Quiet Earth, The (1985)

[bunniefuu]

Hello?

Hello?

Huh?

Come on!
I know someone's in there!

Hello?

Hello?

Hello? ls anybody out there?

Is anybody receiving me?

Complete?

Perrin?

Ugh!

'Radiation danger.

'Lab will be sealed immediately.

'Radiation danger.

'Lab will be sealed immediately.

'Warning: Lab is now sealed.

'Warning: Lab is now sealed.'

There's nobody in administration!

Perrin!

You did it this time, Perrin.

International cooperation, eh?

Well, you got everybody,
including yourself.

'Ultraviolet level
now exceeds 100 milliwatts.

'Don protective clothing.

- 'Ultraviolet level now exceeds...'
- Even me.

'...from Telenko, Texas.

'Analysis of these programmes
by our own computer

'indicates that the programmes
being supplied are incomplete.

'It is difficult to avoid the conclusion
that the LinCo HQ

'are deliberately withholding information.

'I am unable to continue blindly working

'on a project of such
phenomenal destructive potential.

'Accordingly, there is only
one course of action open to me.'

Zac Hobson, July 5th.

One: There has been a malfunction
in Project Flashlight

with devastating results.

Two: It seems I'm the only person
left on Earth.

Three: Perrin has been incinerated
at the grid control.

Four...

I've been sealed into the lab,

so I've setup a gas device
in the washroom hoping to...

'Warning: alternate fire
extinguishers not operating.'

Name, address, phone number.

Hello.

My name is Zac Hobson.

If there's anybody out there at all,
could you please contact me at home,

2 Thurston Avenue, Grey Lynn.

Or ring me on 396-121.

'Hello. My name is Zac Hobson.

'If there's anybody out there at all,
could you please contact me at home,

'2 Thurston Avenue, Grey Lynn.

'Or ring me on 396-121 .'

'If there's anybody out there at all,
could you please contact me at home,

'2 Thurston Avenue, Grey Lynn.'

'Attention, attention.

'Would all those alive please step forward
and show themselves.'

will be regarded as a direct
contravention of regulation 366025,

section 11, paragraph B.

'...396-121.

'Hello. My name is Zac Hobson.

'If there's anybody out there at all,
could you please contact me at home...'

Please somebody come.

'...please contact me at home,
2 Thurston Avenue, Grey Lynn.

'Or ring me on 396-121.

'Hello. My name is Zac Hobson.

'If there's anybody out there at all,
could you please contact me at home...'

Time I moved up in the world.

'12th Of July.

'I have now been broadcasting this message
for five days without reply.

'Please ignore my previous address,

'as I am now a resident
at 5 Rosehill Gardens, Churtin Heights.

'Pop in for a visit, or phone 665-058.

'I'd be delighted to hear from you.

'Hello. This is Zac Hobson again.

'12th of July.

'I have now been broadcasting this message
for five days without reply.

'Please ignore my previous address,

'as I am now a resident
at 5 Rosehill Gardens, Churtin Heights.

'Pop in for a visit, or phone 66...'

Very flamboyant.
Pity nothing went down.

Thought I'd give you a bit of a chance.

Huh.

Big mistake.

Polish this game off in one break.

Terrified.

Can't win against that kind of luck.

Skill.

'...should be shut down immediately.'

'Well, I don't think
that's the right thing to do.

'I honestly and sincerely believe that.

'It is your country's duty,
as part of the free world,

'to pursue all avenues
of technological research

'that contribute to our position,

'thus maintaining the balance of power
that exists in the world today.

'Now I cannot overemphasise this point,

'because you can rest assured
that even as I speak,

'this is what the other side is d...'

What are you gonna do?
Destroy us all?

I'm taking over.

Look, I haven't got time to talk to you.
I'm a very busy man.

Besides, you've had your turn.

I have dedicated all my
scientific knowledge and skill

to projects which I knew
could be put to evil purposes.

For the common good... they said.

