By Dawns Early Light

By Dawn’s Early Light (AKA The Grand Tour) is an HBO original movie, aired in 1990 and set in 1991. It is based on the 1983 novel Trinity's Child, written by William Prochnau. The film is one of the last to depict the events of a fictional World War III before the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War.

[@scarfo441]

I never even knew this movie existed until today.2021..31 years later..I was 17 when this movie dropped.

[@scootermom1791]

I was 28 and didn't know about it either. I didn't have cable TV or satellite TV then, so I guess that's why.

[@bill0804]

Seen it HBO when I was 15

[@rickm6076]

I served on the USS Pennsylvania, and my peeve about the movie is the false portrayal that Ohio-class subs are out of contact for seven hours lol. We had constant communication to the national command authority. Today, a US first strike would come from the subs as most warheads are now aboard subs.

[@keysersoze3427]

Yeah but movies always get things wrong. I can't watch movies about my field for the same reason.

[@RSTI191]

I used to box.. ( no not tomatoes..) Rocky was like Laugh In for me... But, you have to take in stride.. That's why it's called Hollywood.. That aside, I had the pleasure of being James Earl Jones driver once. Picked him up at LAX years ago, brought him to his hotel. Sat next to me in the front seat. The word Gentleman doesn't begin to describe him. And of course you know I still have the $20 spot tip he pulled out of his wallet. I mean c'mon, when Vader gives you a tip, you just gotta keep it..

[@ronsterpearce2688]

Thank u for ur service --my brother was on Gaum --Navy --was the first on the radio to hear USS Pueblo being attacked ! Way back

[@scootermom1791]

Would nuclear attacks disable communications after impact? Would it create an EMP effect? Just curious.

[@scootermom1791]

@@RSTI191 Wow! You have had quite a life! James Earl Jones is definitely one of my very favorite actors. You're lucky to have been able to meet him in real life. 🙂

[@nizloc4118]

This movie scared the shit out of my Dad when I was a kid. When it came on TV a week later he made me watch it with him, and scared the shit out of me. Funny enough it's one of my "chicken soup" movies now. Great flick. Can sit down and watch it again at least once a year and still love it. (Whoever uploaded this is a hero by the way). Crazy the part in the movie where China attacks the Soviets, because of our treaty with them...

[@HanzGrozny]

Underrated movie

[@RSTI191]

Very much so...

[@charliechurch5004]

lol is awful

[@ianpeddle6818]

The 80s films were a little more visceral as we were actually at risk if nuclear war in the early 80s

[@GODCONVOYPRIME]

This movie brings back so many memories of the years leading up to this film. Now that I think about it, the fall of communist russia and living through it and being able to talk about it is actually a pretty big deal. Huh. How about that.

[@NYFreeman]

Well you might live it again with the Socialists in power i.e. The Democrats

[@GODCONVOYPRIME]

@@NYFreeman Tragically.

[@spankthemonkey3437]

@@NYFreeman when they feel like all is lost then the coocoo liberals they put in charge will take nukes from stockpiles and plant them in conservative areas

[@DivaDWood]

@@spankthemonkey3437 Time to put down the meth pipe, MAGAt.

[@josephraymancini5101]

Thank you for our Lives Today and TOMORROW

[@wambutu7679]

So..., Darth Vader was left in charge of our retaliatory strike. Hmmm.🤔

[@jeffwood8109]

He altered the deal. Pray he doesn't alter it further...

[@Shad0hawK]

James Earl Jones was also on Doctor Strangelove....on a B52

[@wambutu7679]

@@Shad0hawK Did not know that. Man just got even more awesome.

[@M0butu]

Contemplate this on the tree of woe.

[@scottrobb651]

He is disturbed by your apparent lack of faith

[@RedKnight977]

No time any more with hypersonic missiles

[@BarberJ95]

That’s what I’m afraid of. Possibly no warning and even then only a few minutes if that.

[@chevyjohnson7457]

All nuke missiles are hypersonic

[@RedKnight977]

@@chevyjohnson7457 not dropped from bombers but true ICBMs are during re-entry phase. I was referring to maneuverable hypersonic weapons, such as Russian Avangard missiles.

[@skibik3r]

By the time we heard the meow, it'll all be over 😆

[@forevernight3279]

I like this movie but you guys should watch.... Threads ... its on here amazing ww3 movie

[@tonyjonesbassoonwhippet2271]

Threads is terrifying. Genuinely depressing film. It's just so grim

[@robertcravey2722]

"Mr. PRESIDENT....There is a solution...cut the head off the chicken..." Mmm Mmm, bootlick'n good! .....that being said, I love this film! JEJ is the MAN.

