Ground Zero (1987)

Directors:

Bruce Myles
Michael Pattinson

Writers:

Mac Gudgeon (written by) and
Jan Sardi (written by)

Release Date:

1 October 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

One man holds the key to the hottest secret in our history

Plot:

A second generation cameraman in Australia finds evidence that his father had filmed a nuclear test...

Plot Keywords:

Australia | Secret | Search | Asio | Cinematographer

Awards:

4 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Colin Friels	...	Harvey Denton
Jack Thompson	...	Trebilcock
Donald Pleasence	...	Prosper Gaffney
Natalie Bate	...	Pat Denton
Burnham Burnham	...	Charlie
Simon Chilvers	...	Commission president
Neil Fitzpatrick	...	Hooking
Bob Maza	...	Walemari
Beverley Dunn	...	Commisioner #1
Alan Hopgood	...	Commisioner #2
Peter Cummins	...	Ballantyne, Australian veteran
Brian James	...	Vice-Adm. Windsor
Bob Hornery	...	Meteorologist
Steve Dodd	...	Freddy Tjapalijarri
Alfred Austen	...	Aboriginal elder

Also Known As:

Ground Zero. (Australia) (poster title)

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | UK:15 | Australia:M | Norway:15 (video premiere) | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Coober Pedy, South Australia, Australia

Company:

BDB

Movie Connections:

Featured in Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! (2008)

Superior film noir with a splash of cold war espionage

Superior film which is based on a real-life incident. My husband and I kept catching the end of this film on cable, arrested by the spooky music and harsh photography, and were dying to see the entire movie since just seeing the end made no sense to us. When we finally did see the entire film, we both agreed it was one of the best that we'd ever seen and we've watched it many times since.

The film is set in Australia, which immediately takes it out of our American context and into an unknown place. A plane is found, still highly radioactive, buried in the desert; no one knows why but it's been there for over 30 years. There's a skeleton inside, also unknown. There is a human rights trial that runs through the entire film, which attempts to place the blame for nuclear testing within the Aboriginal lands on the Australian government, who are denying it. There are also a lot of Australian agents trying to find something that the hero's father hid long ago just before he "drowned"; something that would clearly show that the Australian government knew and in fact approved of the testing.

Colin Friels is marvelous as the protagonist/hero; he is acted upon, but he is ultimately aware of this and begins to turn the tables. Donald Pleasance is wonderful as a handicapped war veteran who Colin goes to for help in his quest to find out what happened to his father. Donald lives in a kind of geodesic dome structure in the middle of the Australian desert, which he's decorated inside and out with his own apocalyptic paintings.

Due to Donald's hints, Colin finally realizes who is behind his father's murder and he sets out across the vast Australian desert to an Aboriginal holy place. What he finds there is both an ending, as well as a possible beginning to another part of the story.

It is not, however, the end or solution to this ingenious movie, and I would not reveal that for the world. It's too good to spoil here. You must rent, buy or borrow this film and watch it yourself to see exactly how the movie ends, and you won't be disappointed. It is an incredible masterpiece, and I recommend it to everyone.