018, the British Film Institute (BFI) are releasing When The Wind Blows on Blu-ray/DVD in a Dual Format Edition, packed with special features including interviews, a making-of documentary and the public information film Protect and Survive (1975).

When the Wind Blows is a touching story about love, tenderness, humanity and hope in the face of nuclear war. Adapted by Raymond Briggs (The Snowman, Ethel and Ernest) from his best-selling book, it features an original soundtrack by Roger Waters, and a title song by David Bowie.

The soundtrack by Waters has a number of fans: it's not a throw-away effort with little relevance to the film itself (unlike one or two of the other songs on the soundtrack) and is worthy of investigation if you are yet to hear it. As the Blu-ray/DVD includes an 'isolated music and effects track' we should be able to hear it in all its glory.

Jim and Hilda Bloggs (Sir John Mills and Dame Peggy Ashcroft) are a middle-aged couple who believe that the British government is in control as they prepare for nuclear war. When the countdown begins, they roll up their shirtsleeves and follow government guidelines (that were actually distributed to households around Britain in the 1970s). They paint their windows white, build a fortress of doors and pillows, take the washing in and put away two packets of ginger nuts, one tin of pineapple chunks and a good supply of tea.

This legendary, cautionary tale is both humorous and macabre in its consideration of one of the most horrific possibilities of modern life.

Special features:

• Presented in High Definition and Standard Definition
• Audio commentary with first assistant editor Joe Fordham and film historian Nick Redman
• Jimmy Murakami: Non-Alien (2010, 73 mins): feature-length documentary about the film’s director
• Interview with Raymond Briggs (2005, 14 mins)
• The Wind and the Bomb (1986, 20 mins): the making of When the Wind Blows featuring interviews with producer John Coates, director Jimmy T Murakami and writer Raymond Briggs
• Protect and Survive (1975, 51 mins): public information film about how to survive in the event of a nuclear attack
• Isolated music and effects track
• Fully illustrated booklet with a new introduction by Raymond Briggs, essays by Jez Stewart, Clare Kitson and Bella Todd and full film credits

To order your copy now, for despatch upon release, please use these direct links: Amazon UK, Amazon France, Amazon Germany, Amazon Spain and Amazon Italy. Please note it is NOT currently listed in the US or Canada, but the above alternative retailers will ship worldwide. Using our Amazon links also helps us hugely with ongoing site running costs and we really appreciate it!