Rediscovering: The Quiet Earth (1985)

[@irishtino1595]

I saw this when it came to an "Art House" theater in NY in 1985. I loved this film, it wasn't Hollywood overproduced bullshit, just followed a simple story. I get teary-eyed with the final scene and the most moving symphonic piece at the end. I watch this movie every two or three years brings me back to the good days of my youth.

[@C64_Mat]

"We won't give away the ending..." Huge still of the ending scene behind them the whole way through. 10/10 for effort.

[@cineXplorers]

You're not the first to make this observation, but in our defense most VHS, DVD and Blu-ray releases feature the same image on the front. Anyway, unless you've seen the movie you won't know it's the end scene, so technically your comment gives away more than we do ;-)

[@arthurbrain3867]

First saw this about five years ago and I loved it, including the ending although I won't say any more about that. The music by John Charles rolling over the end credits was just gorgeous as well.

[@fordprefect80]

Both scenes in The Quiet Earth and 28 Days Later where the protagonist wakes up in bed all alone is inspired by the book The Day Of The Triffids.

[@cineXplorers]

Cheers for the comment! I did not realise that. - J

[@ThiefOfBaghdad]

this movie is a classic, i'm from Hamilton, New Zealand - the place where alot of scenes in this movie were shot and i'm really fascinated by this film! very inspiring to see our city be used in a sci-fi

[@cineXplorers]

Great comment, thanks. Always great to hear from people that come from the place the film was filmed at, especially if that place is a little more obscure than the obvious choices.

[@kirkgroeneveld3191]

You forgot to mention the great music and the other two co-stars!

[@cineXplorers]

We did but we try not to talk too much about the plot and spoilers, our channel is aimed more at hopefully introducing films to people that may not have seen these films before, so that is possibly why they were not mentioned. It's tricky doing it this way because both his co-stars are equally as great in the film!

[@casinodelonge]

Totally boss film, the ending is magnificent and precipitated much discussion in the office, as indeed did the lyrics to "Martikas Kitchen".

[@michaellong6002]

The best movie sound track ever....please do a remake

[@gandfgandf5826]

Watched this last night. Enjoyed it. Knew the basic premise but didn't really know what to expect. Quirky. Odd. Quite funny at times. Lead actor had real screen presence I thought. Very odd trio of main characters, in that they were people who wouldn't meet and mix in other circumstances. The end scene is beautiful. I've read what it's supposed to represent, but I prefer for it to remain a mystery. Wonder if this film was an inspiration for the TV series "The Leftovers" little in common other than people disappearing, but it's just what came to mind when I started watching.

[@ArmyGuyDan]

Watched it yesterday, amazing movie

[@cineXplorers]

Glad you enjoyed it ArmyGuy :)

[@ArmyGuyDan]

when I get a day off gonna watch the segment with Neil Degrasse Tyson

[@seanryan3020]

You can watch it on KZbin. I did last month!

[@fr4nce5ca86]

Lol my dad saw this being filmed in the city. And the part where they show a map of hamilton shows the house i used to live in lol.

[@xarophti]

*cracking up at "it's not that obscure"* I remember when practically NO ONE knew about this movie (like only about 10 yrs ago) & the ONLY way I could get a copy was to buy a bootleg DVD on eBay. Blu-ray, you say...

[@cineXplorers]

Well, now 'it's not that obscure', it's since been rediscovered and released decently and surely that's not a bad thing? My DVD was the 2003 release, so it was readily available back then too. Another film on our channel, The Bed Sitting Room also languished in near obscurity for many years and even though I was successful in procuring a copy from some random bloke in Canada, I was still more than happy when the BFI finally released it to the world on Blu Ray, so everyone else could also enjoy it for the great odd piece of cinema that it is. Also of course, it will depend where you are on the planet. It might have been an awful lot more obscure in many countries, than here, where it did have a release or New Zealand, where it was made ~ J.

[@mtjoy747]

The good thing is that the plot was about trying to establish a power grid in the air, so that planes could be electric and never need to refuel - and of course it went wrong - wiping all but 3 who only existed because at the time of wiping they were entering death from something else. The Maori guy died fighting his mate, drowned - and I suspect Zak took some pills or something, suicide perhaps?

