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:

The airplane crash sequence at the beginning of the film took several weeks to set up for filming. It was filmed on a vacant block of land at Panorama, south of Adelaide, South Australia. Over 2000 onlookers turned up to watch the spectacular scene being filmed which took only thirty minutes of filming time for the plane to be completely destroyed by fire.

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)

Fascinating and creepy

This little known movie should be seen by anyone who thinks Aussie films are all mindless travelogues with idiotic characters.

After a catastrophic plane crash, rescuers are surprised to see the pilot walking unhurt from the twisted, burning wreckage. The pilot (Robert Powell) can offer no explanation as to how he survived the explosion that killed every other person on the plane. The tension mounts when the investigation proves that the crash was so severe that the pilot could not have POSSIBLY survived no matter where he was on the plane, and yet there he is.

This is a well-crafted paranormal drama, with each new revelation concerning the crash leading you deeper into intrigue.

Also, it was made 19 years before Unbreakable, which has some very similar plot elements.