John Charles scores "The Quiet Earth"

[@TheBiomuse]

This is one of the most memorable film scores ever written. Why this didn't receive an Oscar nomination is entirely beyond me, but I suppose at that time New Zealand wasn't on the Academy's map. New worlds indeed.

[@helioseternal2537]

It’s 2017 I come upstairs and my parents are watching this movie, I walked in about 20 minutes into the movie and oh my god did it leave an impact, I’ve never forgotten it or it’s amazing ending

[@NeedsEvidence]

The movie left a haunting impression on me when I watched it for the first time over 20 years ago, in part because of the outstanding music score, which captures and defines so well the eerie atmosphere of the plot. I still watch the movie from time to time.

[@Finwingman]

I have once seen such clouds in the sky two years ago in summer very early in the morning over the ocean. Only the rising saturn were missing. That was very unreal and almost surreal feeling that I had then. This is definetly one of the most powerful endings of a movie visually and the music.

[@lindawright3674]

I really wish John Charles would go back to scoring movies! This soundtrack was excellent at the time and it still is! It is so deep and interesting. His talent would bring a fresh sound to a genre of music which is dominated by so few. His music on a film score would be a breath of fresh air!

[@valentinocarvajal]

I have the impression that "The Quiet Earth" had a lot of influence on "I Am Legend" Will Smith. I've seen "The Quiet Earth" more than fifty times, great movie

[@Weaponsandstuff93]

The novel I am Legend came out in the 1950s though.

[@sickheadache9903]

@@Weaponsandstuff93 I am Legend By Richard Matheson who wrote Duel...Steven Spielberg’s TV Movie.

[@an645]

@@Weaponsandstuff93 I recently read I Am Legend. Although I liked the movie a lot, the novel is quite different in many ways...and a whole lot better.

[@panicineurope]

This song invokes something deep. It's that feeling of having found something beautiful and meaningful, yet not being sure if there is anyone out there to share it with. Kind of a hard feeling to come by in the age of over-connectivity. Cheers to anyone who finds this beautiful piece and knows what I mean.

[@KrisStraub]

This movie had a huge impact on me when I was little. So nice to find the theme!

[@bigrathole]

I feel kind of ashamed that I'm a New Zealander who didn't know this existed.

[@70birdy]

same here.. especially the final rising saturn was both nightmare releasing creepy and mysterious attractive to me.... great movie, great soundtrack!

[@thejosefkstories]

Oh shit, this was super formative for me as well.

[@effjay67]

Saw this film many years ago as a young man, the film made little impact upon me but the title music was stunning. Just because of the music I have had this movie in my collection for over 20 years.

[@oldbaldfatman2766]

Oct. 21, 2019---This was one hell of a good movie. Mine's on VHS, recording back in the day when AMC showed movies with NO commercials until the movie credits were ended.

[@miko50474]

.....Movie and Soundtrack masterpieces of art.

[@GrandMerc89]

ZERO thumbs down (as I am writing this). This is one of the best scores I've ever heard, and it's from a film that I just found a month ago. On par with Lawrence of Arabia. The film was great too. Australia and New Zealand seem to put out a lot of good science fiction films.

[@elgar104]

Wow. The opening minute and a half is astonishingly good. So confident. How can you be this good and not go on to global renown?

[@bobbengan]

Because real composers of this ilk are no longer in vogue with the current crop of filmmakers.

[@thescandinavian2487]

Great score for a gnarly film.

[@Fyawnym]

I just watched the film again yesterday and indeed - the opening scene with this magnificent soundtrack is just unbeatable.

[@iscriptikus]

the book was very recently re-released and you can order from New Zealand- got my copy just yesterday

[@leftcoastskeptic]

I viewed this film on an obscure television channel in the USA. I was stunned. Felt it was one of the best films I had ever seen. That channel is now called BRAVO and they air nothing but trash. But the movie is still on of my favorites.

[@NEMESIS9415]

This music score was simply superb!!! Too pity though it was from N. Zealand and went underestimated this way.

[@slarmouth]

Yes, Im really glad to see loads of other people having real passion for this film. I watch it every now and again to enjoy the music and the movie of course!

