Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds

Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds
Japanese promotional poster
Directed by	Alex Proyas
Written by	Alex Proyas
Produced by	Alex Proyas Andrew McPhail
Starring	Michael Lake Rhys Davis Norman Boyd
Cinematography	David Knaus
Edited by	Craig Wood
Music by	Peter Miller
Production company	Meaningful Eye Contact
Distributed by	MMA Films, Pro-Image
Release date	29 June 1989 (1989-06-29)
Running time	93 minutes
Country	Australia
Language	English
Budget	A$500,000

Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds is a 1989 Australian independent science fiction adventure film directed, produced and written by Alex Proyas, who was making his first feature debut. Set in a post-apocalyptic world in which two siblings live in a homestead whose silence gets interrupted by a fugitive named Smith. Starring Michael Lake, Rhys Davis and Norman Boyd, the film was shot on location near Broken Hill, New South Wales and at Supreme Studios Sydney and was made with a budget of A$500,000.

Upon release, the film received mixed reviews. It is unknown how much the film grossed at the box office yet it commenced Proyas' status in filmmaking.

Premise

Siblings Felix and Betty Crabtree live alone in a homestead on a treeless desert plain. Their solitary lives are interrupted by a fugitive with a mysterious past, who gives the name "Smith". Smith is fleeing to the north, a trio of sinister figures in pursuit. Felix, who is a wheelchair user, tells Smith that the route to the north is blocked by an impassable wall of cliffs, and convinces him that the only way he can travel beyond them is to fly. Smith, at first skeptical, is eventually convinced that his only means of escape lies with Felix's plan to build a "flying machine". Meanwhile, the religiously addled Betty is convinced that Smith is a demon from hell, and makes her own plans to get rid of him.

Cast

• Michael Lake as Felix Crabtree
• Rhys Davis (Melissa Davis) as Betty Crabtree
• Norman Boyd (The Norm) as Smith

Reception

Film critic David Stratton praised the film as having a "special vision," with brilliant production design, but while furthermore opined that "the film frustrates because of its lethargy and stiltedness".

Rolling Stone magazine called the soundtrack recording "an album of stunning instrumental beauty and exquisite soundscapes" and awarded it 4 stars.

Re-release

In June 2018, director Alex Proyas released a trailer on his YouTube channel for a re-release of the movie, remastered from original 16mm negative and featuring a restored soundtrack from the original Dolby Stereo mixes. The movie was re-released internationally in September 2018 on Blu-ray and DVD by Umbrella Entertainment. Composer Peter Miller's original soundtrack was also re-released as a 30th anniversary edition.

Accolades

Award	Category	Subject	Result
AACTA Awards (1988 AFI Awards)	Best Production Design	Sean Callinan	Nominated
	Best Costume Design	Angela Tonks	Nominated
		Mathu Anderson	Nominated
ARIA Music Award	Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album	Peter Miller	Nominated
Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival	Special Prize	Alex Proyas	Won

External links

• Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds at IMDb
• Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds at AllMovie
• Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds at Oz Movies
• Spirits Image & Trivia Archive Archive of selected behind-the-scenes and production images, and other information.