The airplane crash sequence at the beginning of the film took several weeks to set up for filming. It was filmed on a vacant block of land at Panorama, south of Adelaide, South Australia. Over 2000 onlookers turned up to watch the spectacular scene being filmed which took only thirty minutes of filming time for the plane to be completely destroyed by fire.
This was the first Australian movie to cost more than $1 million (Australian) to make. Reportedly, the budget was actually $1.1 million (Australian).
On learning of the project, James Herbert, author of the source novel, sent a note to David Hemmings offering his assistance. He never received a reply, and in 1988 dismissed this and the later Deadly Eyes (1982) as "terrible ... absolute rubbish."
Final feature film of actor Joseph Cotten who portrayed the priest. He retired from acting after this project.
Tim Rice: The lyricist as a television newsreader. The movie is apparently his first, last and only ever appearance in a major motion picture.