The Last Wave backdrop
DRAMA . 1977 . 1h 46m . English . 6.7/10

The Last Wave_

"Hasn't the weather been strange...could it be a warning?"

A Sydney lawyer defends five Aboriginal people in a ritualised taboo murder and in the process learns disturbing truths about himself and premonitions.

Starring Richard Chamberlain, Olivia Hamnett, David Gulpilil
Box Office $2.1M
6.7/10
Rating
$2.1M
Box Office
1h 46m
Runtime
1977
Year
BLOCKBUSTER
+157% ROI
Profitability
Updated Feb 16, 2026
The Last Wave poster
Hasn't the weather been strange...could it be a warning?

A Sydney lawyer defends five Aboriginal people in a ritualised taboo murder and in the process learns disturbing truths about himself and premonitions.

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DROPTHE_ GOSSIP

Box office
The Last Wave earned $2.1M worldwide on a $825K budget — a 157% return on investment.
Cast
Richard Chamberlain stars as David Burton in The Last Wave.
Richard Chamberlain →
Year context
The Last Wave was released 49 years ago in 1977.
The Last Wave is a Drama, Mystery, Fantasy film with a runtime of 1h 46m.

CAST (20)

Richard Chamberlain
Richard Chamberlain
David Burton
Olivia Hamnett
Olivia Hamnett
Annie Burton
David Gulpilil
David Gulpilil
Chris Lee
Frederick Parslow
Frederick Parslow
Rev. Burton
Vivean Gray
Vivean Gray
Dr. Whitburn
Athol Compton
Athol Compton
Billy Corman
Peter Carroll
Peter Carroll
Michael Zeadler
Walter Amagula
Walter Amagula
Gerry Lee
Michael Duffield
Michael Duffield
Andrew Potter
NA
Nandjiwarra Amagula
Charlie
Hedley Cullen
Hedley Cullen
Judge
WE
Wallas Eaton
Morgue Doctor
JE
Jo England
Babysitter
JF
John Frawley
Policeman
JM
John Meagher
Morgue Clerk
MR
Malcolm Robertson
Don Fishburn
Greg Rowe
Greg Rowe
Carl
Katrina Sedgwick
Katrina Sedgwick
Sophie Burton
IW
Ingrid Weir
Grace Burton
Tony Llewellyn-Jones
Tony Llewellyn-Jones
Guest at Party

BOX OFFICE

$825K
Budget
$2.1M
Revenue
+157%
ROI
BLOCKBUSTER
Verdict

STUDIOS (5)

Australian Film Commission McElroy & McElroy Derek Power South Australian Film Corporation Last Wave Productions

DETAILS

Release
Status
Released
Runtime
106 min (1h 46m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
6.7/10 (209 votes)
Popularity
1
Budget
$825,000
Box Office
$2,124,250
Profit
+$1,299,250

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is The Last Wave about?
A Sydney lawyer defends five Aboriginal people in a ritualised taboo murder and in the process learns disturbing truths about himself and premonitions.
How long is The Last Wave?
The Last Wave has a runtime of 106 minutes (1h 46m).
Who stars in The Last Wave?
The cast of The Last Wave includes Richard Chamberlain, Olivia Hamnett, David Gulpilil, Frederick Parslow, Vivean Gray.
How much did The Last Wave make at the box office?
The Last Wave earned $2,124,250 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $825,000.
What is the rating of The Last Wave?
The Last Wave has a rating of 6.7 out of 10 based on 209 votes on TMDB.

GENRES (3)

Drama Mystery Fantasy
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