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.)

Directed by
Phillip Noyce

Writing credits
Charles Williams		(novel)
Terry Hayes		(screenplay)

Produced by
Terry Hayes	....	producer
George Miller	....	producer
Doug Mitchell	....	producer

Original Music by
Tim O'Connor
Graeme Revell

Cinematography by
Dean Semler		(as Dean Sempler)

Film Editing by
Richard Francis-Bruce

Casting by
Liz Mullinar
Wallis Nicita		(as Wally Nicita)

Production Design by
Graham 'Grace' Walker

Art Direction by
Kim Hilder

Costume Design by
Norma Moriceau

Makeup Department
Noriko Watanabe	....	makeup artist (as Noriko Spencer)

Production Management
Narelle Barsby	....	production manager
Marcus D'Arcy	....	post-production supervisor
Barbara Gibbs	....	production manager: opening sequence
Neville Mason	....	unit manager
Claire O'Brien	....	post-production supervisor
Phillip Roope	....	unit manager: opening sequence

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ian Astridge	....	second assistant director
Colin Fletcher	....	first assistant director
Ian Freeman	....	second assistant director
Stuart Freeman	....	assistant director
Keith Heygate	....	first assistant director: opening sequence
George Miller	....	second unit director
Vincent Monton	....	second unit director (as Vince Monton)
Murray Robertson	....	first assistant director
Charles Rotherham	....	first assistant director
John Titley	....	second assistant director
Tony Wellington	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Ian Allen	....	props buyer (as Ian Allan)
Ian Allen	....	set dresser (as Ian Allan)
Trevor Badger	....	construction assistant
Terry Barton	....	construction assistant
Rick Best	....	set builder
Peta Black	....	set finisher
Ty Bosco	....	storyboard artist
Walter Bron	....	set builder (as Wolter Bron)
Martin Bruveris	....	set finisher
Michael Calvin	....	construction assistant
Andrew Chauvel	....	leading hand (as Andy Chauvel)
Leah Cocks	....	art department coordinator
Matthew Connors	....	set finisher (as Matt Connors)
Matt Connors	....	set finisher
Anthony Croft	....	construction assistant
Don Croft	....	construction assistant
Garth Croft	....	set builder
Tom Davies	....	construction assistant
Wayne Dawson	....	construction assistant
Judy Ditter	....	art department coordinator
Mont Fieguth	....	additional set dresser (as Monty Fieguth)
David Field	....	construction assistant
Jan Flint	....	soft furnishings
Daniel Flowers	....	set builder
Peter Forbes	....	art department runner
Kevin Asher Green	....	construction assistant (as Kevin Green)
Ken Hannan	....	construction assistant
Peter Harrison	....	construction assistant
Guido Helmstetter	....	special propmaker (as Guido Helstetter)
Robert Higham	....	construction assistant
Bill Howe	....	construction manager
Steve Huxtable	....	construction assistant
Grant Longley	....	set builder
Billy Malcolm	....	head scenic artist
Billy Malcolm	....	sculptor
Gerald Marr	....	construction assistant (as Jerry Marr)
Bob McCarron	....	prosthetics artist
Karan Monkhouse	....	stand-by props
Philip Murchie	....	construction assistant
John Nornede	....	construction assistant
Michael Ormorod	....	construction assistant
Tom Overton	....	construction assistant
Bronwyn Parry	....	set builder
Ray Pedler	....	scenic artist (as Ray Pedlar)
Simon Pooley	....	construction assistant
John Rann	....	construction manager
Tony Read	....	construction assistant
Jane Richter	....	art department runner
Clive Roberts	....	construction assistant
Rob Robinson	....	assistant designer
Larry Sandy	....	set builder
Dennis Smith	....	construction supervisor
Marcus Smith	....	leading hand
Hugh Wade	....	construction assistant
Nick Walker	....	construction assistant
George Zammit	....	stand-by props: opening sequence

