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The Quiet Earth (1985)

Bruno Lawrence , Alison Routledge , Geoff Murphy  |  R |  DVD
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (80 customer reviews)


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Product Details

  • Actors: Bruno Lawrence, Alison Routledge, Pete Smith (III), Anzac Wallace, Norman Fletcher
  • Directors: Geoff Murphy
  • Format: Color, Widescreen, NTSC
  • Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
  • DVD Release Date: June 13, 2006
  • Run Time: 91 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (80 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B000EZ908Y
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,554 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • Learn more about "The Quiet Earth" on IMDb

Special Features

  • Commentary with Producer Sam Pillsbury
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Eight-Page Collectible Booklet

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The "last man on Earth" sci-fi sub-genre is reasonably well represented by director Geoff Murphy's The Quiet Earth, a 1985 film from New Zealand that earned plenty of Kiwi kudos in its day but still fails to measure up to the great expectations engendered by its premise. Bruno Lawrence is Zac Hobson, a techie who's involved in "Project Flashlight," a vast energy grid that allows war planes to circle the planet without ever refueling (leave it to "the Americans," who are blamed for the whole ensuing mess, to come up with such a diabolical idea). When what Zac drolly describes as "a malfunction" (thereafter known as "the Effect") occurs early one morning, he awakens to discover that he's apparently the only survivor, human or otherwise, of a catastrophe that has altered the very fabric of the universe. Lawrence is terrific in these early scenes, which find him gradually losing his marbles as the gravity of his situation sets in; wearing nothing but a woman's slip, he stands on a balcony and grandly addresses an "audience" of cardboard standups (from Queen Elizabeth and Hitler to Bob Marley and Alfred Hitchcock), declaring himself "president of this quiet Earth." But effectively sustaining such weirdness is tough, and although Murphy, to his credit, doesn't over-rely on special effects and scientific gobbledygook, the film isn't up to it. Turns out Zac isn't the only survivor, and when first a pretty young woman (Alison Routledge) and then a Maori man (Peter Smith) appear, the director tries to balance the human dynamics with the sci-fi elements (seems the Effect may not be over after all) to awkward and unsatisfying effect, and the film loses most of its momentum. As for the ending, well, safe to say that it will leave some viewers perplexed, others feeling that they've been bamboozled, and still others thinking that its mystery and lack of explicable closure are perfect. --Sam Graham

Product Description

At exactly 6:12 am, government research scientist Zac Hobson (a powerhouse performance by Bruno Lawrence of SMASH PALACE and UTU) awakens to discover that he may be the last man on earth: homes, highways and entire cities are deserted. Empty planes have fallen from the sky. Every living thing has disappeared. But for Hobson, the ultimate shock is still to come months later when he finds that he is not alone. With the addition of a beautiful young woman (Alison Routledge) and a Maori trucker (Pete Smith), the apocalypse suddenly becomes very personal. What has happened to everyone else on the planet? Why has Zac himself survived? Will sexual tension lead to sudden violence? And what is the ultimate responsibility for a man of science when the end of the world may be just the beginning?

Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A startling film... June 24, 2004
Format:VHS Tape
Although I do wish I could get a copy on DVD here in the states (hint, hint) I wanted to share my thoughts with those having a look here.
A vivid look into one man's nightmare and awakening, but also a haunting commentary on the dangers of science without a conscience. Masterfully blended in a raw and unadorned style which makes the characters seem more alive, more real, for the lack of Hollywood glitz and glamor. No "B" movie here. Truly a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours. And a film that will have you scratching your head and wondering about a great many things for years to come. After roughly 15 years I still consider this movie on a regular basis.
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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Classic Great DVD September 2, 2006
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
For fans of apocalyptic sci-fi The Quiet Earth is a must see. This is the story of a suicidal scientist waking up to an empty world and then finding out why this happened. The ending is atypical for movies and has you thinking long after the movie. I've traveled to New Zealand and watching the end of the world scenes in 80s Auckland was eerie.

The DVD transfer is surprisingly good considering the age of the movie. Full 16x9 widescreen with good color. The sound quality is a little off. The DVD box is really well made. The box is solid and has interesting artwork. This DVD will make an excellent collector's item.
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44 of 57 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars "God blinked...and the whole world disappeared." April 26, 2004
Format:VHS Tape
4.5 stars. Australian Science Fiction has never been widely distributed nor marketed widely in America. With the occasional, rare exception, such as "Pitch Black," most people think all Australian films are invariable linked to "Crocodile Dundee." This story starts off with a man waking up to find all the people in the world are gone. While he is alone there are some unnerving and even blasphemous scenes showing his mental disintegration through isolation. I recently had a collegue mention that Man is a social creature, and that if any one man was all alone in the world he would eventually crack-up. This discussion reminded me of this under-appreciated film that, for some reason, is not available on DVD in the United States. Bruno Lawrence is excellent as the main character, showing both mania and depression with equal intensity; but eventually he embraces his future, albeit with a somber countenance, only to discover that he is not alone and for very macabre reasons. The first time I saw this movie I absolutely loved the ending, which is both fantastic and reasonable. All in all, this is must-see, intelligent Sci-fi. Thank you. EDIT: Apparently, this film is from New Zealand. (picky-picky, people) Also, it is now currently available on DVD. Yeah!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars Just OK
I thought i might like this better than i did, but it did not happen. Perhaps i had too much high hopes about this film. I
didn't understand some things in the film. Read more
Published 1 month ago by LoBo
5.0 out of 5 stars Unique sci-fi conceit
This time it was man and not the Krell (Forbidden Planet) that were about to project power worldwide and again the results were disasterous. Read more
Published 2 months ago by B. Weber
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Sci Fi
I saw this as a kid, and again recently. For the era, this is really well done.

The movie itself focuses around three people, and a deserted landscape, both urban and... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Josh Daniel S. Davis
4.0 out of 5 stars surprisingly good (New Zealand) scifi
I remembered this film for 25 years and had always wanted to see it again. I am happy to say it met the test: the story is an interesting variation on the "last man on earth"... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Robert J. Crawford
5.0 out of 5 stars It still has the power to stun
After all these years, "The Quiet Earth," if anything, seems more powerful than ever. I thought it was a terrific film when I first saw it, sometime in the early 1990s after... Read more
Published 9 months ago by maelje
4.0 out of 5 stars Stop, hey what's that sound
Zac Hobson (Bruno Lawrence) a scientist at Delenco laboratory died at 6:12 A.M. or did he? First six mimuts of the film there is no dialog or people. Read more
Published 11 months ago by bernie
4.0 out of 5 stars 3 1/2 Stars - "He tells lies!"
The umbrella term of 'Post-Apocalyptic' has the potential to cover a surprisingly broad range of films, anywhere from the violent, mindless savagery of warring survivors to calmer,... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Bryan Byrd
2.0 out of 5 stars An Ambitious Concept That Sputters to a Vague Conclusion
Straightforward New Zealand science fiction from the mid 1980s with more interest in concept than storytelling. Read more
Published 15 months ago by drqshadow
5.0 out of 5 stars A top Sci-fi film on my list.
This film to me is one of the best, if not the best last man on earth films I know of. Even though it has been awhile since it's release, it still holds up today. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Curtis A. Page
5.0 out of 5 stars A very spooky and surreal sleeper classic!
"The Quiet Earth" is one of the first movies I think of when I think of the apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic sub-genre of science-fiction and horror films. Read more
Published 19 months ago by William Dorfer
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