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Most of us are familiar with the art-house films that were the result of the seventies revival of filmmaking in Australia – Picnic at Hanging Rock, My Brilliant Career, Caddie, The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith, Newsfront. What most people wouldn’t be aware of is that the ‘coarse vulgar rubbish’ made at the same time, such as Alvin Purple, Adventures of Barry McKenzie and Stork, actually made much more money at the box office. Then there were the low budget B-grade films that were disgusting, degrading and explicit, and that was the whole point. Although most Australians have never heard of them, they were well known in many other parts of the world. Marc Hartley’s documentary has created a homage to the fast cheap films made by ‘ocker’ blokes who took chances.
Most of the creators were sexist misogynists but there is a certain passion in their blatantly exploitative films full of ‘boobs, pubes and tubes’. Quentin Tarantino oozes admiration is for these Australian genre films and says that his films are inspired by his youthful consumption of them. George Miller talks of his respect for these ‘gonzo filmmakers’ who inspired him to make his masterpiece Mad Max. Marc Hartley interviews both these famous directors as well as many of the actors and directors involved in the production of the Australian equivalent to the American grindhouse films. It is a fascinating account of films that were made before regulations to uphold decency and safety standards were developed that prevented filmmakers from taking risks.
Rated MA and directed by Marc Hartley