Sound Department
Nick Breslin	....	assistant sound editor (as Nicholas Breslin)
Steve Burgess	....	foley editor
Lloyd Carrick	....	additional sound recordist
Julius Chan	....	multi-track engineer
Julius Chan	....	sound effects editor
James D'Arcey	....	multi-track engineer (as James D'Arcy)
Philip Dickson	....	sound transferer (as Phil Dickson)
Philip Dickson	....	transfer operator
Antony Gray	....	assistant sound editor
Tim Jordan	....	dialogue editor
Phil Judd	....	sound mixer
Gerard Long	....	foley editor (as Gerry Long)
Gerry Long	....	foley editor
Jane Maguire	....	assistant sound editor
Ian McLoughlin	....	sound mixer
Susan Metcalfe	....	dialogue editor
Gerry Nucifora	....	boom operator
Ben Osmo	....	sound recordist
Angus Robertson	....	dialogue re-recordist
Roger Savage	....	sound mixer
Annabelle Sheehan	....	dialogue editor
Lee Smith	....	sound designer
Joe Spinelli	....	additional boom operator
Peter Townend	....	sound effects editor
Noelleen Westcombe	....	assistant adr editor
Noelleen Westcombe	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Brian Cox	....	special effects coordinator
David Hardie	....	special effects technician
Chris Murray	....	special effects technician
Reece Robinson	....	rain effects: opening sequence
Wilson Starr	....	special effects technician
David Young	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Roger Cowland	....	special visual effects & opticals

Stunts
Glenn Boswell	....	stunt coordinator (as Glen Boswell)
Richard Boué	....	stunts
Tony Lynch	....	stunts
Joe Pampanella	....	stunt performer
Michael Read	....	stunts (as Michaele Read)
Glenn Ruehland	....	stunt coordinator (as Glen Ruehland)
Lyddy Van Gyen	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Grant Atkinson	....	best boy: opening sequence
Bruce Barber	....	key grip: opening sequence
Ross Berryman	....	additional cinematographer
Brian J. Breheny	....	additional focus puller (as Brian Breheny)
Dean Bryan	....	additional electrician
Geoff Burton	....	director of photography: opening sequence (as Geoff Burton)
Geoff Burton	....	photography: second unit
Colin Deane	....	focus puller
Alan Dunstan	....	best boy
Lindsay Foote	....	additional gaffer
Tex Foote	....	generator operator
Tony Holtham	....	additional gaffer
Kerry Jackson	....	assistant grip
Ian Jones	....	Steadicam operator
Ian Jones	....	additional cinematographer
Ian Jones	....	aerial camera operator
Ian Jones	....	underwater camera operator
Darrin Keough	....	focus puller: opening sequence
Kevan Lind	....	additional camera operator
David Lindsay	....	clapper loader
Danny Lockett	....	assistant grip
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	electrician
Ian McAlpine	....	assistant grip
Sean McClory	....	additional clapper loader
Sean McClory	....	camera maintenance
Irvine G. McLaughlin	....	key grip
John Morton	....	gaffer
Paul Moyce	....	additional electrician
Ian Plummer	....	gaffer: opening sequence
Trevor Ripper	....	additional electrician
Gary Shearsmith	....	assistant grip: opening sequence
Jim Sheldon	....	still photographer
Craig Sykes	....	additional electrician
David Thomas	....	grip rigger
Ross Williams	....	additional camera maintenance

Casting Department
Joanne Zaluski	....	casting associate: USA

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jenny Campbell	....	wardrobe supervisor
Jenny Campbell	....	wardrobe supervisor: opening sequence (as Jennifer Campbell)
Suzy Carter	....	additional stand-by wardrobe (as Suzie Carter)
Annie McCarthy	....	seamstress
Susan Pullen	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Sue Blainey	....	first assistant editor
Sue Blainey	....	first assistant editor: opening sequence
Arthur Cambridge	....	color grader
Miriam Cortes	....	negative matcher
Jenny Hicks	....	assistant editor
Louise Innes	....	associate editor

