The Survivor

Based on a novel by James Herbert and adapted by David Ambrose, both of them UK writers, and with David Hemmings' resolutely English B grade directorial style, there is nothing evidently Australian about this supernatural horror/thriller movie other than the occasional support actor. It was, however, an offspring of Australian producer Antony Ginanne's international-sales-focussed approach to film-making, shot in Adelaide, partly financed by the South Australian Film Corporation, and was John Seale's first credit as a DOP

Robert Powell, who had starred in Ginanne's Harlequin the previous year, along with Hemmings, is teamed with Jenny Agutter in a story about a pilot obsessed with finding out why he is the sole survivor of a plane-crash. US veteran Joseph Cotton is thrown into the mix as an Omen-like priest. Angela Punch-McGregor appears only once despite getting 4th billing.

Presumably the novel made some sense but there is very little evidence of it here. A photographer is lured to his death by spooky children, an unknown woman (his girlfriend?) is slashed to bits in his studio, the pilot's friend is killed, there's the usual lost-soul wailing and possessed-by-demons thrashing about but to little effect. It's as if the film had bits of its story missing and indeed the film was cut by Ginanne because he felt that Hemming's direction was too "langorous". Whether it ever made any sense we may never know but certainly in its day it was cold-shouldered by local critics and public alike although apparently finding popularity in France where presumably English-challenged audiences generously filled in the gaps.

DVD Extras: A short but informative introduction by Ginnane and the original theatrical trailer.

Available from: Umbrella Entertainment

 

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