[@MegaSting1981]

Got the new Blu Ray today from Arrow. Never seen the movie but it looks very interesting.

[@cineXplorers]

Nice one, hope you enjoy it, be interested to know what the Arrow release is like, though I am sure I will pick it up at some point.

[@somthingbrutal]

this is an amazing movie, the directors other movie utu is also well worth watching. i adore how you can never be sure if his companions are real or not, and that end scene is up there with the best ending in movie history

[@cineXplorers]

Thanks for the great comment mate 😎I still haven't seen Utu, it's quite hard to get hold of that one. I did enjoy Goodbye Porky Pie though.

[@chriswalker7632]

I noticed a few comments were asking about the ending. I haven't seen this film in years and years - literally all I remember about it is the ending scene! Glad I finally found out (after a bit of creative google searching) what the hell the movie was called from where that iconic ending scene came from after all this bloody time! - and it seems like it's a good film as well!

[@seancollins7447]

I remember renting this from Hollywood Videos years ago, I first heard of this from a disaster movie website and later say it on the self of the video store and rented it right there and then.

[@cineXplorers]

Hey Sean, thanks for the comment mate, it's always interesting when and where people first heard about or saw a certain movie. I can't remember exactly when I first saw this, back in the 90s over here in the UK they occasionally showed strange oddities on TV.

[@seancollins7447]

They showed the Quiet Earth on TV, I have never seen it on channel listings.

[@cineXplorers]

Well in the UK, I'm sure it was on at some point but I don't know about other places.

[@ArmyGuyDan]

Saw it on blu ray for north america, gonna order it

[@cineXplorers]

Come back and let us know what you thought, interested to know what the N.A. blu ray is like too. I think we're getting an Arrow release sometime soon.

[@KiwiExpressCream]

Can't remember if I saw this first on the telly or took a punt on a dvd many moons ago, but it's a cracking little film, really well done. Thanks for rediscovering it.

[@cineXplorers]

No problem, thanks for the comment too! They used to show good little gems like this on the telly in the 80s/90s nowadays not so much, I guess due to the advent of online streaming.

[@Caroleeena]

At one point I am pretty sure we heard birds. So not "all animal life" disappeared apparently.

[@xarophti]

If you watch, it's one of the reel to reel tapes Zac runs in the mansion. I believe it's just after he drinks his egg & champagne & feels one of the Effect tremors, he turns off the reel to reel & the birds suddenly shut off, & he walks out onto the balcony.

[@andyjohnson4907]

If you've seen [the ending] you'll know what we're talking about. If you haven't, the final shot of the movie is right behind us.

[@cineXplorers]

Seeing as most VHS, DVD and Blu-ray releases feature the same image we didn't think it was too much of an issue.

[@andyjohnson4907]

@@cineXplorers So you've added to the problem. Still, your video was otherwise pretty good. Keep it up. Just don't do the same with your Planet of the Apes review.

[@cineXplorers]

Well, in our defence, no one knew it was the final shot of the film until you brought it up ;-) Anyway, glad you enjoyed the video and of course we'd never spoil the ending of POTA, it's one of the best kept secrets in cinema! :D

[@andyjohnson4907]

Now I've added to the problem. Damnit. Unrelated to movies, but did you know the ending of The Strange Case Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is actually a twist, but it's been so overly spoiled, that that's the first thing anybody learns about it.

[@cineXplorers]

Did not know that, must read it one day.

[@sandyonpape]

So what was the ending? I didnt understand.

[@cineXplorers]

We don't talk about the endings, you'll have to watch the film for that! 😎J.

[@bfitnessjoe]

Seems like I am Legend (Will Smith) would be another copy cat of this film ?

[@cineXplorers]

You could say that, although I Am Legend is a retelling of the book of the same name which has been filmed a few times over the years, but yes, they all feature similar ideas. I think The Quiet Earth manages to do it in a slightly more original way.

[@notavailable9526]

different subject matter, similar man as tinkerer w god powers theme, but actually not the same in really any way. watch both of them.

[@lierenkitmenbug87]

You are boring reviewing the movie