Wake in Fright
“Have a drink, mate? Have a fight, mate? Have some dust and sweat, mate? There's nothing else out here.”
Synopsis
A young schoolteacher descends into personal moral degradation after finding himself stranded in a brutal, menacing town in outback Australia.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official Arrow TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2026-04-30
Top Cast
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Donald Pleasence
Doc Tydon
Gary Bond
John Grant
Chips Rafferty
Jock Crawford
Sylvia Kay
Janette Hynes
Jack Thompson
Dick
Peter Whittle
Joe
Al Thomas
Tim Hynes
John Meillon
Charlie
John Armstrong
Atkins
Slim DeGrey
Jarvis
Maggie Dence
Receptionist
Norm Erskine
Joe the Cook
Owen Moase
1st Controller
John Dalleen
2nd Controller
Buster Fiddess
Charlie Jones
Tex Foote
Stubbs
Colin Hughes
Stockman
Jacko Jackson
Van Driver
Release History & Theatrical Window
Melbourne International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
February 20, 1972
Wide Cinema Exhibition
November 4, 2009
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$750K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$372K
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.5x
-$378K deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Ted Kotcheff
- Screenplay & Story
- Evan Jones, Ted Kotcheff
- Original Score
- John Scott
- Original Title
- Wake in Fright
- Country of Origin
- Australia, United Kingdom, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 49m
- Production Budget
- $750K
- Worldwide Gross
- $372K
- Production Studios
- NLT Productions, Group W
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Ted Kotcheff
Evan Jones, Ted Kotcheff, Kenneth Cook
John Scott
Brian West, Peter Hannan
Anthony Buckley
George Willoughby, Howard G. Barnes, Bill Harmon
Department Leadership Roster
George Willoughby
Producer
Ted Kotcheff
Director
Anthony Buckley
Editor
Evan Jones
Screenplay
Brian West
Director of Photography
John Scott
Original Music Composer
Ron Williams
Costume Design
Ted Kotcheff
Screenplay
Peter Whittle
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Wake in Fright.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Wake in Fright.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Wake in Fright
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Wake in Fright about?
A young schoolteacher descends into personal moral degradation after finding himself stranded in a brutal, menacing town in outback Australia.
Who directed Wake in Fright?
Wake in Fright was directed by Ted Kotcheff.
Who stars in Wake in Fright?
The principal cast of Wake in Fright includes Donald Pleasence, Gary Bond, Chips Rafferty, Sylvia Kay, Jack Thompson.
When was Wake in Fright released and how long is it?
Wake in Fright was released in 1971 with a total runtime of 1h 49m.
What was the box office and production budget of Wake in Fright?
Wake in Fright had a reported production budget of $750K and grossed $372K at the worldwide box office (0.5 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Wake in Fright?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Wake in Fright was composed by John Scott.
Is Wake in Fright based on a book or true story?
Wake in Fright is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Kenneth Cook".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Wake in Fright?
Wake in Fright holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).