MovieChat Forums > Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! (2008) Discussion > The 2-disc Aussie DVD is great, but...

The 2-disc Aussie DVD is great, but...

posted 15 years ago by johnnycourageous
15 replies | jump to latest

The DVD extras, especially the deleted scenes, still do not cover some films that DEFINITELY should have at least got a mention, including the sexploitation film Libido (1973), and the low budget Pure Sh*t (1976). I also think these well known and lesser known titles could have got more notice, or at least a mention...

End Play (1976)
Stir (1980)
The Dark Room (1982)
Crosstalk (1982)
The Clinic (1982)
Bootleg (1985)
Fortress (1986)
Zombie Brigade (1986)
Marauders (1986)
Brainblast (1987)
Ghosts... of the Civil Dead (1988)
Kadaicha (1988)
The 13th Floor (1988)
To Make A Killing (1988)
Salt, Saliva, Sperm and Sweat (1988)
Bloodlust (1992)
Romper Stomper (1992)
Body Melt (1993)
Bad Boy Bubby (1993)

...and if you were going to mention cars in Midnite Spares (1983), then a shout out to The F.J Holden (1977), High Rolling (1977), and Freedom (1982) would not have gone astray.

Although the extensive trailers on the second DVD are great (it appears they really did raid the vaults at the NFSA!), I was just slightly disappointed that they did not get their hands on the extended 3 or so minute trailer of Australia After Dark (1974). I've only ever seen it once on the end of an old 80s Palace Vibrant home video I got.

Anyway, these are just my rants. Nobody could have possibly expected definitive coverage of the whole era. The double disc DVD is still awesome, and they are region free too :)

[–] Jackwilton 15 years ago

Films like "Pure Sh*t", "Ghosts of the Civil Dead", "Salt, Saliva, Sperm and Sweat" and the abysmal "Bootleg" certainly don't fit with the films profiled in "Not Quite Hollywood" - and I think you'll find the documentary stops discussing Aussie genre films around 1988 (Dark Age) before jumping to the current next-gen movies (Wolf Creek etc...), so "Body Melt" and some others you've listed would just miss out. Also I read somewhere the director only wanted to include films that got a theatrical release, so rubbish like "Bloodlust", "Marauders" and the direct to DVD "Kadaicha/13th Floor/To Make A Killing/Out of the Body" weren't included.

Have you ever seen any documentary where every single film that fitted the subject was included? I was pretty happy with the 80+ that were featured. I found a list of all the films included in the press kit on the NQH web page.
...And who'd have thought we'd ever see a discussion about "Plugg", "Scobie Malone" or "Alison's Birthday" (in the deleted scenes).

I thought the 2-Disc DVD package was really impressive. The trailer reel includes 50+ titles including some I'd never seen trailers for (Centrespread!) so I don't feel the need to bitch about a single title that was missing.

Obviously there's no pleasing some people!

[–] johnnycourageous 15 years ago

I don't think all were released theatrically in this country. I understand that Lady Stay Dead went straight to Syme Home Video.

And I totally disagree that my listed titles didn't 'fit' within the context of that doco about 'genre' films. Instead, the focus was very heavy on Tarantino and his shout outs. Perhaps it could have been more definitive but for that fact.

Listing those other titles was for the benefit of others who may be interested in the genre - not you - regardless of whether they are good or bad films. If you've ever visited a website called canuxploitation.com you will see a definitive list of Canadian B-films, some of which were totally dreadful. An Ozploitation one would certainly have all that other rubbish included!

Centrespread has a knock-out trailer, but as a film it was TOTAL rubbish. Yet the full Australia After Dark trailer is also a real knock out. I don't think I was 'bitching' by expressing 'slight disappointment' about its non-inclusion thank you very much, especially since the NFSA actually DO have it!

While I'm at it, I don't understand why they didn't also include the full 'Nightmares' trailer considering that parts of that very trailer are in the actual movie! Anyway, at least you can see the old home video teaser on You Tube.

