The Last Confession of the Cannibal (2008)

Eight men escape from the most isolated prison on earth. Only one man survives and the story he recounts shocks the British establishment to the core. This story is the last confession of Alexander Pearce.

Director:

Michael James Rowland

Writers:

Nial Fulton, Michael James Rowland

Stars:

Adrian Dunbar, Ciarán McMenamin, Dan Wyllie

5 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adrian Dunbar	...	Philip Conolly
Ciarán McMenamin	...	Alexander Pearce (as Ciaran McMenamin)
Dan Wyllie	...	Robert Greenhill (as Daniel Wyllie)
Don Hany	...	John Mather
Bob Franklin	...	Matthew Travers
Chris Haywood	...	Robert Knopwood
Tony Llewellyn-Jones	...	William Sorrell
Richard Green	...	Edward Brown
Tony Goodfellow	...	Alexander Dalton
Peter Dowling	...	Thomas Bodenham
Matthew Preston	...	William Kennerly
Martin Jacobs	...	John Cuthbertson
Bill Young	...	Gaoler Bisdee
Socratis Otto	...	Fine Young British Officer
Carl Rush	...	Constable Logan

Storyline

In 1824 and the British penal colony of VanDiemen's Land is little more than a living hell. Chained to a wall in the darkness of a Hobart cell, Pearce is visited by Father Connolly,the parish priest of the fledgling colony and a fellow Irishman. The harrowing confession Pearce makes, shocks the priest and the British establishment to the core.

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Plot Keywords:

sarah island australia | sydney australia | macquarie harbour | brutality | knopwood | 

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Taglines:

Hunger Has No Limit

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | Horror | Western

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

Australian actor Dan Wyllie lost his front teeth in an accident as a child. He allowed the production team to chip a spare set of dentures for his role as Robert Greenhill, the English sailor-convict.

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Goofs

Although they are in the wilderness for a considerable time (around 3 months), neither Greenhill's nor Pearce's beards show any growth.

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Quotes

Philip Conolly: The world is always easier understood held at a distance, with tales of monsters and the like. This is how Alexander is remembered, not as a man. Yet few truer, words have been spoken; a full belly is prerequisite to all manner of good. Without that, no man knows what hunger will make him do.

User Reviews

A captivating confession of cannibalism

Alexander Pearce was not a hero, he was not a character that you immediately feel sorry for; but he was a man who lived in the most desolate penal colony in Australia. A man driven to escape from the cruelty he endured. A man who yearned for his freedom and would do anything to survive the harshness of his surrounds. The documentary is cleverly driven by narration from the man who he confessed to, a Catholic priest and fellow Irishman. It captures the ruggedness of the bush, the desperation of the human condition and the cruel and barbarous English occupation of Tasmania. The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce is a well paced, well told and captivating confession of cannibalism.

Details

Official Sites:

Facebook

Country:

Australia

Language:

English Irish

Release Date:

25 January 2009 (Australia)

Also Known As:

The Last Confession of the Cannibal

Filming Locations:

Central Highlands, Tasmania, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

AUD1,350,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Essential Media & Entertainment, Essential Viewing Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Dolby SR

Color:

Color