[@garyturner5739]

We didn't see Secretary of the Interior get quickly sworn in as President on the plane. That would have to happen even in awar scenario.

[@jasonshults368]

You've really been buffalo'd, haven't you.

[@robertespinoza4878]

GREAT ACTOR MARTIN LANDAU SPACE 1999 AND DARTH VADER JAMES EARL JONES IF THIS IS A MOVIE 🎥🎬 ABOUT NUCLEAR WAR JUST REMEMBERED HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN😲😲😲😲😲😲

[@donm5354]

1:32:49 The pilot of the E-4 with the OTHER President - a minor character - is key to the ending. One of the most important minor characters in WW III movie history. 1:34:49

[@dawood121derful]

They had no bomb-arming sequence in this movie.

[@jasonshults368]

PSY-OP computer, indeed.

[@bryanhead2670]

Are you stalling me Alice?

[@keithnaylor1981]

Definitely worth buying the DVD to see this great film rather than watch this atrocious mess.

[@TheSemperac]

can you repeat the message? I forgot to bring a pencil.

[@giantskunk]

Worst crew ever! Slim Pickins ran a better aircraft.

[@skibik3r]

Shoot, a fella could have a pretty good time in Vegas with this 😆

[@WednesdayAddamsMW]

Goldie, did you say "Wing Attack Plan R"?

[@rickack8176]

The President in whom I would have most confidence in handling a situation such as this is Donald J. Trump. Any other would be subject to aberrant thought patterns.

[@russellsnyder282]

Trust no one.

[@DivaDWood]

BWAHAHAHA!!! Thanks for the laughs, MAGAt. He would have just surrendered to his master Pooty.

[@exex9378]

Threads is a much scarier and realistic depiction of what would happen and that was 30 years ago, Nukes are 25 times more powerful now 🤷‍♂️

[@shawng6432]

100 times

[@jasonshults368]

They are at least 15.963 gazillion times as powerful as they were in April of 1984.

[@GoSolarPlz]

Great movie. Very entertaining and scary although it seems very optimistic in that EMP didn’t knock out all electronics. Based on Trinity’s Child by William Prochnau. Good read too! Grew up during this era. Always scared that the missiles would fly.

[@rickm6076]

An EMP has to be 300 miles above the Midwest due to line of sight to even have the greatest effect. And that’s a waste because national command authority infrastructure is designed to survive emp effects anyway. Russians wouldn’t waste a good bomb to shutdown your cellphone.

[@GoSolarPlz]

But it seems it would paralyze so much more than just cell phones. Seems there are more than enough nukes to go around just to make the rubble bounce. Isn’t destabilization and paralysis of electricity, communications and way of life the point of an emp?

[@rickm6076]

For more than 30 years now, you can shut the lights off with a cyber attack or something like a graphite bomb, which the US used in the Balkans, for example. Precious nuclear warheads need to be used to hit strategic assets - like the other guy’s nukes! Besides, to have the most effect a nuclear device needs to be detonated up to 1000 miles high, nearly 5 times higher than the average satellite, and directly above the Midwest due to line-of-sight.

[@GoSolarPlz]

@@rickm6076 oh yes true. I suppose there are much easier and effective ways to cripple infrastructure such as with cyberattacks now. Does seem overkill to use a nuke when software will do!

[@Wowzersdude-k5c]

They may still fly. China the threat now.

[@DarKKlusteR]

Would love to see a reboot of this movie! One of the best 90s film ever, and I wasn't even born yet!

[@GraemeMartin]

It is a classic still up there as one of my fav movies

[@videoman4734]

I was 20 when this came out and yet never even heard of it til now. Wow a powerful movie

[@WednesdayAddamsMW]

I have to disagree with you, OP. This is one of those masterpieces that should be left as-is.

[@aliciakerr7639]

The constant reboots and backstory movies out now needs to stop. The great things about movies like this is that they represent the ways and thinking of it’s era, for the good, bad and ugly. By rebooting these things, is you end up changing the entire vibe of the movie.

[@SanePortlandian]

I think they should just make a Fallout movie/TV series

[@fgrau7376]

One of the Greatest and Scariest movies on WW3. The book “Trinity’s Child” was better but this was a phenomenal movie and very true to the facts and protocol of a real world nuclear war.