How easy to believe
in the common good,

when that belief

is rewarded with status,

wealth

and power!

How hard to believe
in the common good.

When every fibre of my being

tells me

that the awesome forces
I have helped to create

have been put into the hands
of madmen!

I've been gagged by the volume
of my own corruption!

Is it not fitting, then,
that I be president...

of this... quiet... Earth?

I've been condemned to live.

'Sieg heil.

'Sieg heil.'

Aah...

Ah!

Aah!

Where is he?

All right, where are you?

Where are you?

Where are you?

Where is he?

If you don't come out,
I'll sh**t the kid!

And now I am God.

- 'Hello.'
- G'day.

- 'How are you?'
- Pretty good. Whaddya know?

UV's up a bit.

Keep an eye on that.

It's not real.

God, it's good to see someone.

So, I went into my sister's room...

and she was gone.

I mean, gone.

Just...

disappeared.

I hung around for about two weeks
after that. I don't remember much.

- It was pretty bad.
- Guess you were a little crazy.

I didn't decide I was
president of the world.

It was really strange
walking through the hospital in the dark.

No sound.

Empty beds.

- I was quite shocked when I saw the baby.
- Baby?

Yeah, not just that it was a baby.

I didn't look too closely.
There were maggots.

That means there must be flies.

No. The Effect happened
three weeks ago.

The baby hadn't been dead that long.

Something's changed.

I can't quite measure it.

But I can feel it.

It's as though we've been
shifted sideways, you know?

North Pole's still up north,

but the water keeps going down
the plug hole the wrong way.

I get the feeling...

we're either dead...

or in a different universe.

Are you in a different universe?

Are you a woman?

Or a child?

I've got this theory.

I believe people's faces are soft,
like plasticine.

They're not rigid, like bone,
as doctors would have us believe.

And the shape of the face is determined
consciously by the brain.

So, if your brain has got a low capacity,

you would be both ugly and stupid.

But if you've got a reasonably good brain,

then it's up to you to decide
how to use its energy.

You could be reasonably attractive
and reasonably intelligent,

or you could be smart, but ugly.

Or beautiful, but stupid.

I thought one didn't get a hangover
with champagne.

So did I.

Now, if you got really lucky,
you could have an exceptional brain,

and you could be both extremely beautiful
and highly intelligent.

Like me.

- Do you make all that up yourself?
- Yeah.

Gee, you're beautiful.

Hey...

Are you calling me stupid?

No, no.

Wouldn't do that.

No maggots.

She was calling for help.

She was definitely alive after The Effect.

Pull over.

What's wrong?

Does it look to you
like the sun's pulsating?

No.

No. Doesn't to me, either.

Mr and Mrs Smith?

- This one's yours.
- Thanks very much.

If we find anyone alive,
what do you think they'll be like?

We might find all manner of horrors.

Politicians.

Transvestites.

I think we should look in places
where people are either trapped

or too afraid to leave.

Mental hospitals, prisons.

That sort of thing.

Then let's hope we don't find anyone.

We have to look.

There you are.

Run out of words?

Where are we sleeping?

I'm sleeping over there.

Thought you might say that.

This one'll do.
The keys are in it.

I still don't like it.

Don't be beautiful.

It's simple - I'll cover that side
of the river, you cover this.

- Call me every half hour.
- Yeah.

OK.

'Zac, can you hear me?'

Joanne, come in, please.

'Zac, I'm at the hospital.

'Where are you?'

I'm driving past the university.
Everything OK?

'Yeah. I'm just going in.'

OK. Call you in half an hour.

'You there, Zac?'

Hello? You OK?

'I felt really strange a few seconds ago.

'Where are you?'

Er... I'm at Mental Street and Hillcrest.

- There's nothing here.
- 'Was there anything at the university?'

Not a thing.

'Call you later.
But keep in touch, though, eh?'

OK. Over and out.

Are you trying to tell me

that you and your white-coated cronies
up the road there

really had something to do with this?

