Not Quite Hollywood

Australia has one of the oldest film industries in the world. We boast one of the earliest feature length films, and for such a young and relatively small country, we have contributed in many important ways to the world film industry. Directors such as Peter Weir and Andrew Dominic, actors such as Peter Finch, Cate Blanchette, Russell Crowe and Naomi Watts, and DoPs such as Dean Semler have all contributed (and continue to contribute) to this art form.

As with film in all countries, the Australian industry has been cyclical and trend driven. During the 50s and 60s we made outback movies. During the 70s and 80s it was costume and historical dramas, often based around our military history. During the 90s it was quirky comedies and musicals, and into the 2000s we are desperately trying to create our own indy-type films.

Unfortunately, Australian movie critics have, historically, been our industry's greatest enemy. They have sat back, poe-faced, praising the most inane art films or tired historical dramas, believing that to truly critique and find them wanting is to be unsupportive. And yet god forbid we should ever produce a genre picture. Then the critics come out, all guns blazing. You see, while it is worthy and arty to create a sub-standard rip-off of the latest trendy indy film, create a horror or action piece, and you are simply mimicking the worst that Hollywood has to offer.

Then along comes Not Quite Hollywood, which doesn't just give the critics a gentle tweak, but punches them fully on the nose by celebrating a period in Australian film making that many critics have erased from their memory. You see, during the 70's and early 80's, Australia had a thriving, low budget genre business going on. Everything from action and karate movies to b-grade horror and nudie films. The critics could not stand them, but out of this almost underground movement came films like Patrick, Mad Max and Mad Max 2 : The Road Warrior, Razorback and of course, the infamous Turkeyshoot, amongst others. Around the world these films had a cult following, and in some cases, much more. Patrick reached the number one position in Italy for months, and spawned an italian sequel. Mad Max 2 inspired countless European rip-offs, and is still cited as having one of the greatest car chases ever filmed.

I urge you to go to the Not Quite Hollywood website and have a browse. Watch the wondrous trailers on offer, read about our forgotten film heritage. Then go and see Not Quite Hollywood when it hits a cinema near you. Hopefully it will inspire you to head out and look for our lost treasures (You never know where they will turn up - I found a copy of Patrick for $5.00 at the local newsagent !).

Australia should be as proud of their genre history as they (rightfully) are of the other contributions they have made to world film. A world without Mad Max would be a lesser place indeed.