Silo 15

Last updated

Silo 15
Directed byJohn Alaimo
Written byGregory Marton
StarringJack Thompson
CinematographyHeinz Fenke
Edited byBrian Kavanagh
Distributed bySeven Keys
Release dates
  • August 22, 1969 (1969-08-22)(Glebe, Sydney)
Running time
45 mins
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

Silo 15 is a 1969 Australian short featuure. It was shot in 1969 and was produced by Grahame Jennings and directed by John Alaimo. [1]

Contents

Plot

In the 1990s, two men, Captain Thomson and Lt O'Donnell, are trapped in a nuclear missile silo with war looming. They receive an alarm and lose contact outside the silo. Thomson thinks they need to fire the missile.

Cast

Production

The film was based on an original TV play by Mosman writer Gregory Marton which had first been conceived as a stage play. Marton had arrived in Australia from Hungary in 1949. In 1965 he sent the play to the ABC but did not hear back from them. He began negotiations with companies in Europe to make it and ask for it back. The play won a Merit Award at the first Australian Writers Guild Awards in March 1968 and sold to West Germany for $1,000. The German version was shot in Hamburg and shown throughout Europe on German speaking networks, including in Switzerland and Austria. "Does the ABC remember it?" wrote Valda Marshall in the Sun Herald. "Will the ABC read it now??" [2]

The Sydney Morning Herald wrote an article about this in 1968 prompting revived interest in the play. An Australian version was filmed in Sydney, produced by Grahame Jennings and directed by John Alaimo, who worked in advertising. Alaimo called the play "an absolute winner... I am astrounded it has never been produced here." Alaimo arranged for the production to be shot in colour and on film to help with overseas sales. "This is a powerful drama with a topical theme," said Alaimo. [3] It was shot over nine days in a Sydney studio. [4]

Release

Ad in Sydney Morning Herald 22 Aug 1969 Silo 15 advertisement.png
Ad in Sydney Morning Herald 22 Aug 1969

By August 1969 the Australian version had been sold to the US (the National Educational Television Network), Canada and the BBC 2 but it had not been shown on Australian TV. It was broadcast on BBC Two, 2 September 1969, 21:10pm. [5] Andrew Gaty reported he sold the drama through his company Seven Keys to the US, UK and Canada for $28,000. [6]

To give it at some audience, it was screened at the Gala Cinema in Sydney. Jennings said, "We feel that an important issue is at stake here, that a critical point has been reached in the production of drama by Australians for Australian television." [5]

When the film aired in the cinema, the Sydney Morning Herald called it "tense, scary fare right out of The Twilight Zone and very much belongs to the small screen." [7] The Bulletin said:

Seen on the cinema screen, it may seem a little pared-down one set, two characters, and a couple of off-screen voices but it makes its effect quite well... Gregory Marton in his reiterations and under- linings of his viewpoint gives his viewers too little credit for understanding. The message that man can create com- plicated and lethal machines but that only he can control them and that finally human values are the important ones is hardly a new one, but it can’t be stated too often; and with all its oversimplification this is a neatly constructed teleplay and efficiently produced. [8]

In 1970 John Alaimo said "It has been shown to all commercial channels but either it's too far above them or they're just not interested in drama. It has me baffled... I certainly don't say that people should buy it but at least I think they should consider it. It's a complete enigma and has destroyed some of my faith in commercial television. I'm not saying that it's better than the programs we see on local television but is's certainly no worse." [4]

The film screened again as a support feature in cinemas in Sydney in November 1970. In 1972 the show aired on ATN Sydney. "It's been a long wait but I finally made it," said Martin. [9]

It was repeated on ATN in 1973 and 1974.

The same producer and director later made Odyssey: A Journey, a documentary drama, which aired in 1972. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Survivor</i> (Keneally novel) 1972 Australian film

The Survivor is a 1969 novel by Australian author Thomas Keneally.

<i>Shell Presents</i> Australian TV series or program

Shell Presents was an early attempt at Australian television drama, being an umbrella title for several different productions. It debuted on 4 April 1959, and aired on ATN-7 and GTV-9, who split production of plays for the series between them. It was an anthology series, each program being a self-contained play for television. The series won a Logie award in 1960 for TV Highlight of 1959. As the title suggests, it was sponsored by Shell. It was described as "a very big deal for the station: major institutional sponsorship from international companies for locally produced drama." It would be followed by The General Motors Hour.

Bodgie is an Australian television movie, or rather a live television play with filmed sequences, which aired on ABC during 1959. Originally broadcast on 12 August 1959 in Sydney on ABN-2, a kinescope recording was made of the program and shown in Melbourne on ABV-2 on 2 September 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reflections in Dark Glasses</span> 12th episode of the 1st season of Shell Presents

"Reflections in Dark Glasses" is an Australian television film, or rather a television play, which aired in 1960. It aired as part of Shell Presents, which consisted of monthly presentations of stand-alone television dramas. It was written by Sydney writer James Workman, and is notable as an early example of Australian-written television drama. It was broadcast live in Sydney on 6 February 1960, then recorded and shown in Melbourne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">They Were Big, They Were Blue, They Were Beautiful</span> 4th episode of the 1st season of Shell Presents

"They Were Big, They Were Blue, They Were Beautiful" is an Australian television movie, or rather a live television play, which aired live on 27 June 1959 in Sydney, and on 8 August 1959 in Melbourne. It aired as part of Shell Presents, a monthly presentation of standalone productions which aired from 1959 to 1960 on ATN-7 in Sydney and GTV-9 in Melbourne.

