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Film Details - McElroy and McElroy ; Ayr Productions , 1977
Producers:
Hal McElroy
James McElroy
Production Companies:
McElroy and McElroy
Ayr Productions
Derek Power
Finance Organisations:
Australian Film Commission
South Australian Film Corporation
Director of Photography:
Russell Boyd
Editors:
Max Lemon
Production Designers:
Goran Warff
Composer:
Charles Wain
Cast:
Incl. Richard Chamberlain (David Burton), Olivia Hamnett (Annie Burton), David Gulpilil (Chris Lee), Frederick Parslow (Rev. Burton), Vivean Gray (Dr Whitburn), Nandjiwarra Amagula (Charlie), Walter Amagula (Gerry Lee), Roy Bara (Larry), Cedrick Lalara (Lindsey), Morris Lalara (Jacko), Peter Carroll (Michael Zeadler), Athol Compton (Billy Corman), Hedley Cullen (Judge), Michael Duffield (Andrew Potter), Wallas Eaton (Morgue Doctor), Jo England (Babysitter), John Frawley (Policeman), Jennifer De Greenlaw (Zeadler's Secretary), Richard Henderson (Prosecutor), Penny Leach (Schoolteacher), Merv Lillie (Publican), John Meagher (Morgue Clerk), Guido Rametta (Guido), Malcolm Robertson (Don Fishburn), Greg Rowe (Carl), Katrina Sedgwick (Sophie Burton), Ingrid Weir (Grace Burton), Tony Llewellyn-Jones.
Release Dates:
1. 13 December 1977 (premiere - Glenelg, Adelaide, South Australia). Released commercially in Australia on 15 December 1977 (limited re-release beginning 26 January 1978). Other release dates include the following: UK (August 1978); West Germany (15 September 1978); Sweden (6 October 1978); USA (19 December 1978 - New York only); USA (January 1979); Denmark (6 April 1979); Netherlands (16 August 1979); USA (April 1981 - Filmex L.A.); Finland (12 July 1985 - TV premiere).
2. Screened at the following film festivals: 1977 Paris Film Festival (France); 1977 Tehran Film Festival (Iran); 1979 International Film Festival of India (India); 2007 ERA New Horizons Film Festival (Poland).
3. Released on videocassette format in Australia by Ayre Productions in 1977 (released by Warner Home Video in 1989). Released on videocassette format in America in 1991 by Rhino Home Video. The film was re-released in Australia on DVD format in 2001 by Criterion (as part of its Criterion Collection).
Location:
- Filmed on location in South Australia (incl. Adelaide, Flinders Ranges, Mitcham, and Hammond) and Sydney, New South Wales (incl. Bondi, The Rocks, Eastern Suburbs Railway, Water Board Tunnels, and St Michael's Cave, Avalon)
Post Production:
Spectrum Films International
Awards:
- Australian Film Institute Awards (1978), Best Achievement in Cinematography - Russell Boyd (winner)
- Australian Film Institute Awards (1978), Best Director - Peter Weir (nomination)
- Australian Film Institute Awards (1978), Best Actor in a Lead Role - Richard Chamberlain (nomination)
- Australian Film Institute Awards (1978), Best Achievement in Editing - Max Lemon Max Lemon (nomination)
- Australian Film Institute Awards (1978), Best Achievement in Sound - Don Connolly, Greg Bell, Phil Judd (winners)
- Australian Film Institute Awards (1978), Best Original Music Score - Charles Wain (nomination)
- Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival, France (1978), Special Jury Award - Peter Weir (winner)
- Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival, Spain (1978), Clavell de Plata Award, Best Actor - Richard Chamberlain (winner)
- Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, USA (1980), Best Director - Peter Weir (nomination)
- Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, USA (1980), Best Fantasy Film (nomination)
Notes:
1. Also known as Black Rain (USA); Den sidste Bølge (Denmark); Den Sista Vågen (Sweden); Die Letzte Flut (West Germany); L'ultima Onda Italy La Ultima Ola (Spain); La Dernière Vague (France); Ostatnia Fala (Poland); To Teleftaio Kyma (Greece); Viimeinen Aalto (Finland).
2. Further reference: Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper. Australian Film 1900-1977, A Guide to Feature Film Production (1980, q.v.), pp.404-405.
