{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox film | name = Survival Zone | image = | alt = | caption = | director = Percival Rubens | producer = David Dalling<br />Frank Evans <br />Percival Rubens | writer = Eric Brown<br />Percival Rubens | narrator = | starring = Gary Lockwood<br /> Camilla Sparv<br /> Morgan Stevens<br /> Zoli Marki | music = Nick Labuschagne | cinematography = Vincent G. Cox<br />Colin Taylor | editing = | studio = | distributor = Commedia Pictures Inc. | released = {{Film date|1983| | |U.S.}} | runtime = 90 minutes | country = South Africa | language = English | budget = | gross = }} '''''Survival Zone''''' is a 1983 South African post-apocalyptic action-thriller directed by Percival Rubens and starring Gary Lockwood, Camilla Sparv, Morgan Stevens, and Zoli Marki.
== Plot == In the near future of 1989, the world has collapsed during a nuclear war and the few survivors must make do as best they can. Ben Faber operates a family farm and is isolated from world events. They live a reasonably happy life until they are besieged by a brutal and cannibalistic motorcycle gang who want to eat men and reproduce with the women. The family is forced to protect themselves with the weapons found in the house. Concurrent with this they have given a mysterious stranger shelter.
== Cast == * Gary Lockwood .... Ben Faber * Camilla Sparv .... Lucy Faber * Morgan Stevens .... Adam Strong * Zoli Marki (Zoli Marquess) .... Rachel Faber * Ian Steadman .... Bigman Bigman
== Background == ''Survival Zone'' is a low-budget "B" film inspired by the Australian film ''Mad Max 2''. Screenplay, direction and production by Percival Rubens with a screenwriting assist by Eric Brown.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Stanley |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mn-NEAAAQBAJ |title=Creature Features: The Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Movie Guide |date=2000-08-01 |publisher=National Geographic Books |isbn=978-0-425-17517-0 |language=en}}</ref>
== Release == ''Survival Zone'' received a theatrical release in the United States in 1983.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 28, 1983 |title=Survival Zone theatrical advertisement |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/163065602/?match=1&terms=%22Survival%20Zone%22%20Percival%20Rubens |work=Arizona Daily Star (Newspapers.com)}}</ref>
==Reception==
In ''Creature Feature'', John Stanley found the movie predictable, giving it two out of five stars. However, he did find that the movie offers surprising philosophical take on life after an apocalypse.<ref name=":0" /> Mike Bogue noted in his book ''Watching the World Die'' that the actors do their best, but that the night scenes were "murky" and it was hard to make out details.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bogue |first=Mike |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LFjhEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Survival+Zone%22+Percival+Rubens&pg=PA80 |title=Watching the World Die: Nuclear Threat Films of the 1980s |date=2023-10-23 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-5070-8 |pages=80–81 |language=en}}</ref>
A reviewer for ''The Monitor'' found the film amateurish and questioned if Rubens and his producer intended for it to be "a play upon post-World War III adventure flicks, what with the improbable situations developed."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lind |first=Scott |date=September 28, 1983 |title=Adventure drama about life after nuclear war |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/900049502/?match=1&terms=%22Survival%20Zone%22%20Percival%20Rubens |work=The Monitor (Newspapers.com)}}</ref>
== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book |last=Broderick |first=Mick |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7uXgDgjUX_8C&q=%22Survival+Zone%22+Percival+Rubens |title=Nuclear Movies: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of International Feature Length Films Dealing with Experimentation, Aliens, Terrorism, Holocaust, and Other Disaster Scenarios, 1914-1990 |date=1991 |publisher=McFarland & Company |isbn=978-0-89950-543-5 |language=en}}{{Verify source|date=February 2025|reason=The book appears to go into depth, but I am unable to see the full cite - only snippet view}}
==References== <references />
== External links == * {{IMDb title|0217072}}
Category:1983 films Category:South African thriller films Category:English-language South African films Category:1983 English-language films Category:1983 action thriller films Category:1983 science fiction films Category:English-language science fiction films Category:English-language action thriller films Category:1980s South African films Category:Films directed by Percival Rubens
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