Dead Calm (1989)

After a tragedy, John Ingram and his wife Rae are spending some time isolated at sea, when they come across a stranger who has abandoned a sinking ship.

Director:

Phillip Noyce

Writers:

Terry Hayes (screenplay), Charles Williams (novel)

Stars:

Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill, Billy Zane

5 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited 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
Benji	...	Dog (as Benji U.D. A.D.)

Storyline

An Australian couple take a sailing trip in the Pacific to forget about a terrible accident. While on the open sea, in dead calm, they come across a ship with one survivor who is not at all what he seems.

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Plot Keywords:

sailboat | female nudity | nudity | psychological thriller | psychological | 

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Taglines:

A Voyage Into Fear.

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 April 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dead Calm: A Voyage Into Fear

Filming Locations:

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

$10,400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,463,551, 9 April 1989, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$7,825,009

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kennedy Miller Productions, Lynx Location Services

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min 83 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sam Neill met his wife, Noriko Watanabe, in the making of this film.

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Goofs

In the scene where Rae is loading the shotgun, you can see the primers of the shotgun shells that have already been fired.

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Quotes

[assuming it's her husband that is washing her hair]
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, um, apple pie. Yeah. Uh, John, have you got a towel?

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Crazy Credits

The producers wish to thank the owners of 'Storm Vogel' for the use of their yacht as the 'Saracen' and Keith Williams, the staff and management of Hamilton Island.

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Connections

Featured in Revealed: Billy Zane (2013)

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Soundtracks

The Itsy Bitsy Spider
(uncredited)
Traditional children's nursery rhyme

User Reviews

One location 3 actors

A terrific thriller set on the sea with three fine actors portraying characters of control, resurrection, and unbalance. Sam Neil portrays the fearless, in control naval captain. His abilities combined with the institution of marriage display a refine existence. Compare Neil's abilities with Billy Zane's self induced party boy image who survives by the primitive nature of man and you will see structure verses chaos. Zane's character is sexy and alluring therefore irresistible to sexual stimuli. Nicole Kidman is faced with recovering from the loss of her child; shown, in the start of the film, being thrown out of the front of a car windshield. There, in the dead calm of an open sea, she must resurrect her abilities of courage and strength. She faces off the unbalanced nature of Zane's character using her sexual allure as well but in a very different capacity. It is all about survival using the tools given to you and the tools you acquire. A brilliant thriller set in one location. Directed with sexual tension. ***