Dead Calm (1989)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Phillip Noyce

Writers:

Charles Williams (novel)
Terry Hayes (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 April 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

A Voyage Into Fear.

Plot:

A mass-murderer kidnaps and seduces a young woman after leaving her husband to die on the vessel whose crew he's just slaughtered.

Plot Keywords:

Sea | Sailing | Kidnapping | Rape | Bare Breasts

Awards:

5 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Nicole Kidman	...	Rae Ingram
Sam Neill	...	John Ingram
Billy Zane	...	Hughie Warriner
Rod Mullinar	...	Russell Bellows
Joshua Tilden	...	Danny
George Shevtsov	...	Doctor
Michael Long	...	Specialist Doctor
Lisa Collins	...	'Orpheus' Cruise Girl
Paula Hudson-Brinkley	...	'Orpheus' Cruise Girl
Sharon Cook	...	'Orpheus' Cruise Girl
Malinda Rutter	...	'Orpheus' Cruise Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Benji	...	Dog (as Benji U.D., A.D.)

Also Known As:

Dead Calm: A Voyage Into Fear (USA) (poster title)

Runtime:

96 min | Turkey:83 min (TV version)

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Germany:16 (cut) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 (original rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Company:

Kennedy Miller Productions

Trivia:

Around 1997, there were rumors that Orson Welles material had been revised and seemed "as good as complete (compared to the shooting script)," and that his widow, Paola Mori, was trying to get it cut and distributed.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the end of the film, the suds from the shampoo in Rae's hair disappear.

Quotes:

[Rae has just done away with a psychotic killer and rescued her husband from being lost at sea]
Rae Ingram: You know what I'd love for lunch? Fresh asparagus, then, um, pasta - angel hair pasta with heaps of basil, garlic, olive oil and, uh, apple pie. Uh, John, have you got a towel?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Mitchell (#6.12)" (1993)

An Entertaining, Solid Little Thriller

A young couple, trying to get over the death of their child, go on a cruise along the coral reef in their own private yacht. After many days at sea they come upon a boat with only one survivor. The man comes aboard their ship and almost immediately begins to act erratic. Tensions slowly rise until it becomes obvious that this man is a full blown psychotic who has killed everyone on the first boat and plans to do the same to them.

In many ways this has a foundation to a perfect thriller. The two main characters are sensible and intelligent people who just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Like with every thriller their are a few minor loopholes, but overall the situations are done in a believable fashion with no extreme jumps in logic. The script is tight and the suspense consistent. The action comes naturally through the scenarios and is not forced or played out too long. Having it take place at sea gives it a very distinct flavor. The limitations of the setting actually makes it even more creative. It also hits on one of the main ingredients of fear which is isolation.

The only minor liability is the Zane character. At times he seems like a very believable and even fascinating psychotic. He is definitely no machine like slasher. There are times when he seems very calm and complacent. His disturbed traits only surface sporadically thus giving him a much more multi-faceted presence. Unfortunately he is also very careless and sometimes even amazingly dumb. This hurts the tension because it seems to be telegraphing his own demise.

The Neill character makes a good counterpoint. He is savvy and no-nonsense. He takes action into his own hands and doesn't just fall into the helpless victim mode of other thrillers. The Kidman character is another refreshing change of pace. She is not the standard 'screaming lady in a bikini', but instead shows equal resourcefulness.

The film does resort to the modern day slasher trend of having a 'double' ending. Yet everything is so slickly handled that you can almost just go with it. For thriller fans this should be a real treat.

7 out of 10.