The Navigator: A Mediaeval Odyssey (1988)

Director:

Vincent Ward

Writers:

Geoff Chapple (writer)
Kely Lyons (writer)

Release Date:

15 December 1988 (Australia)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

Time-Travel Adventure of the Year!

Plot:

Men seeking relief from the Black Death, guided by a boy's vision, dig a tunnel from 14th century England to 20th century New Zealand.

Plot Keywords:

England | 14th Century | Black Death | Death | Village

Awards:

21 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Bruce Lyons	...	Connor
Chris Haywood	...	Arno
Hamish McFarlane	...	Griffin
Marshall Napier	...	Searle
Noel Appleby	...	Ulf
Paul Livingston	...	Martin
Sarah Peirse	...	Linnet
Mark Wheatley	...	Tog 1
Tony Herbert	...	Tog 2
Jessica Cardiff-Smith	...	Esme
Roy Wesney	...	Grandpa
Kathleen-Elizabeth Kelly	...	Grandma
Jay Saussey	...	Griffin's girlfriend
Charles Walker	...	Old Chrissie
Desmond Kelly	...	Smithy

Also Known As:

The Navigator
The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey (alternative spelling)
The Navigator: An Odyssey Across Time (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

90 min | West Germany:82 min (cut version)

Country:

Australia | New Zealand

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | West Germany:16 | Australia:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Auckland, New Zealand

Company:

Arenafilm

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Alien³' (2003) (V)

Very good film

I first watched this film in the early nineties. It's always a good sign when a movie can suck you into something new. This is a unique story in a ocean of sequels and copies. It's not just a film about time travel, in fact the time travel takes a back seat to the psychology of a medieval man. This film is about a small medieval village during a time of the plague and a boy who seems to have an answer on how to keep this plague at bay. It's a world filled with superstitions and struggle, even when the travelers end up in the modern era, all their motivations are much the same. It is a gritty film, for some it may be a bit to dark, but it is a truly fascinating and original study.