The Quiet Earth (1985)

[mothman]

"Zac Hobson, July 5th. One: there has been a malfunction in Project Flashlight with devastating results. Two: it seems I am the only person left on Earth."

Anyone else a fan? It's just one of those cult movies that nobody had heard of, but occasionally I meet someone who might have seen or knew of it. I recall at one point in the IMDb "What's That Film?" messageboard's FAQ, the top answer was "That film you're going to ask about? it's The Quiet Earth."

I first saw it being shown in a video store and predictably enough only saw the last few minutes, leading up to the iconic final shot so helpfully spoiled on the fucking poster. I'm not sure if I determined at the time what film it was, but sometime after I watched it for real and was hooked. I picked up the DVD about 12-13 years ago (just after returning from New Zealand), I had to get it from eBay and the very odd DVD cover left me wondering if it was a bootleg and had never really had a DVD release; but it does appear to be genuine. I note there's also a Blu-Ray now (with an equally bizarre cover), might have to pick it up.

I was reminded of it the other day when I listened to the Projection Booth podcast ep about it, including interviews with director Geoff Murphy and producer/credited screenwriter Sam Pillsbury. I did notice one discrepancy in their tales regarding the writing - it appears Murphy was responsible for most of what is seen on-screen, but he seems to imply he was denied a screenwriting credit while Pillsbury seems to think he willingly relinquished it. The film was made for a pittance in less than nine months, to use a tax break before it expired. I especially loved Murphy on the podcast talking about how they created that great final shot using a Matte painting and some masking tape - "a technique from the 1930s, 1920s" as he so dismissively puts it - and the flying through space" shot by pouring the contents of a bean-bag down a tunnel towards a camera.

What I never realised was how many other films had been directed by the guy who did The Quiet Earth. Murphy spent a period in Hollywood as a director-for-hire, doing amongst other things Young Guns 2, Under Siege 2 and - best of all - Freejack. This latter was, in reviews at the time, slated almost to the point of being accused of the downfall of western civilisation, but I've always thought it was a hoot and, well, any film back then with Jonathan Banks in it was all right in my book. Murphy is now retired back in NZ, having last done 2nd unit work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and seems content with his life and work. Even if Freejack was one of the most studio-interfered films he'd ever worked on; he also contradicts the 'official' story of Linda Fioerntino's replacement with Rene Russo - a studio exec by all accounts claimed, improbably, that Fiorentino "didn't give him a hard-on."

The source novel by Craig Harrison has apparently been reprinted and, while it's nowhere as good a story as its cinematic adaptation, is an interesting curio. At one point it was very rare and very expensive, prior to the reissue.

But, of c ourse, the cast. All three of them! Bruno Lawrence is great, his death was a tragedy. Sam Neill rightly singes out his work in his 1990s documentary about NZ films, Cinema Of Unease. Alison Routledge did other work afterwards but nothing that quite hit the heights of Quiet Earth, and Peter Smith was in Lord Of The Rings, The Piano, Once Were Warriors...

Any thoughts?

[Paaaaul]

I haven't seen it, but Arrow released it on Blu-ray just two weeks ago.

[The Culture Bunker]

Never seen the Quiet Earth, but I do remember watching Freejack the best part of 25 years ago and thinking it was ruined by Mick Jagger's absolute lack of acting chops. Shame, as I quite liked the basic premise (at least at the time, at the age of 13).

[BlodwynPig]

An early delight for me. Probably on Channel 4 in the 90s. The closing shot of course was amazing. A nice premise not over-egged.

[Shit Good Nose]

Brilliant film.  I saw this back-to-back with As Time Goes By (also featuring Bruno Lawrence) on BBC2 in the very late 80s. 

Arrow blu on order.

[BlodwynPig]

Brilliant film.  I saw this back-to-back with As Time Goes By (also featuring Bruno Lawrence) on BBC2 in the very late 80s. 

Arrow blu on order.

ah yes, must have been BBC2. Don't remember seeing As Time Goes By.

[Gulftastic]

Good bum shot, IIRC.

