The Quiet Earth (1985)

A man named Zac Hobson awakens to find himself alone in the world. In a desperate attempt to search for others, he finds only two who have their own agenda.

Director:

Geoff Murphy (as Geoffrey Murphy)

Writers:

Craig Harrison (novel), Bill Baer

Stars:

Bruno Lawrence, Alison Routledge, Pete Smith

10 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bruno Lawrence	...	Zac Hobson
Alison Routledge	...	Joanne
Pete Smith	...	Api (as Peter Smith)
Anzac Wallace	...	Api's Mate
Norman Fletcher	...	Perrin
Tom Hyde	...	Scientist

Storyline

A man wakes up to find himself literally alone in the world, and goes about trying to find other survivors, as well as to find out what happened. He suspects that a government research project he was involved in had something to do with the disappearance of everyone. Eventually he finds several other people, and once they begin to trust each other they try to figure out why they were left on earth.

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Plot Keywords:

last man on earth | experiment | parallel world | love triangle | post apocalypse | 

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Taglines:

Zac Hobson was the last man on Earth

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

New Zealand

Language:

English Maori

Release Date:

18 October 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Terra Tranquila

Filming Locations:

Clevedon, Auckland, New Zealand

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,825, 20 October 1985

Gross USA:

$2,123,135

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,123,135

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinepro, Pilsbury Productions, Mr. Yellowbeard Productions Limited & Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Another major point of comparison is the 1959 film 'The World, the Flesh, and the Devil'-- which also features a similar trio of survivors in a post-apocalyptic United States, only with the races switched. The first survivor is a black man, the second a white woman, and the third a white man. Race plays a much more explicit role in that film, whereas 'The Quiet Earth' makes statements on race more subtly.

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Goofs

When Zac is driving the big earth moving machine (at around 33 mins), just as he stops, if you look through the window of the truck in the upper left of the screen you can see a car passing in the distance.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Zac Hobson: [trying to pay for gasoline] Hello... Hello... Hello?

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Crazy Credits

During the closing credits the scene cuts to a close up of Zac Hobson staring in stunned disbelief at what he's beholding. Then he realizes he's still holding his mini-tape recorder in his left hand, and after a moment of contemplation lets it drop to his side, as if there are no words to describe the sight.

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Connections

Referenced in 28 Days Later... (2002)

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Soundtracks

Prelude No. 2
Performed by Kenny Burrell

User Reviews

Quite A Quiet Film

This film is a lost gem.

Not many (or not nearly enough) have seen it and those who have mostly love it. Director Geoff Murphy's film career has gone right into the proverbial john since making this. Oh, he's still working, sure, but his later works (some of them) can't compare to this masterwork.

But if you like Last Man On Earth type movies this celluloid slice of sci-fi cherry pie is for you! It has one of those endings that will leave you dazzled and puzzled. It doesn't try and tie up all the loose ends and questions like a lot of films do. Its much like a Kubrick film in that respect.

Hopefully The Talented Mr. Murphy will make a film as good as this again someday. Here's hoping! And I loved the ass shot of the beautiful, milky skinned redhead (Alison Routledge) as well. Talk about cherry pie. Yum.

You will like the aforementioned shot too. If you swing that way.