The Quiet Earth (1985)

Director:

Geoff Murphy

Writers:

Craig Harrison (novel)
Bill Baer (written by) ...

Release Date:

18 October 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Mystery

Plot:

A mans awakens to find himself alone in the world.

Plot Keywords:

Hair Dryer | Maori | Interracial Relationship | Computer | Reference To Hitler

Awards:

10 wins

Cast

Bruno Lawrence	...	Zac Hobson
Alison Routledge	...	Joanne
Pete Smith	...	Api
Anzac Wallace	...	Api's Mate
Norman Fletcher	...	Perrin
Tom Hyde	...	Scientist

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

New Zealand

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:R21 | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

New Zealand

Company:

Cinepro

Trivia:

The air crash was filmed at an abandoned fertilizer factory.

Quotes:

[Aiming a shotgun at a crucifix]
Zac Hobson: If you don't come out I'll shoot the kid!

Movie Connections:

References E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Soundtrack:

Prelude No. 2

Zac Is Legend?

"A mans awakens to find himself alone in the world"... When you read the one-sentence summary of "The Quiet Earth", you can't help getting reminded of Richard Matheson's famous novel "I Am Legend" which also received no less than three major cinema adaptations already. This movie does indeed also revolve on the last man on earth and his desperate search for fellow survivors, but that's pretty much where the comparisons stop. Right from the opening credits sequence – which shows the sun rising very sloooooowly – you promptly realize that the content and particularly the style of this movie will be a lot more sober, serious, depressing and intellectual than for example "The Omega Man" starring Charlton Heston. This story doesn't feature post-apocalyptic zombie monsters or albino mutants, but the pseudo-scientific script is nonetheless equally compelling and disturbing – if not even more so. Zac Hobson is the inexplicable and rather reluctant sole survivor of an ecological disaster that seemingly caused all people to vaporize. He then comes to the painful conclusion that a miscalculation in the secretive energy-project he was working on for the government caused mankind's extinction and subsequently goes mad. Hope returns when he finally encounters two other survivors – first a woman, then another man – and the trio attempts to pick up their lives again together. However, jealously, greed and the continuous fear of another ecological disaster put a lot of pressure on their life-style. "The Quiet Earth" is quite an unusual outing in the Sci-Fi genre, especially since it got released during the mid-80's when the genre was dominated by excessively violent movies stuffed with hideous monsters and immensely fancy space-ships. This is a story and atmosphere driven accomplishment with smooth dialogs, witty oppressed humor and complex character drawings. Multiple elements in the script are unique and downright brilliant, like for example Zac's long period of isolation (where he declares himself ruler of the world, dresses up in women's clothes and has conversations with a cardboard statue of Adolf Hitler) and the clarification of how exactly the three managed to survive. Unfortunately the production's biggest trumps are eventually also what degenerates the wholesome a little. The ultimately slow pacing make it difficult to remain focused constantly and the complexity becomes so immense that I didn't even understand what the whole ending was all about. Bruno Lawrence gives a stellar performance as Zac, the Auckland filming locations are deeply impressive and the sad musical score adds extra moodiness to the film. Recommended.