The Quiet Earth DVD with Bruno Lawrence, Alison Routledge, Pete Smith (R) +Movie Reviews

"God blinked...and the whole world disappeared."

D. Knouse | vancouver, washington United States | 04/27/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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!"

Vastly Underrated Film!

C. Freeman | San Leandro, CA United States | 08/15/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first saw this film about 14 years ago and thought it one of the best of the 'last man on earth' type movies I'd ever seen. I just saw it several days ago, and my observation still stands. Though all of the actors were great, Bruno Lawrence is especially magnificent as the scientist who is indirectly (or directly, depending on your point of view) responsible for wiping out the human race, as well as all lifeforms. Together, with two survivors, he sets out to destroy the energy grid that caused everyone to vanish suddenly, and which still has the potential to wipe out the remaining survivors. Time is running out on the last of the human race. The ending, together with that haunting score and great special effects, is perhaps one of the most memorable ever."

A startling film...

ACivilWarrior@yahoo.com | Hollister, CA | 06/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Great Classic Great DVD

Donald W. Stein | Buffalo, NY USA | 09/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Partway a great film.

jblyn | Maryland, USA | 12/27/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The first 50 or so minutes of this film are terrific. The late Bruno Lawrence plays Zac Hobson, a scientist in New Zealand who wakes up one morning to find that everyone except him seems to have vanished from the face of the earth. We see him trying to cope with this state of affairs, going crazy and then slowly regaining his sanity while the world is silent around him. In these scenes, Lawrence gives a bravura performance which manages to stop short of hamming it up and really gets you caring about Zac's frail psyche. His descent and renewal are as gripping as any great moviemaking could be, done with only a few words, a few poignant gestures and deft editing and camerawork.

Zac then finds out that he's not alone after all: first, a young woman named Joanne and then a burly Maori lorry-driver named Api find him and the three of them try to puzzle out why they're still on Earth and everyone else has vanished. It's at this point that the movie gets pretty soggy. There's a rather flimsy plotline about how an experiment funded by the big, bad USA somehow brought about this catastrophe, a love triangle that comes about just when you're hoping a love triangle WON'T come about, and an ending that smacks of the story petering out, as opposed to leaving you with tantalizing unanswered questions. So that's disappointing. But the first 50 minutes of THE QUIET EARTH are right up there with the first hour of THE BLACK STALLION, where the director uses all of the cinematic tools at his disposal to help you experience Zac Hobson's despair fully and completely. That's worth the viewing in and of itself."

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