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The Quiet Earth [DVD]
Additional DVD options | Edition | Discs | Amazon Price | New from | Used from |
DVD
6 Dec. 2016 "Please retry" | — | 1 | £25.35 | £32.54 |
DVD
22 Jan. 2016 "Please retry" | — | 1 |
—
| £26.98 | £26.99 |
DVD
27 Oct. 2006 "Please retry" | — | 1 | £31.98 | £7.91 |
DVD
5 July 2013 "Please retry" | — | 1 | — | £6.17 |
DVD
30 Sept. 2016 "Please retry" | — | 1 | — | £7.59 |
Format | PAL |
Contributor | Geoff Murphy, Alison Routledge, Sam Pillsbury, James Bartle, Anzac Wallace, Don Reynolds, Bruno Lawrence, Bill Baer, Tom Hyde, Norman Fletcher, Peter Smith See more |
Language | English |
Runtime | 1 hour and 31 minutes |
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Product description
New Zealand sci-fi directed by Geoff Murphy. Adapted from the novel by Craig Harrison, the film follows scientist Zac Hobson (Bruno Lawrence) as he awakes one morning to discover he is alone in the world and that he is to blame - as it was his global energy project that devastated the planet. Overcome with guilt, Zac starts to act out his fantasies in his own exclusive kingdom, but he soon realises the emptiness and loneliness of his nightmare situation and embarks on a frantic search for other survivors. He stumbles across two other desperate characters and together they struggle to survive. However, the dangerous energy forces of this unstable universe will surely kill them unless they can reverse the catastrophe caused by man's interference with nature.
Product details
- Aspect Ratio : 4:3 - 1.33:1
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Rated : Suitable for 15 years and over
- Language : English
- Package Dimensions : 18.03 x 13.76 x 1.48 cm; 83.16 Grams
- Director : Geoff Murphy
- Media Format : PAL
- Run time : 1 hour and 31 minutes
- Actors : Bruno Lawrence, Alison Routledge, Peter Smith, Norman Fletcher, Tom Hyde
- Subtitles: : None
- Studio : Pegasus
- Producers : Sam Pillsbury, Don Reynolds
- ASIN : B0000BXC0X
- Writers : Bill Baer, Bruno Lawrence, Sam Pillsbury
- Number of discs : 1
- Best Sellers Rank: 43,509 in DVD & Blu-ray (See Top 100 in DVD & Blu-ray)
- 2,203 in Portable DVD & Blu-ray Players
- 2,977 in Science Fiction (DVD & Blu-ray)
- 12,924 in Drama (DVD & Blu-ray)
- Customer reviews:
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I recently bought the Blu-ray remaster having already owned the 2003 DVD release. This blu-ray version is a massive improvement over the 2003 DVD release. Although a German release, the original English soundtrack is included both in 5.1 and also 2.0. There is also an interesting commentary (in English) by the Producer Sam Pillsbury.
The picture quality on this Blu-ray is fairly good........it is a monumental improvement over the 2003 DVD which must have been taken from a video tape master.....the colour, contrast and sharpness is fantastic by comparison. Additionally it is in full 1.85:1 wide screen and not 4:3 pan and scan like the old DVD.
However there are a few issues with the original film stock that was scanned to produce this Blu-ray that give cause for concern. Early in the film there are scenes where the frames of the film seem to get brighter and darker in quick succession giving a kind of strobing effect, but this seems to settle down after the first 15 minutes or so. Near the end of the film from the scene where Zac drives off in the truck towards the satellite dish to where the titles roll, the right side of the film stock is showing signs of damage in the form of a light vertical stripe.
I believe this is the first (and surely the best) Sci-fi film to have been conceived, written and produced entirely by the New Zealand film industry and as such is culturally significant. I agree with another reviewer that this film needs properly restoring and mastered for future generations.
UPDATE JULY 2018: Please note my above review is for the German Blu-Ray version that came out a few years ago, and not the June 2018 UK Blu-Ray release. I haven't seen the UK release so can't comment on it, however it doesn't seem to include the commentary by the Producer Sam Pillsbury, which is a shame.
The film is slow, which made me think it was the expansion of a novella, but maybe it is deliberately so to try to create an atmosphere.
The main character is plotted through an understandable series of actions for someone with access to a deserted but otherwise functional city. The basis and the consequence of the event which triggers the scenario is not really credible, but this could be forgiven as the basis of a good story. Ultimately the sucess or failure of the film depends on establishing some feeling for the characters: there are eventually three, a middle-aged male scientist, a young woman ('girl or woman'?) and a Mauori man. When the plot reaches this stage, there is plenty of opportunity for character development, as there is earlier with the lone scientist, and when the scientist meets the girl. However, in my opinion this potential is not realised and I felt no empathy with any of the characters.
What kept me watching was just to see how the plot developed.
The very last scene is a bit surreal, and could cause you to reflect on the film - but maybe only with respect to the plot.
It could be that the book is much better than the film and much was lost in the realisation or the acting. I have a distinct impression that the film could be remade with essentially the same plot - but be more effective.
The picture 4:3 rather than widescreen. It looks like it was mastered from the same source as the now out of print VHS tape. Image quality is okay - a little soft and a few artifacts here and there - nothing too terible given the age and obscureness of the movie.
Sound quality is rather good. Certainly a step up from the VHS.
The DVD itself is let down by the number of chapters (only 8) and the lack luster menus as well as no real special features, except a few meagure screen grabs.
In summary:
Film *****
DVD *
No crazy CGI to wow your eyes (which is actually quite a relief) just a solid story.