DIRECTOR: Roger Donaldson
PRODUCERS: Roger Donaldson, Larry Parr
PRODUCTION CO: Aardvark Films, Broadbank Films
SCREENPLAY: Ian Mune, Arthur Baysting, based on the novel by C K Stead
PHOTOGRAPHY: Michael Seresin
EDITOR: Ian John
MUSIC: Mathew Brown, David Calder, Murray Grindlay
WITH: Sam Neill (Smith), Nevan Rowe (Gloria), Ian Mune (Bullen), Ian Watkin (Dudley), Warren Oates (Colonel Willoughby), Clyde Scott (Jesperson), Bill Johnson (Cousins), Don Selwyn (Taupiri), Donna Akersten (Mary), Davina Whitehouse (Elsie)

REVIEWS

“Sleeping Dogs heralded the new wave of New Zealand feature films in the late 1970s, and was a key factor in the establishment of the New Zealand Film Commission. It was also the first New Zealand film released in the United States (a feat rarely repeated), and it launched the international careers of director Roger Donaldson and lead actor Sam Neill. Neill was 30 at the time, and in his first major screen role his charisma is palpable; Donaldson's assured direction, particularly of the action pieces, would set him on his way to a long career helming studio films in Hollywood.

Donaldson made this film (based on CK Stead's novel Smith’s Dream) at a time when New Zealanders, beginning to shrug off the cultural cringe, were hungry to see images of themselves on the big screen. It was released widely and was well attended (in contrast to the few films that had previously been made here, which struggled to find audiences).

Politically, the 1970s were a time of fear and uncertainty; there was an oil crisis and inflation was rampant. The story, with its 'man alone' anti-authority themes, presented a distinctly local take on the zeitgeist.”

​— Richard King, NZ On Screen

How Sleeping Dogs Woke Up the New Zealand Film Industry – Lindsay Shelton

FILM SOCIETY SCREENINGS

Wellington  
Monday, 13 March, 6.15pm

Palmerston North 
Wednesday, 22 March, 6.00pm

​Carterton 
Friday, 31 March, 7.00pm

Auckland  
Tuesday, 11 April, 6.15pm  

New Plymouth  
Wednesday, 26 April, 6.00pm

​Canterbury  
Monday, 15 May, 7.00pm

Whanganui  
Monday, 29 May, 7.00pm

Tauranga  
Tuesday, 11 July, 6.00pm
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NZ FILM selection >>