Lawrence Johnston

Australian documentary and love letter to celluloid film. Chronicles the rise, fall and re-birth of film projection.

The late 20th century’s fear of nuclear annihilation is explored in this documentary centred around Nevil Shute’s prophetic 1957 novel On the Beach. Director Lawrence Johnston explores the writing and impulses of Shute's career, the novel and its adaptation into the 1960 film (shot in Melbourne by Hollywood director Stanley Kramer), and Shute’s prophesy of 'man and machine out of control'.