Incident at Raven's Gate

At Raven's Gate, a farming property, enthusiastic hydroponicist Richard Cleary (Ritchie Singer) is trying innovative farming practices. He is also trying to accommodate his brother Eddie (Steven Vidler), newly out of jail and more interested in Richard's wife Rachel (Celine Griffin){{efn|Also known as Celine O'Leary}} than in working on the property.

Strange events on the property and a minor crime in the town attract policeman Taylor (Max Cullen) and Special Branch investigator Cummings (Terry Camilleri). Eddie has the misfortune to cross local cop Skinner (Vincent Gil), for dating the target of his affections, barmaid Annie (Saturday Rosenberg).

Tensions in personal relationships and mysterious events (bird kills, disappearing water supplies) build. Raven's Gate is assaulted by an alien force, and a number of deaths occur amongst the protagonists.{{cite web| work= Twitchfilm.net| title= Seldom Seen review: Encounter at Raven's Gate |url= http://twitchfilm.net/archives/009274.html | access-date= 9 March 2009}} The film closes with the stunned survivors Eddie and Rachel standing outside Raven's Gate homestead, newly restored by Special Branch, and the soundtrack playing the Easybeats' song "Friday on My Mind".

• Ritchie Singer as Richard Cleary
• Steven Vidler as Eddie
• Celine Griffin as Rachel
• Max Cullen as Taylor
• Terry Camilleri as Special Branch Investigator Hemmings
• Vincent Gil as Skinner
• Saturday Rosenberg as Annie

Incident at Raven's Gate is a genre-crossing film: part thriller, part science fiction, and part psychological drama. It was shot on location and made in South Australia, with South Australian Film Corporation support, for a budget of {{A$|2.5 million}}. The filmmakers say only $1.1 million was spent on the actual film, and the rest were fees for executive producers, writers and producers.

It was co-produced by de Heer and Marc Rosenberg, who wrote the script from a screenplay by James Michael Vernon. It was filmed in South Australia's Riverland and Murraylands, and Carrington, New South Wales.

The movie achieved only limited release and did not receive the critical acclaim of many other de Heer films.{{cite journal| last= Hawker| first= Phillipa | year=1995| title= Incident at Raven's Gate| editor-last= Murray| editor-first= Scott | work= Australian Film 1978–1994: A Survey of Theatrical Features| place= Melbourne| publisher= Oxford University Press, Australian Film Commission and Cinema Papers}} It nevertheless managed three nominations at the 1988 Australian Film Institute Awards.{{cite web| website= vertigoproductions.com.au| publisher= Vertigo Productions| url= http://www.vertigoproductions.com.au/information.php?film_id=7&display=awards |title= Incident at Raven's Gate: Information| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090918162815/http://vertigoproductions.com.au/information.php?film_id=7&display=awards |archivedate=18 September 2009 | access-date= 9 March 2009}}

;Other reviews

• Hutak, M. (1989). 'Incident at Raven's Gate', Film News, April, no. 3.
• Stratton, D. (1988). 'Incident at Raven's Gate', Variety, August.

• Cinema of Australia

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{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090706053728/http://www.vertigoproductions.com.au/ravens.html Incident at Raven's Gate] at Rolf de Heer's production company Vertigo Productions
• [http://www.ozmovies.com.au/movie/incident-at-ravens-gate Incident at Raven's Gate] at Oz Movies
• {{IMDb title|95098}}

{{Rolf de Heer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Incident at Raven's Gate}}

Category:Australian science fiction films

Category:Films set in South Australia

Category:1988 films

Category:Films directed by Rolf de Heer

Category:1980s English-language films

Category:Films scored by Graham Tardif