Don't know.

It was an American idea.

They were experimenting
with energy transmissions

through a grid surrounding the Earth,

aircraft, drawing directly from that grid,

so they wouldn't have to refuel.
That sort of thing.

Of course.

An exclusive all-male club
playing God with the universe.

We were just one small unit

in a whole network of stations
around the world.

Acting simultaneously.

Besides...

We might not have been responsible.

God may have just blinked.

God blinked and the whole world
disappeared?

A world of noisy, brawling,

wonderful human beings.

God, I miss them.

It's all right.

- Hello?
- 'Dr Hobson, this is reception.

'I suppose you realise you must
vacate your room by 10 o'clock.

'And, are you aware there is
an extra charge for your guest last night?'

Didn't realise I had to pay for it.

You don't get anything for nothing,
you know?

Come back to bed.

- Thank you.
- Anything else, sir?

- More crumpet?
- Sorry, love, crumpet's off.

- See you one o'clock in the plaza.
- OK, then we head south.

- We go back.
- We'll discuss that at lunch.

There are a number of constants

which have never been known to change
in the history of science.

One of these is the unit charge
of an electron.

In an experiment I have just conducted,

I have established that
this charge has changed

and, in fact, is oscillating
between two new values.

I cannot measure these values,

as it seems the amplitude
of the oscillation is increasing.

I can only conclude
that the fabric of the universe

has not only altered...

but is highly unstable.

God knows where that leaves us.

'Hello, man cher. '

Joanne, is that you?

Oh... you mean there is someone else?

Hey, you know you're the only girl
in the world for me, sweetheart.

OK.

Au revoir, cheri.

I'm on me way.

Freeze, mister!

You alone?

You seen anyone else?

Up against the truck.

Turn around.

'Zac, are you there?'

'Zac?

'Zac?

'What's holding you up?'

You tell lies.

No! Well...
what would you have done?

- How many of you?
- Just her and me.

Two of yous?

Switch it off and cruise.

- Look...
- Come on!

- She's not there.
- You'll find her.

Come on, come on.

'Zac, where've you been?'

Why didn't you answer me?

This bloody radio!

'I thought
I was gonna be alone again.'

Kia ora.

Whey-hey!
Hide the bottle. It's a cop.

Straight face! Straight face, please.

Fish.

- Fish in that stream.
- Baby ones.

Yeah, that makes sense.

The fish eggs settle
on the river bed.

The male fish swims along
dropping sperm on them.

So, if the sperm was released
before The Effect, and penetrated after,

there's be fish.

For a while there,
I thought I was dead.

He thought he was God.

- Why did you think you were dead?
- Cos I was.

I was in the bush down south
with a mate.

Well, sort of mate.

'As I began to go unconscious,
I could see it all happening.'

I was watching from high up.

I could see him,
and I could see myself.

It was really peaceful.

'Like a weight had been lifted off.

'There was another thing.

'Like a light, a long way off.

'I was travelling towards it,
yearning to reach it.

'Suddenly, I felt the whole weight of life
crash back on me.'

I was so disappointed.

You felt that
if you could reach that light,

you'd never want to come back again.

Happened to me.

- The same.
- The moment of death.

The Effect happened at the exact moment
of death, and that's why we survived.

- Is that what you think?
- I reckon.

For a while there
I didn't know what I was.

And when I found
I was alone in this world,

I thought I was a ghost.

It was really sad.

I reckoned if I was here and alive,

I'd better head north
to look for survivors.

And if I was a spirit,

I thought I'd better
head for Cape Reinga.

Either way, I was heading
in the right direction.

So there's just the three of us.

Well...

you're alive and so am I.

How about you?

I suppose so.

Hey!

- What do you think of him?
- Oh, he plays the odd bum note.

Oh, come on.

Nah, I think he's great.

I see you made the beds.

Mm-hmm. One, two...

It's ironic.

Of all of us,

I thought I'd be the one
most equipped to handle...

whatever it is that's happened.