[@2000Ajjet]

Watched this movie at school way back in 1989, part of six form curriculum...was WOW then pretty much the last two minutes burned into everyones minds. The soundtrack was and still is brilliant - thanks for posting.

[@ohiovr]

Excellent soundtrack, great movie acting etc..

[@inquisition1599]

Zack Hobson,rides a truck full of dynamite into the Searchlight facility and either saves or blows up the earth wakes up on another planet in another universe and still wont take off his tie. Zack was the boss.

[@inquisition1599]

***** Nope, he died or blew himself up during the effect that zapped the rest of the human population in the beginning of the movie. Either he successfully saved the planet or finished it off. In either case he lived.

[@inquisition1599]

The effect first happened when he woke up. In fact when he woke up he died. Just like how the Girl died by the short from her hair dryer. Api was killed at the same time by his mate in the swamp. That exact second was the effect and those 3 died at the same time. There were lesser "effects" during the movie, Was it the sun. I believe it was called project flashlight, something worked upon by the defense industries of the West. Something they were working on did its work in the beginning and the 3 stars were surviving until Zack Hobson figured it out and he knew it was going to happen at such and such a time so he rigged up the Project headquarters to explode. So I think with his truckbomb either he finished off the earth or saved it. That they were not clear about. However he had to have been blasted to another universe. What happened to the other 2? Good question either they inherited the Earth or were destroyed along with everything else on Earth and Zach Hobson was the only thing remaining of Earth or Humanity.

[@inquisition1599]

***** I think they were on the verge of a major scientific breakthrough and it just backfired. Just like there were people who predicted that the atomic bomb would have blew the earth up, that it would have been 1 million times worse than Hiroshima. Project Flashlight ripped apart the space time continum. The great thing about The Quiet Earth, is it doesn't spoon feed you the ending like other movies. Whos to say if Zach didn't even blow up the truck bomb that nothing would have happened? Maybe Zach just helped finish of the rest of Earth or he might have warped himself back in time to the beginning of Earth or the Earth was moved itself to the other galaxies?

[@inquisition1599]

***** Very eye opening, however this movie's end is interpreted I do like the theories I read on the link you supplied. Thank you very much for that read. I'm going to watch this movie this weekend.for the billionth time, on this Quiet Earth.

[@inquisition1599]

***** I didn't think u were rude. The link you provided was very insightful.

[@PBnJamey]

This is my favorite movie.

[@an645]

I am pulling this movie off the shelf and watching for the umpteenth time after listening to this score...for the umpteenth time.

[@ladamyre1]

Very Gershwin-esque. Totally awesome. Ranks right up there with Hanson's "Romantic" used at the end of "Alien". Makes me wonder why movie makers haven't used some of Rachmaninoff's stuff, like for instance the "Symphonic Dances". One of the overlooked modern classical composers.

[@ichaffee1]

ladamyre omg so right on.. I just watched Alien directors cut and that music esp during the end..so other worldly.. then I thought of some parts of Quiet Earth.. so etherial ..i love it!! seems to say some thing about our state of existence in this strange and wonderful universe

[@adamsutherland9343]

Saw this for the first time today, had to find this superb music. Well done, uploader.

[@ibidesign]

Thank you so much for uploading this. Not an easy find on CD anymore.

[@dinoleox1]

I first saw this movie on a vhs store in 2008 . Watched it online last year and it was totally amazing. Nice theme

[@rainbowsalads]

very nice indeed.

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

This movie absolutely blew my mind first time I saw it....poor lad ends up on one of Saturn's moons, or a ringed planet's moon somewhere else. Lucky for him the atmosphere was breathable.

[@paranormalmanor260]

I never thought I'd hear this again, I remember being blown away by it when I watched it in the 80's. Just beautiful.

[@ponchoman49]

Another great move that had a real impact on a 15 year old me with a truly great sound track!

[@NEMESIS9415]

Damn right!!!

[@Mjolle]

Thanks for uploading this! I'm an avid soundtrack fan myself, and also a big fan of catastroph/apocalypse-movies. The Quiet Earth had a really good score and I was very happy to find this video. Thanks again!

[@kasyapa]

This movie defines "haunting." (My wife and I did not understand the cultural subtexts until we actually lived in New Zealand for a year.)

[@davidhanna9420]

Saturn rising blew me away.

