Incident at Raven's Gate
Encyclopedia
Incident at Raven's Gate (also released as Encounter at Raven's Gate) is a 1988 science fiction
arthouse feature film
directed by prominent Australian director Rolf de Heer
.
The cast of Incident at Raven's Gate included long-term Australian stage and screen actor Max Cullen
, as a policeman, and Terry Camilleri
as an astrophysicist attached to Special Branch
, investigating unexplained radar signals in a remote South Australian country town.
Richard Cleary (Ritchie Singer) is trying innovative farming practices. He is also trying to accommodate his brother Eddie (Steven Vidler), newly out of gaol and more interested in Richard's wife Rachel (Celine Griffin) than in working on the property. Strange events on the property and a minor crime in the town attract policeman Taylor (Max Cullen) and Special Branch investigator Cummings (Terry Camilleri). Eddie has the misfortune to also cross local cop Skinner (Vincent Gil), by dating the target of his affections, barmaid Annie (Saturday Rosenberg). Tensions in personal relationships and mysterious events (bird kills, disappearing water supplies) build to a climax that sees Raven's Gate assaulted by an alien force, and a number of deaths amongst the protagonists. The film closes with the stunned survivors Eddie and Rachel standing outside Raven's Gate homestead, newly restored by Special Branch, and the soundtrack playing the Easybeats song Friday on My Mind
.
, with South Australian Film Corporation
support, for a budget of . It was co-produced by de Heer and Marc Rosenberg
, who together also wrote the script from a screenplay by James Michael Vernon. The film is part thriller, part science fiction, and part psychological drama.
. Director Rolf de Heer would later go on to win several AFI awards, including Best Film, for his 2006 release, Ten Canoes
.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
arthouse feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
directed by prominent Australian director Rolf de Heer
Rolf de Heer
Rolf de Heer is a Dutch film director, writer and producer living in Australia. De Heer was born in Heemskerk in The Netherlands but migrated to Sydney when he was eight years old. He attended the Australian Film Television and Radio School in Sydney. His company is called Vertigo Productions and...
.
The cast of Incident at Raven's Gate included long-term Australian stage and screen actor Max Cullen
Max Cullen
Max Cullen is an Australian stage and screen actor. Max has appeared in many Australian films and television series but is best known for his role in the film Spider and Rose and the television series The Flying Doctors and Love My Way.Cullen was born in Wellington, New South Wales...
, as a policeman, and Terry Camilleri
Terry Camilleri
Terry Camilleri is an Australian actor.Camilleri was born in Malta and made his feature film debut in Peter Weir's 1974 film The Cars That Ate Paris. Terry appreaed in the 1983 hit sequel film Superman III. He portrayed the Emperor Napoleon I in the 1989 film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure...
as an astrophysicist attached to Special Branch
Special Branch
Special Branch is a label customarily used to identify units responsible for matters of national security in British and Commonwealth police forces, as well as in the Royal Thai Police...
, investigating unexplained radar signals in a remote South Australian country town.
Plot
On a farming property called Raven's Gate, enthusiastic hydroponicistHydroponics
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, mineral wool, or coconut husk.Researchers discovered in the 18th...
Richard Cleary (Ritchie Singer) is trying innovative farming practices. He is also trying to accommodate his brother Eddie (Steven Vidler), newly out of gaol and more interested in Richard's wife Rachel (Celine Griffin) than in working on the property. Strange events on the property and a minor crime in the town attract policeman Taylor (Max Cullen) and Special Branch investigator Cummings (Terry Camilleri). Eddie has the misfortune to also cross local cop Skinner (Vincent Gil), by dating the target of his affections, barmaid Annie (Saturday Rosenberg). Tensions in personal relationships and mysterious events (bird kills, disappearing water supplies) build to a climax that sees Raven's Gate assaulted by an alien force, and a number of deaths amongst the protagonists. The film closes with the stunned survivors Eddie and Rachel standing outside Raven's Gate homestead, newly restored by Special Branch, and the soundtrack playing the Easybeats song Friday on My Mind
Friday on My Mind
"Friday on My Mind" is a 1966 song by Australian rock group The Easybeats. Written by band members George Young and Harry Vanda, the track became a worldwide hit, reaching #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 1967 in the US, #1 in Australia and #6 in the UK, as well as charting in several...
.
Filming
A genre-crossing film by Rolf de Heer, Incident at Raven's Gate was made in South AustraliaSouth Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, with South Australian Film Corporation
South Australian Film Corporation
South Australian Film Corporation is a South Australian Government statutory corporation established in 1972. Former State Premier Don Dunstan played an instrumental role in the foundation of the Corporation and its early film production activities....
support, for a budget of . It was co-produced by de Heer and Marc Rosenberg
Marc Rosenberg (screenwriter)
Marc Rosenberg is an American screenwriter and producer, with professional roots in Australia. He was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Government. Following graduation, he hitchhiked through Europe and Asia, settling for a...
, who together also wrote the script from a screenplay by James Michael Vernon. The film is part thriller, part science fiction, and part psychological drama.
Critical reception
The movie achieved only limited release and did not receive the critical acclaim showered upon many other de Heer films. It nevertheless managed three nominations at the 1988 Australian Film Institute AwardsAustralian Film Institute Awards
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
. Director Rolf de Heer would later go on to win several AFI awards, including Best Film, for his 2006 release, Ten Canoes
Ten Canoes
Ten Canoes is a 2006 film. It was directed by Rolf de Heer and Peter Djigirr and starred Crusoe Kurddal. The title of the film arose from discussions between de Heer and David Gulpilil about a photograph of ten canoeists poling across the Arafura Swamp, taken by anthropologist Donald Thomson in...
.
Other reviews
- Hutak, M. (1989). 'Incident at Raven's Gate', Film News, April, no. 3.
- Stratton, D. (1988). 'Incident at Raven's Gate', Variety, August.