I used to enjoy being a loner.

And then you came along.

I'm thinking about the three of us now.

Not just you and not just me.

Hey Api,

- play us another song which we can sing.
- OK.

'If the oscillations in the sun
continue to increase at the present rate,

'the sun must collapse in a few days,
taking everything with it.

'Computer analysis is needed immediately
for a more accurate prediction.'

You know, the interesting thing
about friendships is,

is that they're not logical.

You know how somebody'll come up to you
and ask you why do you like so and so,

and you'll give them all these
interesting reasons why you do,

but you've actually made them up
after you've decided you like them.

I reckon you decide that you like somebody
in the two seconds that you meet them.

You stick to it regardless.

So, if you like them, you're gonna find
good things in all the bad things they do.

And if you don't, you're gonna find bad
things in all the good things they do, eh?

The other thing is,

you tend to like people who like you.

And what did you decide about me?

Guess you like me.

Why was your mate trying to k*ll you?

Cos I k*lled his wife.

k*lled his Wife? Why?

It was necessary.

Necessary.

And who decides
when it'll be necessary?

And when'll be the next time
that you decide that it's necessary?

Who the hell do you think you are?

God?

You're not God.

Joanne, look, something
really strange is happening.

I don't quite understand it,
but we're gonna...

- What's the matter?
- Leave me alone, please.

What's happened?

Look, I got something
really important to tell you.

We went through all that sh*t last night.

I'm not talking about last night,
I'm talking about the sun!

You wanna talk about the sun?

Go and talk to that God out there.

Listen to me!

Take your hands off me.

What are you doing?

Api...

How soon can you get your gear together?
We've gotta head up north.

- But you just got here?
- Yeah, I know.

But please, mate, how quickly?

- My place not good enough for you?
- No, no. It's not that.

- Look, I'll explain it along the way, OK?
- Are you in charge here?

OK. Yeah, if that's the way you want it,
yes I am. Yes.

She came back crying.
What did you do to her?

- What were you doing?
- I'm in charge, remember?

Joanne, get your arse into gear.

We're leaving straight away.

Listen, h*nky, haven't you noticed?
Things have changed around here.

The white boss went with the rest of them.
There's just you and me now.

Look, it's complicated enough
for people like me

- without trying to explain to people like you.
- People like what?

Will you listen to that!

OK. If that's the way you want it.

You coming?

I wouldn't ride with you
if you were the last man on Earth.

I'm working on it.

'It would seem that Domingo's
Operation Flashlight is still intact.

'Self-energising from
the entire balanced grid.

'And now this is somehow
affecting the sun.'

You!

If you don't stop, I'll sh**t.
And I don't care which one.

I'm not going to live with two of you
at each other's throats

trying to prove which one is God.

If you don't believe me, try it.

You don't trust...

For Christ's sake!

Look, that bloody thing's been worrying me
for over a year now.

I knew there was something wrong
with that project.

And I said nothing.

Can you be more guilty than that?

You condemned yourself to death.

On the morning of The Effect,
you were trying to k*ll yourself.

What you gonna do about it?

Don't know.

You trying to tell me
you jokers caused all this

and you can't even fix it?

Well, we never did know the full story.

The Americans withheld information.

Are you monkeying with the universe
without even knowing what you're doing?

Nobody realised what was happening.

We trusted them.
They were on our side.

You can't be that dumb.

They might as well tell the Russians
as tell you jokers.

Besides, they don't tell you,
you don't tell us...

You're all the same to me.

Well, I've told you now.

You tell lies.

Try it again.

Same result.

Those two lines that meet.
What do they mean?

It's a time scale.
That's the point of maximum instability.

About six o'clock tomorrow morning.

What happens then?

Well, I think it's The Effect.

It's gonna happen again.

Zac?

- Joanne?
- Api?

Hey!

Yeah?

Zac?

Api?

Where are you?

Api!

Zac?

Api.

