The Survivor

The Survivor

Year: 1981

Runtime: 98 mins

Language: English

Director: David Hemmings

ThrillerMysteryHorrorHorror the undead and monster classicsTerrifying haunted and supernatural horror

After a 747 crashes moments after take‑off, the pilot emerges as the sole survivor, virtually unharmed. He and investigators search for the cause, while mysterious deaths ripple through the nearby community. A psychic attuned to the supernatural helps the pilot uncover the evil that transcends death and explains the doomed aircraft.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Survivor (1981)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Survivor (1981). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Adelaide, Australia

Adelaide, Australia serves as the film's setting, centering on a crash survivor and the communities that react to the disaster. The crash site and the surrounding city—including the vigil, the victim's cemetery, and the hangar—become focal points for investigation and haunting visions. The contrast between quiet suburbia and supernatural occurrences underlines the film's tension between memory, guilt, and truth.

🏙️ City ✈️ Aviation 🚨 Crash site

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:57

Main Characters – The Survivor (1981)

Meet the key characters of The Survivor (1981), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

David Keller (Robert Powell)

An airline pilot who survives the Adelaide crash but loses his memory of the events. He is tormented by strange visions that seem to resurrect the plane's passengers and hint that the accident was not an accident. He struggles to return to normal life while the mystery—and his guilt—haunt him. The visions push him toward the truth and confrontations with others involved in the crash.

🎖️ Protagonist 💭 Trauma 🧠 Memory

Hobbs (Jenny Agutter)

A clairvoyant who witnesses the crash from the ground and believes the victims speak through her. She aggressively connects with Keller, and their bodies seem to lose control during their confrontations as the victims' emotions surge through them. She guides Keller toward the crash site using psychic impressions and pushes the investigation beyond ordinary explanations. Her encounters reveal a direct link between the living and the dead in the wake of the disaster.

🔮 Clairvoyant 💬 Psychic 🌙 Spiritual

Slater

A colleague at the airline who reveals a ruthless greed and a willingness to kill to seize control. He planted the bomb, justifying his actions with contempt for the passengers he calls 'nobodies'. He shows no remorse as the truth unfolds, and he dies in a horrified inferno at the hangar. His actions drive Keller's pursuit of the truth and the story's moral questions.

💰 Greed 🧭 Antagonist 🔥 Ruthless

Priest

A Catholic priest who leads the victims' vigil and offers spiritual guidance amid the tragedy. He anchors the community's mourning and frames questions of guilt, justice, and forgiveness. His interactions with Keller and Hobbs underscore the clash between faith and the earthly motives behind the crash. He represents moral authority in the wake of catastrophe.

⛪ Faith 🕊️ Ritual 🤝 Compassion

Tewson

A colleague investigating the crash who arrives at the scene after the initial inquiry. He becomes a casualty when an unseen force strikes him in the hangar, highlighting the film's sense of danger as truth emerges. His death raises the stakes and reflects the peril that surrounds the uncovering of the truth. His demise accelerates Keller's resolve to uncover the conspiracy.

🕵️ Investigator 🗣️ Skeptic ⚠️ Danger

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:57

Major Themes – The Survivor (1981)

Explore the central themes of The Survivor (1981), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

👻 Haunting

Survivors and onlookers are haunted by the victims' spirits, guiding Keller toward the truth of the crash. Keller experiences visions that blur memory and reality, while Hobbs's psychic impressions reveal hidden motives tied to the disaster. The haunting serves as a narrative device to expose secrets buried behind the crash and the lives affected by it. Through the supernatural, the film pursues accountability and closure.

📰 Media Pressure

Photographers stalk Keller and sensationalize the tragedy, turning personal trauma into headlines. The media presence intensifies public scrutiny and intersects with the investigation, shaping how clues are pursued. The film critiques how sensationalism can distort truth while also driving characters to confront the past. Keller's ordeal is intensified by the press, complicating his path to clarity.

🔎 Conspiracy

The bomber's identity reveals a deliberate act rather than an accident, shifting responsibility away from chance. Slater's motive to control the airline exposes a corrupt, profit-driven scheme that cost hundreds of lives. The investigation threads a web of deceit, forcing Keller and Hobbs to confront culpability and justice. The revelation reframes the tragedy as a calculated crime rather than fate.

⛪ Religion

The vigil and priestly presence frame the crash within a ritual of mourning and meaning. The Catholic priest provides solace while the living and dead are confronted with questions of forgiveness and fate. Faith offers a counterpoint to the earthly conspiracy, guiding characters toward truth and reconciliation. The spiritual dimension underscores the film's exploration of guilt, loss, and communal memory.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:57

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The Survivor Summary

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The Survivor Summary

The Survivor Timeline

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The Survivor Timeline

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