Sleeping Dogs (1977 film)
| Sleeping Dogs | |
|---|---|
Film poster | |
| Directed by | Roger Donaldson |
| Written by | Ian Mune Arthur Baysting |
| Produced by | Roger Donaldson Larry Parr |
| Starring | Sam Neill Nevan Rowe Ian Mune Ian Watkin Warren Oates |
| Cinematography | Michael Seresin |
| Edited by | Ian John |
| Music by | Mathew Brown David Calder Murray Grindlay |
Production companies | Aardvark Films Broadbank Films |
| Distributed by | Satori (United States) |
Release date |
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Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $450,000 (New Zealand) |
Sleeping Dogs is a 1977 New Zealand action thriller film directed by Roger Donaldson. It is based on the book Smith's Dream by C.K. Stead, and is notable for being the first feature-length 35 mm film produced entirely in New Zealand. The film stars Sam Neill, Clyde Scott, and Warren Oates. It was a major success critically and commercially, and launched the career of Sam Neill.
A political thriller with action film elements, it follows the lead man alone character "Smith" (Neill) as New Zealand plunges into a police state as a fascist government institutes martial law after industrial disputes flare into violence. Smith gets caught between the special police and a growing resistance movement, and reluctantly becomes involved. Often named one of the best New Zealand films of all time, it is considered a classic and a landmark in the new wave of New Zealand cinema that flourished in the 1970s and 80s.