Summary
Shimmering Light is a 1978 Australian television film about an American surfer who travels to Australia in search of the perfect wave. It was one of six TV movies made in Australia by Transatlantic Enterprises.[1] It was directed by Don Chaffey.
| Shimmering Light | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Don Chaffey |
| Written by | George Kirgo Paul Savage |
| Produced by | Frank Arnold |
| Starring | Beau Bridges Lloyd Bridges Victoria Shaw Ingrid Mason Wendy Playfair Mark Hembrow Patrick Ward John Meillon |
| Cinematography | Julian Penney |
| Edited by | Don Saunders |
| Music by | Fever (songs) & Frank Cook (Composer) |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
Release date | 12 December 1978 (Australia) February 1980 (BBC1 (UK) & HBO (USA)) |
Running time | 90 mins |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5 Million (Australia) $3.5 Million (USA) £2.5 Million (UK) |
Plot edit
Kevin Pearse is a 29-year-old drop-out who lives off his family trust and spends most of his time surfing. He is seeing two women, young Emily and older Moira. His father Scan arrives.
Cast edit
- Beau Bridges as Kevin Pearse
- Lloyd Bridges as Sean Pearse
- Ingrid Mason as Emily Stuart
- Victoria Shaw as Moira
- Mark Hembrow as Peter
- Wendy Playfair as Gwen Stuart
- John Meillon
- Patrick Ward
- Mark Edwards
Release edit
This telefilm was originally aired by ABC on 12 December 1978. It released in theatres at Germany on 17 May 1979 and later aired by BBC One and HBO on 13 February 1980. This telefilm was also aired by BBC Two and Cinemax from 18 June 1981 to 1 July 1981. It reran on The Movie Channel from 9 November 1981 to 23 April 1983. In Portugal, RTP1 and RTP2 aired the telefilm in May 1983. In Spain, TVE1 and TVE2 aired the telefilm in May 1983. In Netherlands, NPO 1 aired the telefilm in October 1982. In Italy, RAI aired the telefilm in October 1983.[citation needed]
On 23 September 1985, Academy Home Entertainment released the film as Mutual Respect on VHS. On 15 March 1988, Video Treasures also released the film on VHS.[citation needed]
Reception edit
The Sydney Morning Herald wrote "The end product is really half-hearted. The idea was good, the acting similar. But, in the end, the Bridges family and their fellow actors were betrayed by a really ordinary script."[2] Another reviewer in the same paper called it "a first rate telemovie."[3] The Age's Mark Lawrence wrote "With its occasional tense moments, all round competent acting performances and good photography Shimmerling (sic) Light offers worthwile entertainment."[4] Also in the Age Brian Courtis said "It's a lightweight film with a credible script and several excellent acting performances".[5]
References edit
- ^ Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p140
- ^ "The light that almost failed". Sydney Morning Herald. 11 December 1978. p. 14.
- ^ Groves, Don (10 December 1978). "Shedding bright Light after a Puzzle". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 87.
- ^ Lawrence, Mark (7 December 1978). "The tide of life snares surfing son". The Age. p. 14.
- ^ Courtis, Brian (12 December 1978). "Harboring a US connection". The Age. p. 2.
External links edit
- Shimmering Light at IMDb
- Shimmering Light at AllMovie
- Shimmering Light at the British Film Institute[better source needed]
