The Quiet Earth (1985)

Director:

Geoff Murphy

Writers:

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

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

Directed by
Geoff Murphy

Writing credits
Craig Harrison		(novel)
Bill Baer		(written by) &
Bruno Lawrence		(written by) &
Sam Pillsbury		(written by)

Produced by
Sam Pillsbury	....	producer
Don Reynolds	....	producer

Original Music by
John Charles

Cinematography by
James Bartle

Film Editing by
Michael Horton

Production Design by
Josephine Ford

Art Direction by
Rick Kofoed

Costume Design by
Michael Kane

Makeup Department
Jill Mills	....	hair stylist
Jill Mills	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Margaret Hilliard	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Kaiser	....	second assistant director
Lee Tamahori	....	first assistant director
Sue Turtill	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Richard Arlidge	....	carpenter
Jeanelle Aston	....	set dresser
Lee Baker	....	carpenter
Brian Beberford	....	carpenter
Neville Gee	....	set dresser
Matthew Gordon	....	carpenter
Dave Green	....	set painter
Warren Hoy	....	property buyer
Neil Kirkland	....	model maker
David Mahon	....	assistant set painter
John Miles	....	construction manager
Tim Minnell	....	carpenter
Richard Morrison	....	carpenter
Alan O'Neil	....	carpenter
Margaret Purkis	....	assistant props buyer
Paul Radford	....	scenic artist
Mark Robins	....	stand-by props
William Ryan	....	carpenter
Bob Schmidt	....	carpenter
Kim Sinclair	....	set designer
Brian St. John	....	art department runner
John Williams	....	set dresser
Michael Worrall	....	model maker

Sound Department
Stephen Buckland	....	sound trainee
Chris Burt	....	sound assistant
Gary Clark	....	sound
Gethin Creagh	....	sound mixer
Finola Dwyer	....	sound editor
Anny Lowery	....	assistant editor
Garth Maxwell	....	assistant sound editor
John McKay	....	sound editor
Robin Murphy	....	assistant sound editor
Martin Oswin	....	sound mixer
Hammond Peek	....	sound recordist
Grant Stuart	....	boom operator
John Van Der Ryden	....	sound
Mike Westgate	....	sound mixer
Mike Westgate	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Phil Addenbrook	....	special effects general hand
Ken Durey	....	special effects supervisor
Bruce Tooley	....	special effects assistant

Stunts
Ray Wilson	....	stunt driving coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Rourke Crawford-Flett	....	grip
Geoff Jamieson	....	key grip
Brett Jarman	....	best boy
Paul Leach	....	camera operator
Nick Mayo	....	clapper loader
Brett Mills	....	gaffer
Dave Slade	....	camera assistant
Pip Tocker	....	electrician
Ian Turtill	....	focus puller

Editorial Department
Anny Lowery	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Dave Fraser	....	music producer

Other crew
Midge Bentley	....	production secretary
Chris Carr	....	secretary to producer
Louise Fry	....	location assistant
Victoria Hardy	....	production assistant
Evan Jenkins	....	unit nurse
Elaine Miskell	....	production assistant
Andy Pope	....	security officer
Linda Ray	....	continuity
Leo Reynolds	....	mechanical engineer
Campbell Stevenson	....	production accountant
Kate White	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Cinepro
• Mr. Yellowbeard Productions Limited & Company

Distributors

• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox Home Video
• Cannon Film Distributors Ltd. (UK)
• Films Merry Lines (1985) (France) (all media)
• Skouras Pictures
• Sunfilm Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (DVD)

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

Hope over Hell

This was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Instead of being yet another it's-the-end-of-the-world-so-let's-kill-everyone-left movie it beautifully illustrates human hope, self-realization and sacrifice.

We begin with Zac in his depressed, selfish self. On day one, we get a taste of how Zac must have treated the world when people were in it. Now that the people are gone a happier Zac moves through the Kubler-Ross stages, to the audience's amusement. Eventually he meets another person, a woman - Joanne. Joanne is the embodiment of nurturing, femininity and compromise, herself having been alone as long as Zac.

Once they find each other, Joanne and Zac form an alliance that quickly becomes romantic, quirky and easy. Then the third player arrives, Api, who seems far better prepared for living after the world has gone empty.

Two men and one woman - from the moment they all meet it's strained with only Joanne bridging the distance. Jealousy and suspicion begin, there are poignant examples of human frailty and attempts to reach out to each other, except with Zac. Zac knows something that neither Joanne or Api could possibly know and eventually, he has to tell them.

The tension of the living situation builds and hits an apex when Zac finally tells the truth, the horrifying secret that is not only the answer to how the people vanished, but to what is about to happen. The ending, Zac's decision to change who he was, to love Joanne and Api enough to put himself aside turns weirdly mystical in the final scenes.

Overall, the story is an allegory of what we do to ourselves, how we can overcome our tendencies for base, selfish behavior and learn to love. It's one movie I walked away from thinking about so much more then when I began it.