Joanne? Where are you?

- Joanne!
- I'm in here.

Joanne?

You OK?

Your calculations are wrong.
It's too soon.

No.

That was just a tremor.

Next time that happens,
it'll be the real thing.

Your calculations
are a waste of time.

You reckon the grid is balanced?

OK. We take the sand out,
the grid collapses.

Didn't work.

- Neat, eh?
- He's an artist.

Are you sure there's enough?

How much you reckon we need?

A ton?

We take a truckload.

So, Perrin throws the switch,

The Effect happens,
and everyone disappears.

But our little effect is happening again
tomorrow morning.

Now there's no Perrin, no switch.

So maybe The Effect and the grid
are totally unrelated.

- You mean like that boy with the stick?
- Eh?

The boy with the stick.

Remember that massive
power blackout in the States?

The whole east coast
was out for about six hours.

They reckon this boy
was on his way home.

He was pissed off about something.

And he whacked this power pole
with all of his might.

And, at that instant,
his whole world went black.

And he thought he had done it.

- What do you reckon?
- Well...

I reckon The Effect was a cosmic event,
like the creation.

And nobody has ever
explained that properly.

On the other hand,
perhaps nobody disappeared.

Only me.

I am The Effect.

- And us?
- You're not real.

You're in my mind.

You're God.

I actually do think it's the grid.
Besides, it's our best bet.

So I'll get the other truck.

We're not real.

You were born under
the shadow of Pirongia.

Down that way.

Patupaiarehe.
The red-haired people of the night.

Maybe you're not real.

Real enough.

Oh, well. I suppose if this works,
we all live happily ever after.

- Don't we?
- Hopefully.

- All three of us?
- We have to.

It's easier for me
because I like both of you.

But you do prefer him.

I get a really strange notion sometimes.

Sometimes I feel as if you and Api
have known each other a long, long time.

As though I'm the victim
of some huge conspiracy.

And you and Api have been sent
to be my guardians.

I feel almost as though you pass
secret messages when I'm not looking.

Perhaps we do.

There's some pretty odd things about Api.

Are you worried about
why his mate was trying to k*ll him?

Yeah.

He k*lled his mate's wife.

She was in love with him
and he rejected her.

So she committed suicide.

And... and he felt
he was responsible.

So did his mate.

That's really sad.

The things I've learned about people

in the last few weeks.

You needn't worry about me.

Whatever happens,
I can handle it.

Look out!

Api! I knew there was something
I forgot to tell him.

- What do you reckon?
- Blow it up?

I'll push it out of the way.

Hey, Api.

- Be careful.
- No sweat.

He's going an awfully long way back.

- Surely he's not...
- No.

He is!

- Anybody coming?
- See ya.

Api. You read me?

Api. Come in, Api.

- Here comes the boss.
- Answer your bloody radio, Api!

Give him a bit of a squeeze, eh?

What the hell are you doing?

Api!

- We can't go any closer.
- Why?

The lab's so hot with ionisation,

it'd be like walking
into a microwave oven.

Are we safe enough here?

It's about a mile away.

- Looks like we didn't bring enough.
- Shall we take a look?

The lights are still on.

Yeah. It's powered by the grid.

We'll know whether the grid's collapsed.
The lights will go out.

If we ever get the truck in there at all.

Who's gonna take it in?

I got something back in the city
that could do this job.

It's a radio control unit.
I've used it on a lawn mower.

Will it work on a truck that size?

- We can adapt it.
- Have we got time?

Think so.

If I leave now,
I'll be back in two hours.

Like me to come with you?

- Best you stay.
- OK.

What do you think will happen?

He'll return with the radio device.

Probably won't work
on a truck that size.

So I'll drive it in.

Why you?

Cos I'm the driver.

Anyway, it's easier for me.

My old kuia's looking after me.

- What's that?
- It's the truck!

How long's it been?

About twenty minutes.

He can't have gone at all.

He tells lies!

- It's started.
- Zac?