Main Cast: Nigel Lunghi, Nigel Martin, Paul Blackwell, Magda Szubanski, Wayne Anthoney, Phoebe Paterson de Heer
Release Year: 2007
Country: AU
Run Time: 83 minutes
Plot
An eccentric but brilliant early 19th Century scientist attempts to convince the Prime Minister that the world will end in 2008 in director Rolf de Heer's silent, monochromatic tribute to the slapstick classics of Mack Sennett and Hal Roach. Dr. Plonk (Nigel Lunghi) may be living in the year 1907, but he has recently discovered that mankind's time on planet Earth is about to expire. As Dr. Plonk's mute assistant Paulus (Paul Blackwell) lumbers around the lab doing his best to keep the various experiments moving along, Mrs. Plonk (Magda Szubanski) drives her overworked maid (Phoebe Paterson de Heer) to the point of exhaustion and the family pooch does his best to simply stay out from under everyone's feet. Upon discovering that the world will end in exactly 101 years, Dr. Plonk makes an unsuccessful attempt to convince unbelieving Prime Minister Stalk (Wayne Anthoney) that something must be done before it's too late. In a desperate bit to back up his findings, Dr. Plonk constructs a time machine that will allow him to travel into the future and bring back irrefutable evidence of mankind's ultimate demise. Though their misadventures through time at first find Dr. Plonk and Paulus appearing in the free-love era and nearly turning up as dinner for a tribe of hungry cannibals, the pair eventually gets it right and makes it to Adelaide of 2007. Though the public at large seems hopelessly clueless about the impending destruction that's plain to see for anyone willing to open their eyes, Dr. Plonk beliefs himself fortunate when he scores an exclusive one-on-one with 21st Century Prime Minister Short (South Australian Premier Mike Rann). Unfortunately for Dr. Plonk, and perhaps all of mankind, clueless officials immediately deem the genius time traveler a terrorist suspect and attempt to capture him for questioning before he makes the leap back to 1907. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Cast
Nigel Lunghi
Nigel Martin - Dr. Plonk
Paul Blackwell
Magda Szubanski - Mrs. Plonk
Wayne Anthoney
Phoebe Paterson de Heer
Mike Rann - Prime Minister; Bogdan Koca; Reg the Dog
Credit
David Wolfe-Barry - First Assistant Director, Rolf de Heer - Director, Tania Nehme - Editor, Bryce Menzies - Executive Producer, Domenico Procacci - Executive Producer, Sue Murray - Executive Producer, Graham Tardif - Composer (Music Score), Beverly Freeman - Production Designer, Judd Overton - Cinematographer, Rolf de Heer - Producer, Julie Ryan - Producer, Grant Page - Stunts Coordinator, Rolf de Heer - Screenwriter, John Armstrong - Visual Effects Supervisor
