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A Cry in the Dark (1988)
"Evil Angels" (original title)

 -  Drama  -  11 November 1988 (USA)
6.9
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Ratings: 6.9/10 from 4,678 users  
Reviews: 40 user | 19 critic

A mother, whose child was killed in a Dingo attack in outback Northern Territory, Australia, fights to prove her innocence.

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(novel), (screenplay), 1 more credit »
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Title: A Cry in the Dark (1988)

A Cry in the Dark (1988) on IMDb 6.9/10

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Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins & 11 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
Dale Reeves ...
...
Jason Reason ...
Michael Wetter ...
Kane Barton ...
Trent Roberts ...
Lauren Shepherd ...
Bethany Ann Prickett ...
Alison O'Connell ...
Aliza Dason ...
Jane Coker ...
Rae-Leigh Henson ...
Nicolette Minster ...
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Storyline

Based on the true story of Lindy Chamberlain. During a camping trip to Ayers Rock in outback Australia, she claimed that she witnessed a dingo stealing her baby daughter, Azaria, from the family tent. Azaria's body was never found. Police noted some apparent inconsistencies in her story, and she was charged with murder. The case attracted a lot of attention, turning an investigation into a media circus, with the public divided in their opinions. Written by Murray Chapman <muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

dingo | australia | media | ayers rock | police | See more »

Taglines:

A family torn apart. A public filled with outrage. A woman accused of murder.

Genres:

Drama

Certificate:

PG-13 | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

Country:

|

Language:

Release Date:

11 November 1988 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

A Cry in the Dark  »

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$6,908,797 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (dvd release)

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Last cinema film of Dorothy Alison. See more »

Quotes

Michael Chamberlain: I don't think a lot of people realise how important innocence is to innocent people.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Law & Order: Criminal Intent: Anti-Thesis (2002) See more »

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User Reviews

 
apparently, you can't be a Seventh Day Adventist in a media-centric society
22 June 2006 | by (Portland, Oregon, USA) – See all my reviews

When I first saw "A Cry in the Dark", I had no idea what the plot was. But when I saw it, I was shocked at what it portrayed. When I saw it a second time in an Australian Cinema class, I realized a second point: communication issues. You see, when a dingo snatched Lindy Chamberlain's (Meryl Streep) baby, she and her husband Michael (Sam Neill) were grief-stricken but didn't show it. As Seventh Day Adventists, they believed that God willed this to happen, and so they couldn't mourn it. But when people all over Australia saw their lack of sadness, everyone started believing that Lindy did it herself.

The point is, the wrong message got communicated to the public, and it turned people against Lindy. Even though this was a pure accident, it still happened. It may be one of the biggest disasters resulting from the existence of mass media, regardless of any media outlet's political views.

As for the performances, Streep does a very good job with an Australian accent (no surprise there), and Sam Neill is equally great. You will probably get blown away just by what you see here. Definitely one of Fred Schepisi's best movies ever.


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