[@ronsterpearce2688]

Now thats a movie --not the CRAP HOLLYWOOD is making now !!!!!!!!!!1

[@garyturner5739]

With AI sprinkled liberally everywhere in them.

[@owenbevans6062]

Rebecca De Mornay sure looks good in the copilot's seat. Thats some Risky Business. Sadly, this movie is more relevant today than when it was made. You get what you vote for.

[@jasonshults368]

It's sure risky to lie to people for decades and decades, fabricating the existence of weapons and threats that never existed.

[@donm5354]

50:00 Using a 1 megaton nuke to destroy 2 fighters - one of the most expensive kills in movie combat.

[@garyturner5739]

This would be nuclear war so money would worthless from there on.

[@garyturner5739]

Mutural suicide it is.

[@randallbexell3481]

Good movie, almost real but it is Hollywood of course but close. Can u upload Crimson Tide? That was a real good movie too. U can't go wrong with Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman. Thanks.

[@Mhel2023]

Love Crimson Tide, one of those movies I can watch many times and it's still good

[@billgreen576]

The scariest thing about this film is that it shows POTUS being a completely rational, intelligent, logical thoughtful human being. Now we only have to look back upon the last several POTUS to realise most of them were / are like the Secretary of State. Meanwhile we are on the edge of Armageddon and our 'leaders' in the west are doing the opposite of 'turning this thing off'.

[@nightowl5475]

That's why it's imperative to have the potential POTUS get a full psychological testing. Regardless of their party or political ideology. These men and possibly future women need to be level headed and their first initiative should be to work out a diplomatic solution to this situation. The Russians and Chinese have no strategic advantages to concurring a waste land loaded with dead bodies, fully load radiation levels not fit for humanity. It's a stale-mate. A sensible level-headed President is needed to stop the destruction of mankind. President Kennedy said, we all breathe the same air.

[@mylovesongs2429]

Very chilling line of this movie; "I'd say 50,000 people just died."

[@charliechurch5004]

I just heard that as I read it

[@BarberJ95]

I feel like this movie in light of deteriorating global events has become more relevant again. Unfortunately... People don’t realize most of the weapons from the Cold War are still operational and hypothetically a scenario like this could still happen.

[@joankonkle6972]

People give no thought to nuclear weapons at all. This is dangerous ignorance. 5/10/21

[@hopefulelect6163]

IT MOST DEFINITELY WILL HAPPEN...

[@scootermom1791]

I don't think the younger generation is afraid of nuclear war like my generation was in the 80's. Even after the cold war was "over," because of stolen nuclear weapons and the continual unrest in Middle Eastern countries, I've never lost the fear of a possible nuclear attack. I watched "The Day After" with my daughter as soon as she was old enough to understand what was going on. Parents need to educate themselves and teach their children what to do in the event of a nuke attack (ie duct tape windows and vents, shelter in place) nowadays. Having at least a two week supply of food, water and supplies for each family member and pets is an excellent idea as well. If possible, they need to have some kind of defense plan in case of looters. Finally, families should store garden supplies and seeds because I guarantee people will need to grow their own food for awhile. Idk how soon it would be safe to grow food in the ground after a nuclear attack or if anything will even grow in the ground, but it's better to be prepared just in case.

[@jamesballard3457]

Especially with a half wit like Biden in charge.

[@BarberJ95]

Politics aren’t necessary here. Also I mean he did extend the START treaty so… 👀

[@ianmcclellan7695]

It's strange that a civil air traffic centre would spot the suspect track, when Turkey has an extensive air defence system... but apart from that I love this movie.

[@florinivan6907]

The real question is how did they smuggle a fully functional presumably megaton range nuke with a medium range missile into Turkey? To then launch it towards the Soviet Union. Its a very roundabout way of starting WW3. What did they say to turkish cops 'Oh its a prop for a movie.'?

[@Tokkemon]

And to think, the Old Man would have destroyed the world.

[@fgrau7376]

LOL very funny LOL

[@TheCjvega3571]

I even read that in the narrator's voice bahahaha

[@williamwalker1264]

Similar conundrum to "Failsafe".

[@seanbrazell7095]

I love these late 80s early 90s eras nuclear cold war films. It's kinda amazing to think HBO was making good original films this long ago.

[@dustybones1448]

Could be Biden in this situation soon

[@cws8914]

Wake up people. Only a matter of time now.

[@furious3383]

The President was actually given three chances to save the world. Lbvs.

[@godncountry8323]

Y’all know Cassidy and Moreau got it on in that cockpit before that BUFF ran outta fuel!!!!

