The Survivor (1981)

Director:

David Hemmings

Writers:

David Ambrose (screenplay)
James Herbert (novel)

Release Date:

9 July 1981 (Australia)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

A tale of death, and of an evil which transcends death

Plot Keywords:

Burnt Face | Plane Crash | Airline | Amnesia | Airline Pilot

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Robert Powell	...	Keller
Jenny Agutter	...	Hobbs
Joseph Cotten	...	Priest
Angela Punch McGregor	...	Beth (as Angela Punch-McGregor)
Peter Sumner	...	Tewson
Lorna Lesley	...	Susan
Ralph Cotterill	...	Slater
Adrian Wright	...	Goodwin
Tyler Coppin	...	Boy
Kirk Alexander	...	Dr. Martindale
Jon Nicholls	...	Jackson
Roger Cardwell	...	Flight Engineer
Jenufa Scott-Roberts	...	Stewardess
John Edmund	...	Goswell
Denzil Howson	...	Rogan
Edwin Hodgeman	...	Bain
Heather Steen	...	Allens
Brenton Whittle	...	Thornton
Geoffrey Pullan	...	Osborne (as Geoff Pullan)
Robin Bowering	...	Stuart
Chrissie James	...	Secretary
Audine Leith	...	Doctor
Jacquy Phillips	...	Hysterical Woman (as Jacqy Phillips)
Tim Rice	...	Newscaster
Maurice Saidi	...	First Onlooker (as Maurie Saidi)
Henry Scott	...	Second Onlooker
Paul Sonkkila	...	Fisherman
Paul Churlish	...	Engineer (as Paul Charlish)
Don Quin	...	Supervising Engineer
Brigette Webster	...	Child

Directed by
David Hemmings

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
David Ambrose		screenplay
James Herbert		novel

Produced by
William Fayman	....	executive producer
Antony I. Ginnane	....	producer
Jane Scott	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Brian May

Cinematography by
John Seale		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tony Paterson

Production Design by
Bernard Hides

Costume Design by
Terry Ryan

Makeup Department
Sash Lamey	....	hair stylist
Jill Porter	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Steve E. Andrews	....	second assistant director (as Steve Andrews)
Marshall Crosby	....	third assistant director
Mark Egerton	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Virginia Bieneman	....	assistant art director
Lee Carey	....	construction foreman
John Carroll	....	stand-by props
Steve Courtley	....	propmaker
Billy Malcolm	....	scenic artist
Owen Paterson	....	property buyer
Owen Paterson	....	set dresser
Herbert Pinter	....	construction coordinator
Dennis Smith	....	construction foreman
Peter Templeton	....	construction foreman

Sound Department
Peter Fenton	....	sound mixer
Jack Friedman	....	boom operator
Bruce Lamshed	....	sound editor
Tim Lloyd	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Mont Fieguth	....	special effects assistant (as Monty Fieguth)
Chris Murray	....	special effects
Vic Wilson	....	special effects buyer

Visual Effects by
Roger Cowland	....	opticals

Stunts
Glenn Boswell	....	stunts (as Glen Boswell)
Richard Boué	....	stunts
Dennis Hunt	....	stunt coordinator
Claude Lambert	....	stunts
Michael Read	....	stunts
Rikki Van Gyen	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Sam Bienstock	....	fourth electrician
Ross Erickson	....	key grip
David Foreman	....	additional photographer
Reg Garside	....	best boy electric
Mike Giddens	....	still photographer
Daro Gunzberg	....	clapper loader
Louis Irving	....	additional photographer
Jan Kenny	....	focus puller
Kevan Lind	....	additional photographer
Robin Morgan	....	grip
Nick Morris	....	gaffer (as Nick Morris)
Peter Moss	....	camera operator
Paul Onorato	....	additional photographer (as Paul Onerato)
Simon Perton	....	generator operator (as Simon Purton)
Peter Rogers	....	additional photographer
Graeme Shelton	....	third electrician
David B. Simmonds	....	additional still photographer (as David Simmonds)
Geoffrey Simpson	....	additional photographer (as Geoff Simpson)
Geoff Tanner	....	assistant camera
Martin Turner	....	assistant camera
Robert Verkerk	....	assistant grip

