Ground Zero (1987)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

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 | Cinematographer | Aborigine | Asio

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)

background to this movie

I'm surprised to find that this film has been seen (and appreciated) in America. It wasn't all that successful in Australia, most people felt (like me) that it was a great plot idea let down by the writing (I also found Colin Friels' performance a little flat - and I thought the film went a bit heavy on the anti-American angle).

However, these reviewers don't seem to quite know the background to the film. Britain's first atom bomb was tested on Monte Bello island in the Indian Ocean in 1956, but the next series of tests were carried out at Maralinga in the South Australian desert, at the invitation of the Australian government. There was nothing secret about this, the government actually used the tests to promote itself as looking after Australia's security. Sounds very familiar! At the time the movie was made (1987), there was a big issue over the radiation levels that Australian troops had been exposed to during the tests, and the effects on their long-term health (much the same as for US troops during the Nevada tests.) There were also questions raised about how much effort had gone into evacuating the local Aborigines from the area both before and after the tests. This is the issue that forms the background to the movie, but it is really about drawing parallels between Australian subservience to Britain in the 50's and to the USA in the 80's, and just how much this is really in Australia's interest.

The debate back then was over the US satellite facilities at Pine Gap, today it is over support for the war in Iraq. The movie should have been topical and relevant, then and now, but it isn't because it is done with such a heavy hand. The scene where Colin Friels and Donald Pleasance are suddenly ambushed by US troops in the middle of the Outback is just stupid. The scene where he is making the hot dog commercial is supposed to be about the domination of American culture, but it doesn't work either. The line where he is talking to the rat in his kitchen when he gets home, probably looked good on paper, but should have been cut from the movie. The final scene should be brilliant, but isn't. When Colin Friels says, 'Hey, wait a minute...' he shouldn't say anything! His face should say it all.

My opinion - this film isn't great, but it could have been, which is why I found it so disappointing. Close, but no banana - damn, another Americanism!