The Big Day (<i>Shell Presents</i>) 5th episode of the 1st season of Shell Presents

"The Big Day" is an Australian television film, or rather a live television play, which aired in 1959. The fifth episode of the Shell Presents presentations of standalone television dramas, it originally aired 11 July 1959 on Melbourne station GTV-9, a video-tape was made of the broadcast and shown on Sydney station ATN-7 on 25 July 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Picnic Tomorrow</span> 11th episode of the 1st season of Shell Presents

"No Picnic Tomorrow" is an Australian television drama one-off which aired in 1960 on ATN-7 in Sydney and GTV-9 in Melbourne. Part of the Shell Presents series of one-off television dramas and comedies, it was produced in Melbourne, but first shown in Sydney on 9 January 1960, and on 23 January 1960 Melbourne.

"Manhaul" is a 1962 Australian television film. It aired 8 September 1962 as part of The General Motors Hour, an occasional series which presented various one-off productions. It aired on 8 September 1962 on ATN-7 in Sydney, on 8 September 1962 on GTV-9 in Melbourne, and on 15 September 1962 on QTQ-9 in Brisbane, despite the two stations having severed their relationship with the formation of the Nine Network.

Australian Playhouse was an Australian anthology TV series featuring the work of Australian writers.

<i>The Sergeant from Burralee</i> 1961Australian television play

The Sergeant from Burralee is an Australian television play written by Phillip Grenville Mann. The play was also broadcast by the BBC and screened for West German television.

Turning Point is a 1960 Australian television play, broadcast at a time when local drama was rare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Other People's Houses</span> 2nd episode of the 1st season of Shell Presents

"Other People's Houses" is the second episode of the 1959 Australian TV drama anthology Shell Presents. It was based on a play by Tad Mosel and starred Diana Perryman and was directed by David Cahill. It aired on 2 May 1959 in Sydney and on 3 October 1959 in Melbourne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Tongue of Silver</span> 8th episode of the 1st season of Shell Presents

"A Tongue of Silver" is an episode of the 1959 Australian TV drama anthology Shell Presents. Australian TV drama was relatively rare at the time. It starred John Meillon, who had been in Thunder of Silence in the same series.

Wuthering Heights is a 1959 Australian television play adapted from Emily Brontë's 1847 novel Wuthering Heights. It was directed by Alan Burke and based on a script by Nigel Kneale which had been adapted by the BBC in 1953 as a TV play starring Richard Todd. It was made at a time when Australian drama production was rare.

Dinner with the Family is a 1959 Australian TV play. Australian TV drama was relatively rare at the time. It featured English star Jessie Matthews in her first Australian TV appearance - she was touring the country at the time - and was shot in Melbourne.

<i>Shell Be Right</i> 1962 Australian television play

She'll Be Right is a 1962 Australian television play which aired on the ABC.

Ruth (<i>Shell Presents</i>) 7th episode of the 1st season of Shell Presents

"Ruth" is a 1959 Australian television play. It was presented as part of the Shell Presents program and starred Lyndall Barbour. It was written by John Glennon, an American actor and writer who appeared in the production, and directed by Rod Kinnear. The play aired in Melbourne on 5 September 1959 and in Sydney on 19 September 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thunder on Sycamore Street</span> 3rd episode of the 1st season of The General Motors Hour

"Thunder on Sycamore Street" is a 1960 Australian television play directed by David Cahill. It was based on a script by Reginald Rose. It aired on 23 July 1960 in Melbourne and Sydney.

"The Grey Nurse Said Nothing" is a television play episode from the Australian television series The General Motors Hour. It was produced and directed by David Cahill. It was made by Channel Seven who later called "the most ambitious dramatic production ever attempted in Australia... [written by] one of the world's foremost authors of television plays and the cast is Ihe largest ever assembled for an Australian television dramatic production.... the greatest care has been taken to achieve the maximum possible standard in the production of the play which covered a total period of approximately eight weeks." The episode aired on 28 May 1960 in Sydney and Melbourne, and on 11 June 1960 in Brisbane.

"Shadow of a Pale Horse" is a television play that was produced for Australian TV by Sydney station ATN-7, it was also shown in Melbourne on station GTV-9, as this was prior to the creation of the Seven Network and Nine Network. "Shadow of a Pale Horse" aired on 17 September 1960 in Melbourne and Sydney.

References

  1. ↑ "Advertising". Victor Harbour Times . Vol. 66, no. 2, 926. South Australia. 19 July 1978. p. 10. Retrieved 3 September 2018– via National Library of Australia.
  2. ↑ Marshall, Valda (7 April 1968). "Bungle of a prize play". Sydney Sun Herald. p. 74.
  3. ↑ Marshall, Valda (21 April 1968). "Second chance for a play". Sydney Sun Herald. p. 82.
  4. 1 2 "Australia rejects top show". TV Week. 15 August 1970. p. 5.
  5. 1 2 "Neglect for local author". Sydney Morning Herald. 17 August 1969. p. 92.
  6. ↑ "He wants to be a big man in films". The Age. 7 October 1969. p. 2.
  7. ↑ Nicklin, Lenore (13 August 1969). "On Air: Australian Success". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 6.
  8. ↑ "FILMS Anti-war week", 105 volumes : illustrations (chiefly coloured), portraits (chiefly coloured) ; 30-40 cm., The bulletin., John Ryan Comic Collection (Specific issues)., Sydney, N.S.W: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, 91 (4669), 6 September 1969 [1880], ISSN   0007-4039, nla.obj-1701585581, retrieved 27 June 2023– via Trove
  9. 1 2 Marshall, Valda (23 January 1972). "British Comedy at its Best". Sydney Sun Herald. p. 95.
Australia film clapperboard.svg

This article related to an Australian film of the 1960s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.