[Shit Good Nose]

ah yes, must have been BBC2. Don't remember seeing As Time Goes By.

It was on immediately after it - one of the few VHS tapes I still have on account of The Running Jumping and Standing Still Film on the same tape.  Haven't had a VHS player for years, mind.

[Small Man Big Horse]

I'm a big fan of it, though I haven't seen it in a good twenty years. Regularly used to rent it from the video shop when I was a youngster though and never got tired of it.

[checkoutgirl]

Watched it a few years ago after CaB recommendation. It's quite good. It's the Australian one, isn't it?

[Bad Ambassador]

Brilliant film.  I saw this back-to-back with As Time Goes By (also featuring Bruno Lawrence) on BBC2 in the very late 80s. 

Arrow blu on order.

The memory cheats.

TQE first aired 21 January 1991, and again 21 March 1994, both times BBC2 on Mondays at 9.00pm.

ATGB had three scheduled BBC screenings, all post-midnight:
4 November 1994 at midnight on BBC2, and 7 November 1996 and 17th January 1998, both at at 12.45am on BBC1.

So not back-to-back, but the 1994 screenings are your probable source.

This DVD includes TRJaSSF as an extra.

[Shit Good Nose]

The memory cheats.

TQE first aired 21 January 1991, and again 21 March 1994, both times BBC2 on Mondays at 9.00pm.

ATGB had three scheduled BBC screenings, all post-midnight:
4 November 1994 at midnight on BBC2, and 7 November 1996 and 17th January 1998, both at at 12.45am on BBC1.

So not back-to-back, but the 1994 screenings are your probable source.

This DVD includes TRJaSSF as an extra.

Uh-uh - BBC2, 1989, premiere of both TQE and ATGB, RJSSF on before them (and something else in between RJSSF and the two films that I wasn't interested in - I started recording for RJSSF and just left it running) - the tape is marked up (something I did, as I had a collection of 4000-odd VHS tapes, so it became something of a necessity), I've just checked it.

I don't know what your source is, but if it's the genome, that has proven to be incomplete many many times and every now and again completely incorrect, on this very forum even.

[BlodwynPig]

I probably saw the 1991 screening on BBC2 then.

[Bad Ambassador]

Uh-uh - BBC2, 1989, premiere of both TQE and ATGB, RJSSF on before them (and something else in between RJSSF and the two films that I wasn't interested in - I started recording for RJSSF and just left it running) - the tape is marked up (something I did, as I had a collection of 4000-odd VHS tapes, so it became something of a necessity), I've just checked it.

I don't know what your source is, but if it's the genome, that has proven to be incomplete many many times and every now and again completely incorrect, on this very forum even.

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1991-01-21#at-21.00

First showing on network television for this highly original film from director Geoff Murphy

Yes, but your memory is probably correct and the BBC is lying.

Also, is it likely that ATGB was shown only two years after it was released?

[checkoutgirl]

Also, is it likely that ATGB was shown only two years after it was released?

According to Wikipedia a film "approximately two years after its theatrical release date, it is made available for free-to-air TV".

Although citation is needed on that one.

[phes]

The Quiet Earth is a C&B cult institution and one of my favourite films. I watch it every couple of years on a double header with Night of the Comet

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22the+quiet+earth%22+cookd+and+bombd+site:www.cookdandbombd.co.uk&rlz=1C1CHBD_en-GBGB793GB793&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjg7dWEi4jcAhXHCsAKHRF2BMEQrQIIMygEMAA&biw=1242&bih=577

Seems there's definitely results missing from there as it's come up many, many more times than that. I know i've been in a couple of discussions about it and they're absent

[Shit Good Nose]

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1991-01-21#at-21.00

Yes, but your memory is probably correct and the BBC is lying.

Also, is it likely that ATGB was shown only two years after it was released?

