The Last Wave
“Hasn't the weather been strange ...could it be a warning?”
A Sydney lawyer defends five Aboriginal people in a ritualised taboo murder and in the process learns disturbing truths about himself and premonitions.
Where to watch
HBO Max
Stream
Criterion Channel
Stream
Amazon Video
Rent · Buy
Apple TV Store
Rent · Buy
Fandango At Home
Rent · Buy
Your rating
Your review
Cast
29 people
Richard Chamberlain
David Burton
Known for
Shōgun
King Solomon's Mines
Olivia Hamnett
Annie Burton
Also in
Prisoner
The Earthling
David Gulpilil
Chris Lee
Known for
Crocodile Dundee
Australia
Nandjiwarra Amagula
Charlie
No other roles listed
Frederick Parslow
Rev. Burton
Also in
Against the Wind
The Sullivans
Vivean Gray
Dr. Whitburn
Known for
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Walter Amagula
Gerry Lee
No other roles listed
Roy Bara
Larry
No other roles listed
Cedrick Lalara
Lindsey
No other roles listed
Morris Lalara
Jacko
No other roles listed
Peter Carroll
Michael Zeadler
Known for
Sleeping Beauty
Heartbreak High
Athol Compton
Billy Corman
Also in
The Games
BabaKiueria
Peter Weir Director · Petru Popescu Screenplay Tony Morphett Screenplay
Worldwide gross $2.1M · Budget $825K · United States release October 6, 1978
Box office
Budget
$825,000
Worldwide gross
$2,124,250
Gross vs. budget
2.6×
Production
Australian Film Commission
Production
McElroy & McElroy
Production
Derek Power
Production
South Australian Film Corporation
Production
Last Wave Productions
Production
Australia
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English · Italian
Release dates
France · November 5, 1977
Premiere · Paris Film Festival
Australia · December 15, 1977
Theatrical
United States · October 6, 1978
Theatrical
United States
December 19, 1978 · Theatrical · New York City
Australia
January 26, 1978 · Limited theatrical · (re-release)
November 27, 2001 · Physical · DVD premiere
Colombia
May 29, 1980 · Theatrical
Czechia
February 13, 1997 · Limited theatrical
Denmark
April 6, 1979 · Theatrical
Finland
July 12, 1985 · TV
France
June 16, 1982 · Theatrical
Germany
September 15, 1978 · Theatrical
Greece
October 21, 2006 · Premiere · Panorama of European Cinema
India
August 5, 1981 · Theatrical
Iran
November 5, 1977 · Premiere · Tehran Film Festival
Italy
August 31, 1979 · Theatrical · Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076299/releaseinfo?ref_=tt_dt_rdat
Mexico
December 1, 1980 · Limited theatrical
December 5, 1980 · Theatrical
Netherlands
August 16, 1979 · Theatrical
March 25, 2004 · Physical · DVD
Portugal
February 5, 1982 · Theatrical
Spain
April 7, 1985 · TV
Sweden
October 6, 1978 · Theatrical
Taiwan
October 17, 2021 · Premiere · Kaohsiung Film Festival
United Kingdom
August 15, 1978 · Theatrical
More from Peter Weir
Other films they directed, best known first.
If you liked The Last Wave
Picks that share its genres, themes, cast and crew.
Some details come from TheTVDB.