[@dr.scottcrullphd9133]

This and ‘Twilight’s Last Gleaming’ are the best of what could happen if we allow terrorists to live!

[@mylovesongs2429]

Amazing! Both are lyrics in the U.S. national anthem.

[@garyturner5739]

Not very realistic that they could of had limited nuke war like it was portrayed in this drama. In reality both sides would probably volly off all their nukes at once use am or lose em would be philosophy.

[@jasonshults368]

In reality, "nuclear weapons" have never existed, and the "Cold War" was simple and effective social engineering tool.

[@thetruth7633]

22:30 “too much commercial traffic” Like you can see them coming from left/right/below/above 😬

[@garyturner5739]

I like to read the book that this film is based on.

[@ionescunicolae473]

Very good movie ! Bad video quality !

[@Ibcurious2-u2k]

Great movie!

[@chopincam-robertpark6857]

What an excellent cast: Darren, Rip, James, Martin & Jeffrey America's Best

[@billgreen576]

96000 lbs about 3-4000 miles.

[@jonraybon8582]

9:20 gaffe: "Cocked pistol" is DEFCON 1, why would they be lowering it when nukes are flying?

[@Declan-pg8cg]

It was a pleasure to watch this again since the early nineties. One of the better films dealing with a possible WW3. As a young kid in Ireland I was genuinely scared of the hell warmongering nutcases in other countries might drag the world into.

[@misterbelton]

Dr. Kelso!

[@robbiereilly]

Good movie. I never caught this one before. At first I thought it was gonna be hokey, but it wasn't. That ending was something.

[@ALSNewsNow]

Every line JEJ delivers in this movie is literally flawless. One of the true GOATS.

[@chrismartin1956]

I can just see John Lennon sitting behind the key of a Minuteman III being asked what the ICBM missile crews were doing the hole time. “We we’re just sitting around drinking tea.” 🤷‍♂️

[@tobeyntucker]

Absolutely one of the greatest war films. Being thrusted in to WW3 isn’t easy and I’m sure this is how it would look.

[@BarberJ95]

People trying to avoid it, being terrified and in the fog of way unsure what’s even happening and trying to make the best decision.

[@charliechurch5004]

really loo this movie sux! 🤣

[@tommyhunter1817]

I wonder how many long range bombers would actually reach their targets in reality with either side.

[@williamsmith474]

Image if Biden reacting to this had to make quick decisions

[@Peacebewithyou1999]

Keep Crying 😭

[@jamo6080]

Dude they wouldnt be able to wake biden up lol

[@RSTI191]

@@jamo6080 hahaha. That's great

[@facestabber51]

we know kamala would bust out an eternal laugh.

[@skeexix017]

my response? The world would have stop. and said...OH MY GOD!!!!

[@kbflorida888]

Tell Mr Boeing, he built a solid Stratofortress.

[@eagle7757]

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 4:5, Jesus Christ is the only way, KJV

[@matthewreynolds7260]

Absolutely right.

[@kggamermc8428]

Wrong

[@TheSemperac]

@@christopherclay14 it's a movie. nothing more nothing less.

[@watchgoose]

@@kggamermc8428 better to believe and find out later it is false, than to think it is false and find out when you perish that it was real all the time.

[@kggamermc8428]

@@watchgoose read matthews

[@anan-lf8jg]

.

[@Rambit]

Why are weapons that kill other weapons not more common.

[@spankthemonkey3437]

They are but is keeping the anti gravity UFO technology a secret. Just think if you had a fleet of 500 unmanned saucers as fast as they are capable they could take out missiles before the first stage of missile has jettisoned.

[@jerichom11x]

It becomes exponentially more expensive with each enemy missile and the use of MIRV makes it impossible to stop them all. 5000 warheads is a lot of bang.

[@johnkordish3546]

This movie was real it had to do with the Cuban nuclear crisis

[@jasonshults368]

Nothing portrayed by these actors on sets was ever, in any way, condition, or fashion, anything but utter fiction.

[@Peacebewithyou1999]

Wow , they had Joe biden and trump

[@JohnE9999]

When you couldn't be gayer.

[@strnbrg59]

Low-budget.

[@watchgoose]

not with all those well-known actors in it

[@M0butu]

it's drama, not action. no Transformers for u here.

[@aliciakerr7639]

Oh dear god… this was made 30 years ago.

[@seanfromdaheights1508]

@@watchgoose right

[@worldofdoom995]

It's a TV movie from 1990 what do you expect?