I'm not saying I'm better or more powerful than the BBC (although I'm fairly confident when I say I've employed fewer nonces), BUT when it comes to the genome, I have more faith in my own cataloguing, which would have been done at the time (well, the next day).  The genome is an INCREDIBLY useful reference guide, but it should just be used as a guide, as it isn't 100% accurate or reliable, something which has been proven several times by people with far more time and internet savvy than me (in fact it was on CaB where someone pointed out a huge error in the genome from something not that long ago - I can't remember the exact details, but I think it was a christmas/boxing day thing...someone else might remember better than me).

As Time Goes By never got a theatrical release over here (in fact it barely got one in Australia - if memory serves it disappeared from the big screen over there in a matter of a week or two and went straight to TV - not even a video release), so it was a quick import and throw it up on screen.  It's a shame it's been so buried by pretty much everyone, cos it's a great little film and much better than its IMDB rating would suggest.

[checkoutgirl]

people with far more time and internet savvy than me

You have 4,000 VHS tapes, how can anyone have more time that you?

[Shit Good Nose]

You have 4,000 VHS tapes, how can anyone have more time that you?

Not any more.  Most of them (a mixture of shop-bought vids and stuff recorded off TV) went down the tip in about 2005, much to the bewilderment of the guys down there.  I just kept a few (I didn't count them earlier, but I reckon 20 max) that had stuff which, at the time, wasn't on DVD or the internet.  I should go through them all again, really.  But the kicker about that was literally three days after I took that lot down the tip, Blockbuster announced their "cash/store credit for your unwanted VHS videos" deal, where they were giving 25p cash or 50p store credit for each video that was in decent condition and playable.  I nearly cried when I saw that ad.

I also had a few hundred betamax tapes, which went down the tip a couple of days before the World Trade Center came down.  I'm not saying that the two are linked, but.......

But back then I was single and most of my social life was based around films and music and practically nothing else.  These days I have a wife, a child and the usual adult responsibilities that take up about 90% of one's time.

[Bad Ambassador]

I'm not saying I'm better or more powerful than the BBC (although I'm fairly confident when I say I've employed fewer nonces), BUT when it comes to the genome, I have more faith in my own cataloguing, which would have been done at the time (well, the next day).  The genome is an INCREDIBLY useful reference guide, but it should just be used as a guide, as it isn't 100% accurate or reliable, something which has been proven several times by people with far more time and internet savvy than me (in fact it was on CaB where someone pointed out a huge error in the genome from something not that long ago - I can't remember the exact details, but I think it was a christmas/boxing day thing...someone else might remember better than me).

Errors and inaccuracies in OCR scanning are a bit different from completely fabricated listings. But never mind, you're definitely right because you say you are.

[checkoutgirl]

These days I have a wife, a child and the usual adult responsibilities that take up about 90% of one's time.

You can't go back...

[Shit Good Nose]

Errors and inaccuracies in OCR scanning are a bit different from completely fabricated listings. But never mind, you're definitely right because you say you are.

EDIT - not worth starting an argument about it

[Shit Good Nose]

You can't go back...

Well, you say that, but my DVD and blu collection currently stands at just over 1700, and increasing all the time...

[Beagle 2]

I love this movie, and you can hear samples from it in my track on the first cookdandbombd HA HA TAPE album!

[checkoutgirl]

Well, you say that, but my DVD and blu collection currently stands at just over 1700, and increasing all the time...

DVD and Bluray are not the same. A VHS is a social document with time etched into it, tracking lines, recording points, adverts, interstitials, wear and tear etc. You get none of that with a DVD or Bluray.

[Shit Good Nose]

DVD and Bluray are not the same. A VHS is a social document with time etched into it, tracking lines, recording points, adverts, interstitials, wear and tear etc. You get none of that with a DVD or Bluray.

Yep totally agree.  But by fuck did they take up a shitload of room

Still got my laserdiscs and player though.

[Shaky]

It's a very good film, yes.

[BlodwynPig]

I wanted to wear a silk slip and rant Hitler speeches at statues after this film.

[Shit Good Nose]

I wanted to wear a silk slip and rant Hitler speeches at statues after this film.

Purely coincidental, of course.

[mothman]

Meanwhile, nobody has spotted the little easter egg I inserted into this thread.