Atomic Achievement (film #24 on National Archives). [Category: Military & Propaganda]

This 50s British film documents and explains the rise of nuclear power in England. It goes into great detail about how nuclear power is generated, going so far as to explain how uranium ore is processed and how plutonium is made. No downside or risks are shown, and nuclear power in general is shown to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. But other than that, this is a classy and well made film, though it drags a bit in spots. Considering it was made in 1956, it’s surprising to see how much nuclear energy and experimentation was going on in England at the time. They even show a whole bunch of dots on a map to represent nuclear reactors or research stations, and they’re all over the island. Let’s hope they’re all reasonably safe. The visuals in the film look more modern than 1956, making the film somewhat ahead of its time. All in all, this film has a lot of historical value in documenting the history of nuclear energy in Britain.

Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: **. Weirdness: ***. Historical Interest: ****. Overall Rating: ***.