Quiet Earth - The final experiment
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Quiet Earth - The final experiment |
| Original title | The Quiet Earth |
 | |
| Country of production | New Zealand |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1985 |
| length | 91 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Geoff Murphy |
| script |
Bill Baer Bruno Lawrence Sam Pillsbury |
| production |
Sam Pillsbury Don Reynolds |
| music | John Charles |
| camera | James Bartle |
| cut | Michael Horton |
| occupation | |
| |
Quiet Earth - The Final Experiment is a 1985 New Zealand science fiction film directed by Geoff Murphy . The film is loosely based on the book of the same name by Craig Harrison and was produced by Cinepro and Mr. Yellowbeard Productions Limited & Company . Other cited influences on the film were the novels Ich bin Legende , Dawn of the Dead, and especially the 1959 film The World, the Flesh and the Devil . Quiet Earth is also known as the unofficial remake of the latter film.
action
On the morning of July 5th near Auckland , New Zealand , the colors of the sun and sky suddenly change - a few seconds later everything is back to normal.
Zac Hobson is a scientist who works on the international Flashlight project; an ambitious experiment that aims to create an energy network around the earth that can be tapped anywhere. Confused, he wakes up in his bedroom and notices that his radio is not receiving any broadcasts. He gets dressed and goes to town, where all people have mysteriously disappeared. He discovers a burning plane wreck, in which, however, no victims can be found, only empty seats with closed seat belts.
At his workplace, an underground laboratory, he tries to contact other stations in the Flashlight project, but they do not answer by phone or via the computer network. He takes from the logs that the "Flashlight" operation took place as planned. He speaks on his dictation machine:
“Zac Hobson, July 5th. First: There was a malfunction in the Flashlight project, with devastating consequences. Second, it seems that I am the only survivor. "
After several days of unsuccessful search for people, his mental state begins to deteriorate more and more. He puts on a woman's nightgown and from the balcony gives a speech to cardboard comrades of various famous personalities ( Adolf Hitler , Richard Nixon , Elisabeth II, etc.), in which he names himself "President of this silent earth". He wanders aimlessly; in search of God he shoots the crucifix in a church with a shotgun. He thinks he is God. In his hopelessness, he finally sticks the barrel of the gun in his mouth, but then doesn't pull the trigger, but decides to make the best of his life as the last person on earth.
When he has settled in a villa by the sea and his zest for life returns, he is surprised by the young Joanne, who first becomes his girlfriend and then his lover. Together they decide to continue looking for survivors and thus find the Māori Api.
Together, the three discover that they were all on the verge of death at the time of the effect : Api was drowned by a man in a fight, Joanne was electrocuted, and Zac took an overdose of pills to kill himself . He had serious concerns about the safety of the experiment and felt guilty for keeping it to himself.
While a triangular relationship develops, Zac is very worried about the further consequences of the experiment: He measures changes in fundamental natural constants; the electron charge oscillates , which has catastrophic effects on the entire universe. Zac fears that the effect will repeat itself and decides to destroy the "Flashlight" system.
The three of them drive to the facility with a whole truck full of explosives, but have to stop shortly before their destination - the radiation around the facility could ignite the explosive charge. Zac wants to drive back to get a remote control with which the truck can be driven into the system from a safe distance and ignited. While Joanne and Api are lying in bed together, they soon hear the truck pulling away - Zac has decided to drive it himself. It breaks through the ceiling of the underground facility and ignites the charge at the same moment that the effect occurs again.
The strange lighting effects appear again. Zac comes to, lying alone on a beach. Alien cloud formations tower above the sea. A ring planet, possibly Saturn , appears large on the horizon. The film ends with a close-up of Zac's perplexed face. He lifts his dictation machine, but lets it down again.
Reviews
“An original end-of-life film with undertones critical of civilization and a convincing leading actor. Unfortunately, the basic idea is not productive enough to carry the film over the entire route. Also disturbing are some philosophical-metaphysical excursions, which are supposed to give the plot depth, but only delay the tempo. Still an interesting contribution to the science fiction genre. "
“ The Quiet Earth is based on the novel of the same name by the New Zealand writer Craig Harrison. In 1987 the atmospherically intoxicatingly dense end-time drama was awarded the audience and jury award at the Festival of Fantastic Films in Munich - and rightly so. […] The Quiet Earth manages long stretches without special effects. However, when they are applied, everything looks right. The background music by John Charles also contributes to the unique atmosphere. "
Awards
- Festival of Fantastic Films in Munich 1986
- Grand Jury Prize and Audience Prize
- Fantafestival 1986
- Best Actor - Bruno Lawrence
- Best Director - Geoff Murphy
- New Zealand Film and TV Awards 1987
- Best Cinematography - James Bartle
- Best Director - Geoff Murphy
- Best editing - Michael Horton
- Best Picture - Don Reynolds and Sam Pillsbury
- Best Actor - Bruno Lawrence
- Best Supporting Actor - Pete Smith
- Best Production Design - Josephine Ford
- Best Screenplay - Bill Baer, Sam Pillsbury and Bruno Lawrence
backgrounds
The music for the film was composed by John Charles in collaboration with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra . His time was Quiet Earth the most financially successful New Zealand film. Bruno Lawrence was dubbed in German by Wolf Martienzen , known as the spokesman for the Radeberger commercials.
The first performance in Germany took place on September 11, 1986. The film was released on October 27, 2006 as a DVD in German. A new edition was released on June 24, 2011, which is also available on Blu-ray .
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of Quiet Earth - The last experiment with the music for the film by John Charles was released in 1986 as an 18 track LP with Milan Records MIL CH 028 and in 1993 also as a CD on the X LXCD 9 label.
Web links
- Quiet Earth - The last experiment in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Quiet Earth - The last experiment in the online movie database
- Quiet Earth - The last experiment in the All Movie Guide (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Release certificate for Quiet Earth - The last experiment . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry , August 2006 (PDF; test number: 57 008 DVD).
- ↑ tcm.com
- ^ The Phantom of the Movies' Videoscope. Three Rivers Press, 2000, p. 292 ( books.google.co.in ).
- ^ Cineforum. Federazione italiana cineforum, 1989 ( books.google.com ).
- ↑ Quiet Earth - The Last Experiment. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .
- Jump up ↑ The Quiet Earth Movie Starts Review
- ↑ Soundtrack for Quiet Earth - The Last Experiment by Composer John Charles in Soundtrackcollector