Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

The Quiet Earth

  • 1985
  • R
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
29K
YOUR RATING
Bruno Lawrence in The Quiet Earth (1985)
Home Video Trailer from Anchor Bay Entertainment
Play trailer2:48
1 Video
45 Photos
Dystopian Sci-FiSuspense MysteryDramaMysterySci-Fi

A scientist awakens to find himself alone in the world. In a desperate attempt to search for others, he finds only two who have their own agenda.A scientist awakens to find himself alone in the world. In a desperate attempt to search for others, he finds only two who have their own agenda.A scientist awakens to find himself alone in the world. In a desperate attempt to search for others, he finds only two who have their own agenda.

  • Director
    • Geoff Murphy
  • Writers
    • Craig Harrison
    • Bill Baer
    • Bruno Lawrence
  • Stars
    • Bruno Lawrence
    • Alison Routledge
    • Pete Smith
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    29K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Geoff Murphy
    • Writers
      • Craig Harrison
      • Bill Baer
      • Bruno Lawrence
    • Stars
      • Bruno Lawrence
      • Alison Routledge
      • Pete Smith
    • 172User reviews
    • 86Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 10 wins & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    The Quiet Earth
    Trailer 2:48
    The Quiet Earth

    Photos45

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 39
    View Poster

    Top cast6

    Edit
    Bruno Lawrence
    Bruno Lawrence
    • Zac Hobson
    Alison Routledge
    Alison Routledge
    • Joanne
    Pete Smith
    Pete Smith
    • Api
    • (as Peter Smith)
    Anzac Wallace
    Anzac Wallace
    • Api's Mate
    Norman Fletcher
    • Perrin
    Tom Hyde
    • Scientist
    • Director
      • Geoff Murphy
    • Writers
      • Craig Harrison
      • Bill Baer
      • Bruno Lawrence
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews172

    6.728.8K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    7BlackMonk

    Engaging

    An engaging sci-fi drama about a man who awakens to find himself, seemingly, the last person alive on earth. What does he do? What would you do? Everything's free. You could drive what you want. Wear what you want. Live in the fanciest hotel or simply pick a house to move in to. No laws to obey except those imposed by reality.

    But might it not get lonely? And what if you did find someone else?

    I plucked this movie off the rental rack on a whim, not expecting much really, but I was pleasantly surprised. By no means was it a 'great' movie, but I think virtually anyone would find it interesting--certainly more so than the claptrap currently being churned out by Hollywood.
    newnoir

    Quite A Quiet Film

    This film is a lost gem.

    Not many (or not nearly enough) have seen it and those who have mostly love it. Director Geoff Murphy's film career has gone right into the proverbial john since making this. Oh, he's still working, sure, but his later works (some of them) can't compare to this masterwork.

    But if you like Last Man On Earth type movies this celluloid slice of sci-fi cherry pie is for you! It has one of those endings that will leave you dazzled and puzzled. It doesn't try and tie up all the loose ends and questions like a lot of films do. Its much like a Kubrick film in that respect.

    Hopefully The Talented Mr. Murphy will make a film as good as this again someday. Here's hoping! And I loved the ass shot of the beautiful, milky skinned redhead (Alison Routledge) as well. Talk about cherry pie. Yum.

    You will like the aforementioned shot too. If you swing that way.
    6paddy-2

    worth a watch, but patchy

    For some reason, I saw this film at the cinema when it first came out. I think I might have been attracted by the classic S.F. poster, with the ringed planet rising behind a city. Well - I remember being intrigued by the film, but a little disappointed, and on watching it again on DVD all these years later, I feel just the same way.

    It's worth a watch, and in many ways it's a neat and original little film. It's much more effective in the first half, when the narrative is driven by the main character's discovery of the disaster that has occurred.

    The reaction of the protagonist to his new found "freedom" is well handled, believable and treads just the right line between comedy and tragedy. But when the other characters start to appear, the rot sets in, and I felt the film lost its way.

    Also - the basic film-making began to creak. Some really bad acting began to be noticeable, and the director seemed to be grabbing at Hollywood action clichés to bulk out his film (eg the narrow squeeze driving the lorry through the gap, the pointless and unresolved stand-off between the two guys over the girl etc).

    In science fiction terms, the basic premise was neat and interesting, but not really explored at all. And the more that was revealed, the worse it got - disbelief was NOT suspended!