[–] Jackwilton 15 years ago

The film is divided into three categories - sex & ocker, horror and action (and Tarantino doesn't even comment on any of the sex or ocker titles).
Not sure how "Ghosts..." and "Pure Sh*t" fit into those categories.

You're probably right about "Lady Stay Dead" - but it was featured in "Not Quite Hollywood" in a section of director Terry Bourke.

I checked the NFSA collection online and they don't have a copy of "The Australia After Dark" trailer - so that probably explains why it's not on the DVD. Glad they included "The Love Epidemic" trailer though - never thought I'd see that!

I'm happy to know there's a webpage with every Canadian B-movie listed - but we're not discussing web pages, we're discussing documentaries - and I'm sure there's not a Canadian doco with every genre film featured. I imagine it just wasn't (and isn't) possible to include every Ozploitation film made in the doco - and any expectation of that would be unrealistic. I was very happy with the large selection that was covered in NQH - and the others that appear in the deleted scenes.

[–] johnnycourageous 15 years ago

I could have sworn I saw the full trailer listed on the NFSA website a few months back. Now a search does not even return a listing of the actual film print! It did in the past. Strange. Anyway, in the doco the print looks beautifully remastered.

I understand that Umbrella Entertainment currently hold the DVD distribution rights to it, so hopefully this year will see it released, trailers and all.

I also hope that they do a naughty thing like what they did with the Fantasm and Fantasm Comes Again DVD. Although marked and reclassified with R ratings in 2004, they actually put the X versions on the disc! They were given that rating in 1984. Given that a home video version of Australia After Dark also got slapped with an X rating in early 1984, not long after that rating was introduced, we might hopefully see that naughty version - well I hope so - I hate censorsh*t. I think that would actually have to make AAD the first officially X rated Aussie film!

[–] viddywell_78 15 years ago

I cant wait to get my hands on this doco.Just have to ask.

Was there any mention of the Film Dead Kids (NZ) in this? I remember seeing ascreen grab from this film in the Drum Media in conjunction with a review of the documentary when it was released cinematically.

[–] johnnycourageous 15 years ago

Yes that film was referred to in the doco. On the 2-disc edition, however, there is a longer dedication to it in the deleted scenes. This is definitely the version to get. In the deleted scene they talk about how the film was conceived by Australians, set in New Zealand, but mainly made up of American actors. Some of the very gory scenes were also shown.

Because there were silly restrictions on the number of foreign actors you could use in Australia, the film-makers decided on New Zealand instead.

[–] TheRowdyMan 15 years ago

Jackwilton said:

and I think you'll find the documentary stops discussing Aussie genre films around 1988 (Dark Age) before jumping to the current next-gen movies (Wolf Creek etc...), so "Body Melt" and some others you've listed would just miss out. Also I read somewhere the director only wanted to include films that got a theatrical release, so rubbish like "Bloodlust", "Marauders" and the direct to DVD "Kadaicha/13th Floor/To Make A Killing/Out of the Body" weren't included.

Films like 'Body Melt (1993)' and 'Bloodlust (1992)' were one-off films. NQH was mainly concerned with the era when Australia produced genre films consistently (1970's and 1980's). Although 'Out of the Body' did have a nod during the poster montage showing how production of these films were slowing down.

This said, I'm gald 'Bloodmoon (1990)' was used as the example for the "downfall". That film is a total piece of sh*t. Like Greg Mclean, I thought it was the biggest rip-off ever, and would have asked for my money back if I had seen it in the cinema (I actully rented on video - but this didn't lessen the blow).

It's also a shame 'Cut' was made in 2000 instead of 1990, I would have love to have seen that blow-fest sh*tcanned as well.

"A Squid Eating Dough in a Polyethylene Bag Is Fast and Bulbous, Got Me?"

[–] Brimac98 15 years ago

Johnnycourageous--if you look very closely during the opening credits, you will see probably the most famous scene from "End Play" at the very end.