Casting Department
Michael Lynch	....	casting consultant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Stirling Cooper	....	dresser: Angela Punch-McGregor
Heather McLaren	....	stand-by wardrobe

Editorial Department
Arthur Cambridge	....	grader
Margaret Cardin	....	negative cutter
Carmen Galán	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Brian May	....	conductor
Brian May	....	conductor
Roger Savage	....	music engineer

Other crew
Catherine Barber	....	production accountant (as Cathy Barber)
Jennifer Barty	....	production secretary (as Jenny Barty)
William Fayman	....	presenter
Antony I. Ginnane	....	presenter
Bill Gooley	....	laboratory liaison
Russell Hagg	....	script editor
Richard Harper	....	financial controller
Janene Knight	....	production assistant
Laurence Myers	....	presenter
Tim Sanders	....	location manager
Caroline Stanton	....	script supervisor
Lynette Thorburn	....	unit publicist
Sylvia Van Wyk	....	assistant to producer
Allan Zavod	....	synthesizer programmer (as Alan Zavod)

Production Companies

• Crystal Films
• Pact Productions
• Tuesday Films

Distributors

• Greater Union Organisation (GUO) (1981) (Australia) (theatrical)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2005) (UK) (TV) (BBC 1)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1988) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Independent Television (ITV) (1998) (UK) (TV)
• Platinum Disc (USA) (DVD)
• Thorn EMI Video Australia (Australia) (video)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Video Gems (1987) (UK) (video)

Other Companies

• South Australian Casting  casting
• Recut  post-production facilities
• Hollywood Canteen  catering
• United Sound  mixing studio
• AAV Australia  music studio
• Optical & Graphics  titles
• M.A.N. Automotive (Aust.) Pty. Ltd.  co-operation and assistance
• Fruehauf Trailers Australasia Pty. Ltd.  co-operation and assistance
• Atlas Copco  co-operation and assistance
• County Fire Services  co-operation and assistance
• The Laboratories of the Defence Research Centre, Salisbury SA  co-operation and assistance
• Australian Red Cross Society S.A. Division  co-operation and assistance
• Royal Australian Air Force Base, Edinburgh S.A.  co-operation and assistance
• The St. Johns Ambulance Service S.A.  co-operation and assistance
• South Australian Fire Brigade  co-operation and assistance
• South Australian Police Department  co-operation and assistance
• State Emergency Services  co-operation and assistance

Runtime:

87 min | Australia:99 min (original release)

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia

Company:

Crystal Films

Trivia:

Joseph Cotten's last film

Goofs:

Continuity: The pilot is seen switching off the "No Smoking" and "Fasten Seat Belt" signs almost immediately the plane is airborne, yet just a few seconds later it can be seen that the wheels have not been retracted. The signs would have been kept lit until the plane was well into the air, which would be some time after the wheels had been retracted.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! (2008)

Nice idea lost in the edit

Part of an ill-fated two-picture deal (alongside Harlequin) that Robert Powell signed in the wake of Jesus of Nazareth's success, Australian horror movie The Survivor is a fairly good idea undone by clumsy writing and rushed execution, although the film looks like it's either been heavily edited or they ran out of money and couldn't film everything in the script. Ideas are left hanging, motives unexplained and characters disappear after fleeting introductions (third-billed Angela Punch McGregor gets a single line in one brief scene). Powell's pilot is the sole survivor of a crash on take-off and as he falls under suspicion during the crash investigation, those exploiting the tragedy (most notably an unscrupulous photographer) start to die at the hands of the dead victims and Jenny Agutter's psychic tries to enlist his help in giving their spirits peace before the body count rises. All of which sounds much more interesting than the execution, as David Hemmings' direction veers more to the competent than the inspired, though a replay of the spectacular crash scene near the end is highly effective.