[@Musicadenovela]

excelent!

[@pinz2022]

@ShiekUrBooty A little-known cult classic from the 80's with an awesome soundtrack. Remember to look up the theme from the spectacularly awful "Lifeforce" which came out the same year and had a soundtrack by Henry Mancini. All I know is that when I saw the trailer--like that of the original "Star Wars"--I knew I had to see it.

[@hilaryprzystupa9390]

For me at the end it incorporated what would occur in different Timelines.

[@pinz2022]

@TheBiomuse As an American I remember the movie having a very short run in 1986, but even as a 22-year-old I knew it was a classic. The list of bad movies with awesome soundtracks is a long one--not that this was a bad movie...

[@osoio]

It's obvious to me that the effect continues: the character dies and is reborn in another land/Earth. My question is another, more moral: he knew this was going to happen? He was saving the other survivors or was trying to escape? He realized that he was being betrayed by the woman and was one of the scientists involved in the experiment.

[@anttitoiviainen4019]

This reminds Lars von triers melancholia movie theme 4:30 foward..

[@flippert0]

The ending with that music is bonkers ! (rise of Saturn)

[@normanburns3994]

echoes of Gershwin, John Barry, Goldsmith = brilliance

[@paulshepherd1348]

Thats exactly what I thought!!! Gershwin.... had no one to ask if they thought the same after comparing it.....except my mom who has long gone, but yes! I'm glad someone else noticed that too! I'm also a huge fan of John Barry, Goldsmith... this is a great piece of music, glad I'm not alone in my passion for music.

[@wuchi51]

this sounds like a soundtrack from an old movie, the chase with marlon brando or the heat of the night, something ive heard before and it will drive me nuts

[@pinz2022]

"Mr. Holland's Opus".

[@rkomgm3932]

pinz2022 similar yes !!!

[@Almbruzler]

holy shit this score can compete with the famous scores of thomas newman or hans zimmer

[@ohiovr]

What are you trying to do, destroy us all? I'm taking over!

[@oasismike2]

Mournful adj. Feeling or expressing sorrow or grief; sorrowful. adj. Causing or suggesting sadness or melancholy. Sorrowful; oppressed with grief. (~ prolly just my reaction due to the meanings I've attributed to the movie, but I cry when I hear this music!)

[@batchint]

this is on par.. with the score for the navigator..

[@shahruckh]

Damn, I'm sure the beginning of the theme (between the first and the second minute) have been covered for an other movie ! But witch one ?... Maybe a thriller.

[@travecodafirma4688]

I don't like the movie so much, but the score is magnificent

[@stefanprost6901]

No other movie I saw more often...

[@hilaryprzystupa9390]

Great film and can't understand why it's not repeated more, someone once said, 'worth watching for the final scene' and as for skynet, we have one don't we?

[@ShiekUrBooty]

@matbso It is good, I enjoy it.

[@DJBlueX]

When you go out during lockdown to get essentials

[@NEMESIS9415]

....or should I say better, that it's pity that only Hollywood considers to be the quality movie maker hence pushing in the corner, otherwise, small but movie and music worthy nations such as N. Zealand.

[@SunTeleLeo]

the movie starts with the sun and ends with saturn the black sun is saturn several times in the film a black sun is shown momentarily saturn (satan, shaitan) is indeed a symbol of death and satan evil... moreover, my hypothesis is that the rings mean PRISON or HELL ... ponder it.

[@anttitoiviainen4019]

You think you go to heaven, when you die? No, you come to us!

[@erikopnemer]

I've always thought the score has the feel of a late seventies western movie. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

[@janebrown9834]

Somewhat inspired by Vaughan Williams London Symphony - Lento....but we can forgive it that....

[@robertlee2262]

Only in the broadest sense...?

[@jasoncsking]

The cover of the dvd and soundtrack, completely spoil the last minute of the movie. I know it's an eye-catching image, but still.

[@HearthstoneEq]

thank you bobbengan for an incredible soundtrack-a very disappointing film-fault of the writers, but the music, well John Charles is magic-well done Sir!-often when I cant sleep or when I'm working on feed rations for one of my farm clients, I like to listen to this and dream -I agree with you entirely Biomuse-just some comments from a boy from the wilds of Pictou county Nova Scotia