Also I think "Libido" would be counted with the 'Hanging Rock/Brilliant Career' group of films--I'm pretty sure that picture never played one drive-in anywhere as it was certainly what one would call an arthouse film.

But you are quite right about "Stir"--and one movie not mentioned, "Money Movers" directed by Bruce Beresford with Terry Donovan, Ed Devereaux, Tony Bonner and Bud Tingwell: they could reissue that movie tomorrow and it would stil play with today's audiences (but probably still not make a cent at the box office, as it did in 1979)

NQH covered roughly a 15 year period (1972-1986/87), up to the rise of vhs and the closure of the Australian drive-in circuit around 1984-1990. The last movies given decent screen time, "Dead End Drive-In" and "Fair Game" probably were the last of their era. Movies that followed had none of their quality or budget ("Bloodlust" was shot on tape and was only theatrically seen via video projector, if at all)

[–] Lexx-2 15 years ago

I guess this leaves room for a doco on that interim period between say, Dead-End Drive-In and Undead. Sure most of the films from that period are sludge, but it'd be interesting to see it explored in more depth.

I still remember one truly horrible shot-on-video sci-fi cheapie that played late on Channel Nine once in the early 90s which involved a virus and some secret government base. Can't remember the title for the life of me, but I do recall the interiors of the base, which were decorated with computer keyboards and styrofoam meat trays!!!

"Oh, I did my thesis on life experience." - Anonymous Harvard Guy, The Simpsons.

[–] CitrusWithFuschiaTrim 14 years ago

Also I think "Libido" would be counted with the 'Hanging Rock/Brilliant Career' group of films

Vigorously seconded. It may be about lust but it sure doesn't feel like exploitation. (Although it is quite an under-rated film methinks. The 'serious films' crowd barely seem to remember it either.)

And, whichever category it belongs to, "Stir" similarly seems to have been unfairly written out of history.
_____
I suppose on a clear day you can see the class struggle from here.

[–] Vomitron_G 15 years ago

"Although 'Out of the Body' did have a nod during the poster montage(...)"

I noticed that too . Just saw Out Of The Body for the first time last week, by the way. Slightly flawed in places, but over-all a cool & offbeat little horror effort from Brian Trenchard-Smith.

I saw Not Quite Hollywood today, actually.

"I talk to planets, baby."

[–] jules_03 15 years ago

Ghost of the Civil Dead and Romper Stomper aren't even exploitation movies. They are just violent dramas.

[–] Vomitron_G 15 years ago

Reply to the right post next time, please. Thank you.

"I talk to planets, baby."

[–] Brimac98 14 years ago

Yes, mein Fuhrer!

Saw Mark Hartley's latest picture "Machete Maidens Unleashed" at MIFF and loved it -- although not quite in the league of NQH, it is loaded with great interviews (with the likes of Patrick Wayne and Dick Miller among others), and have thought of the perfect sequel for NQH if it ever goes to bluray, as a special feature....

NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD II -- THE REVENGE OF 10-B(A)

Certainly most of the movies were unreleasable and have not seen the light of day--one could interview those involved in those movies and find the more risable scenes from each of these movies in the documentary--this would also lead into the era of the pictures that brought the end of that era of exploitation ("Bloodmoon", "Bloodlust" etc)

Also it would be interesting to track the release of one of these bomb 10ba movies and where they eventually ended up playing in the 25 years since. I know David Stratton wrote a book on this era that came out in the mid-90s: he'd make an ideal consultant if this ever went into production.

[–] CitrusWithFuschiaTrim 14 years ago

I can say right now that I would certainly buy a ticket for such a film. I'm guessing that Stratton book was "The Avocado Plantation"...?

And "Machete Maidens Unleashed" sounds superawesome from the description. Glad to have had that brought to my attention!
_____
I suppose on a clear day you can see the class struggle from here.