    But - I still like the film, would recommend it, and might even watch it again myself in another 20 or so years!
    andersox

    Still walks through my my memory after all these years

    I'm another person who saw this movie in a small art theater on Balboa Island, CA, in 1985. "Quiet Earth" was so haunting that, while channel surfing 15 years later, I saw just a flash of the image of Zac awakening and recognized the film instantly. I settled in to watch the film again--even knowing the ending--and its impact was still incredible.

    Maybe it's not for serious sci-fi fans but definitely for people who like movies with apocalyptic themes, such as "A Boy and His Dog".
    7lee_eisenberg

    future in nihilism

    Years before Peter Jackson's movies brought New Zealand cinema to the fore, Geoff Murphy's adaptation of Craig Harrison's novel was an interesting release from the tiny country. "The Quiet Earth" is not really a post-apocalyptic tale, per se. It seems to be posing the question to the viewer of what you might do if thrown into this absolutely bizarre situation. The late Bruno Lawrence plays a man who wakes up to find out that everyone else on the planet has simply vanished. But it turns out that a project on which he has been working holds the answer to this.

    Without a doubt, the end scene is up for interpretation, in the same way that the end of Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" is. But most importantly, "The Quiet Earth" is not an action movie. It's very much about the characters, and I really liked it. Also starring Alison Routledge and Pete Smith (an Orc in "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King", on which Geoff Murphy served as 2nd Unit Director).

    Best Emmys Moments

    Best Emmys Moments
    Discover nominees and winners, red carpet looks, and more from the Emmys!

    More like this

    Miracle Mile
    7.0
    Miracle Mile
    Threads
    7.9
    Threads
    Utu
    6.9
    Utu
    The Day After
    7.0
    The Day After
    Testament
    6.9
    Testament
    A Question of Silence
    6.7
    A Question of Silence
    5.7
    A Quiet Earth
    Altered States
    6.9
    Altered States
    Sorcerer
    7.7
    Sorcerer
    The Andromeda Strain
    7.2
    The Andromeda Strain
    Dead End Drive-In
    5.9
    Dead End Drive-In
    Targets
    7.3
    Targets

    Related interests

    Clive Owen and Clare-Hope Ashitey in Children of Men (2006)
    Dystopian Sci-Fi
    James Stewart in Rear Window (1954)
    Suspense Mystery
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      First science-fiction film ever produced in New Zealand.
    • Goofs
      The crew was very careful during takes to not to film any activity in the background of scenes that would spoil the illusion of there being nothing living left on Earth. So much so that the assistant director would constantly stare at the background where ever the lens was pointing during takes to ensure nothing was inadvertently caught. However, as mentioned, a car can be seen in the far distance in the scene just before Zac goes into the church and again at about 1hr 3m 03sec when Api and Joanne are jogging down a foggy hill, a white car can clearly be seen driving past in the top right of the frame.
    • Quotes

      Api: You coming?

      Joanne: I wouldn't ride with you if you were the last man on Earth.

      Api: I'm workin' on it.

    • Crazy credits
      During the closing credits the scene cuts to a close up of Zac Hobson staring in stunned disbelief at what he's beholding. Then he realizes he's still holding his mini-tape recorder in his left hand, and after a moment of contemplation lets it drop to his side, as if there are no words to describe the sight.
    • Alternate versions
      Due to Pete Smith's Maori accent, the American VHS release of the film, as well as the DvD version, dub the lines of Api with an uncredited actor using a much deeper and stronger voice.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Off Beat/Echo Park/8 Million Ways to Die/The Quiet Earth (1986)
    • Soundtracks
      Prelude No. 2
      Performed by Kenny Burrell

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ19

    • How long is The Quiet Earth?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 18, 1985 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • New Zealand
    • Official sites
      • Hanway Films
      • Umbrella Entertainment - Blu Ray (Australia)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Maori
    • Also known as
      • Quiet Earth - Das letzte Experiment
    • Filming locations
      • Warkworth Satellite Station, Warkworth, Rodney District, Auckland Region, New Zealand
    • Production companies
      • Cinepro
      • Pilsbury Productions
      • Mr. Yellowbeard Productions Limited & Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,123,135
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $9,825
      • Oct 20, 1985
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,123,562
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 31m(91 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.