Thoughts from the committee
‘Last man on Earth’ stories are nothing new, but what sets The Quiet Earth apart is its focus on the psychological aspects of the experience. Geoff Murphy has not made an action film – although there are a few points where the pulse races – but rather an examination of human relationships. The film overall has an understatedness typical of New Zealand cinema at the time: a plot as dramatic as Roger Donaldson’s Sleeping Dogs, delivered in the same laconic and doggedly grounded way.
Two things really make The Quiet Earth memorable. Firstly, the performance of Bruno Lawrence as Zac Hobbs, a scientist who might know more about the strange disappearances than even he realises at first. Lawrence is a one-man cast for a full third of the film, shifting between egomania, boredom, recklessness and despair with ease. Even when other characters enter the story, Lawrence remains an electrifying presence.
The other memorable aspect is the film’s famous open ending, posing a question about what might become of Zac. Even within the context of the film, the imagery is somewhat bewildering. However, Murphy’s film reaches this point after a thoughtful journey, weeding out some of the sensational plot twists of Craig Harrison’s novel. As a post-apocalyptic science-fiction film, there’s never been anything quite like it.
“One could never repeat an effort like The Quiet Earth; it stands alone in a universe that seems to be itself completely an original.” – Charles Mudede, The Stranger