Outline:
As one of the leading science educators in the United States, Neil deGrasse Tyson has openly expressed his passion forscience fiction movies like The Matrix, The Martian and The Quiet Earth. Similar to many enthusiasts of the genre, he has his own collection of hidden treasure favorites, choosing movies that the typical moviegoer may not be familiar with. In a personal list of his top picks, he chose an obscure ’80s cult film that more cinema lovers should see.
Just as other scientists like Brian Cox and Carl Sagan have gained the admiration of millions through their science communication, Neil deGrasse Tyson has also built a strong reputation. He aims to unravel the secrets of the universe for people from all backgrounds, with one of his favorite activities being the examination of science fiction through the lens of an astrophysicist. He has offered his insights on a wide range of topics, from2001: A Space Odyssey to GravityHe has educated audiences on why these films succeed or fall short. One of his preferred science fiction movies is a New Zealand-made film that delves into the widely recognized “last man on Earth” concept, and it’s definitely worth watching.
The Silent World Offers a Distinct Perspective on the End of Days
The Quiet Earthopens in the wake of abizarre apocalyptic eventThat left a scientist called Zac Hobson as the apparent last person on Earth. When he regains consciousness, he navigates through the now empty town, gradually accepting the reality of human absence.
When reality hits, he is pushed to the brink of his mind, claiming to be president of the newly “Quiet Earth” and thinking about ending his life. Just in time, he decides to keep going, quickly meeting a woman named Joanne. Confident that others must have survived “The Event,” they head to Auckland. There, Zac meets a Maori man named Api, who then joins their group.
It doesn’t take long after the group is formed for conflicts to emerge, as a love triangle starts to form with Zac becoming convinced that Joanne has a greater interest in Api. He attempts to redirect his attention towards comprehending the Event, devising a hypothesis that an experimental project transported them into a different universe. As they discover more about each other, he starts to think that they were saved because they perished exactly when the Event took place.
Tormented by his role in the project that triggered the Event, Zac rushes to stop the next occurrence from destroying the world. When the critical moment arrives, it astonishes viewers with one of the most significant and underappreciated, mysterious cliffhanger endings ever seen.
Earning under $1 million upon its 1985 release, the movie has very few supporters because almost no one watched it. A reflection of his passion for film and science fiction,Neil deGrasse Tysonisn’t merely a devoted fan, but also participated in the DVD commentary.
Why Neil deGrasse Tyson Admires the Quiet Earth
While hosting an episode of StarTalk Plus, Tyson listed his top science fiction films. He categorized them using the S to F scale to examine a range of iconic and less successful movies.
Of The Quiet Earth, he explained, “This isn’t the first time people have tackled the concept of the last man on Earth,” continuing to mention movies suchOmega Man, The World, the Flesh, and the Deviland I Am Legend. “These tales captivate me because we must wonder how resourceful that final man on Earth is in order to survive. InThe Quiet Earthyou see this… I just enjoyed watching how creative he became.
Wrapping up his thoughts, he remarked that the film was “merely a well-crafted science fiction drama,” giving it an A rating along withContact and The Martian. Where numerous “last man” films typically lead the audience into a world where the character has already accepted his solitude,The Quiet Earth is different.
Here, the main idea, as Tyson described, is illustrating the challenges these characters face in order to stay alive and how inventive they must be. In this instance, the main character is a physicist connected to the Event, which enables him to attempt to comprehend and stop it from occurring once more. As the story unfolds, viewers are naturally prompted to consider how they would respond in a similar scenario.
Tyson was so enthusiastic about the movie that his enthusiasm drew the interest of one of the film’s producers, who then asked him to join the DVD audio commentary. As the scientist notes, the New Zealand film is a remake ofThe World, the Flesh, and the Devil, both movies that utilize the end of the world to examine themes of jealousy and bias. Although the science fiction setting enhances the intensity and intellectual depth of the film, it is the conflict and character interactions that add richness to the narrative.
The Quiet Earth Is a Must-See Cult Classic
Like many films produced in Australia and New Zealand, particularly from the ’80s, The Quiet EarthDidn’t achieve widespread success globally. A financial failure at the box office in 1985, it was the kind of movie that only the most passionate science fiction enthusiasts would have been aware of, and has grown even more obscure over time. If anything, Neil deGrasse Tyson’s endorsement is probably helping contemporary film fans come across it.
Science fiction is a genre that remains filled with one cult classic after another, all eager to be found anew by each new generation. Fortunately,The Quiet Earthgained a fan in Neil deGrasse Tyson, whose science fiction suggestions consistently appeal to movie enthusiasts.