Music Department
The Tokens	....	music performers

Other crew
Nick Alimede	....	caterer
Janelle Ambrose	....	caterer
Catherine Barber	....	financial controller
Dixie Betts	....	production coordinator: opening sequence
Lynda Collings	....	additional personnel
Clair Crowther	....	additional personnel (as Claire Crowther)
Wayne Dunstan	....	laboratory liaison
Zev Eleftheriou	....	safety supervisor
Alison Ely	....	additional continuity
Janeen Faithfull	....	production accountant
Karen Freeman	....	additional personnel
Serena Gattuso	....	additional production staff
Lynette Harding	....	additional personnel
Bob Hicks	....	safety officer: opening sequence
Alistair Jenkins	....	additional personnel
Fiona King	....	additional production staff
Fiona King	....	production coordinator
Maggie Lake	....	production secretary
Peter Lawless	....	location manager: opening sequence
David Lucas	....	additional personnel
David Marshall	....	caterer
Paul Martin	....	additional production staff
John May	....	accounting assistant
Laura McKinley	....	dog wrangler
Stuart McNorton	....	additional personnel
Pat Nash	....	boat wrangler
Barbara Nolan	....	liaison: Sydney
Jeff Powis	....	double
Jenny Quigley	....	script supervisor
Kate Quinn	....	double
Jacquie Robertson	....	unit nurse (as Jacqueline Robertson)
Stephen Saks	....	location manager
Vicky Satterwhite	....	additional personnel
Mark Taylor	....	production runner
Julie Tulloch	....	caterer
Cassie Vaile	....	caterer
David Vaile	....	caterer
Alfonso Valencia	....	additional personnel
Owen Williams	....	additional personnel
Denise Wolfson	....	laboratory liaison
Christine Woodruff	....	additional personnel
Mary Jane 'M.J.' Yates	....	production coordinator (as Mary-Jane Yates)
Jaime Fowler	....	electronic press kit editor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Kennedy Miller Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• Roadshow Entertainment (1989) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1989) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1989) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1989) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Awa Marine  marine electronic equipment supplied by
• BT Australia Ltd.  financial advice (as BT Australia Ltd.)
• Colorfilm Pty. Ltd.  laboratory
• Optical & Graphics  titling
• Out to Lunch  catering
• Soundfirm  sound facilities
• Spectrum Films International  post-production facilities
• Spectrum Films International  sound facilities
• Staff and Management of Hamilton Island, The  thanks

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:

The movie is based on the novel "Dead Calm" by Charles Williams. Orson Welles had filmed it under the name of "The Deep" (previous title: "Dead Reckoning"), based on his own script. The film starred Jeanne Moreau, Laurence Harvey, Michael Bryant, Welles' then-wife Oja Kodar, and Welles himself. The original story had more characters in it than the 1989 film version. Filming lasted from 1967 till 1969. A few scenes could not be filmed, due to the death of Laurence Harvey in 1970, and so Welles' version never reached the big screen.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Rae tells Hughie to get the canopy down, he shuts the door and we see Rae through a mirror while she gets the shotgun; the camera is briefly visible in the mirror before quickly moving out of sight.

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 "Psych: Six Feet Under the Sea (#3.10)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

WHO STOLE THE ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL

A Full-Blooded Thriller

This great suspense, thriller will have you gripping your seat in every scene. I'm serious. It is one of those that never lets its pace slow down. The realistic plot keeps you thinking, What if that happened to me?, also its not far fetched at all, every scene is acted and directed in a very realistic way, unlike other suspense films which like to stray from reality. The excellent acting, direction and the nail-biting music score keep you tangled up in the suspense filled story, you look past it's minor flaws. It is one of those movies you don't forget. Definitely a must see. Grab onto the arm-rest of your couch before you fall overboard, it's intense. ***1/2 out of ****