Maybe I didn’t really appreciate its cinematic potential until I spent 12 years living in the more overtly spectacular Sydney. But when I arrived back to my home town in 2000, it was obvious Melbourne had much more to offer the big screen than a limitless supply of grunge dystopia locations, though this remains one of its specialties, thanks to the likes of Romper Stomper, The Big Steal, Head On, Chopper, and the magnificent Dogs in Space.
While On the Beach had pointed to Frankston as a possible setting for the end of the world (and remember that it was made all of 50 years ago), The Castle, released in 1997, emphatically reminded us that Melbourne’s heart wasn’t all locked up in its inner core. But for me it took the Bollywood bravado of Salaam Namaste in 2005 to realise the Melbourne that so many of us have barely dared to conjure in our wildest dreams – a throbbing metropolis glistening in subtropical glitz and glamour, with surf beaches lurking just 15 minutes from the centre of the city. Who said that movies weren’t meant to be imaginative?
Which leads me ever so indirectly to this special Laneway focus on Melbourne in the movies. I’ve always insisted that my graduating students have a bash at reviewing films. But rather than march my most recent bunch of La Trobe journalism graduates off to the latest multiplex, the arrival of Laneway (co-edited by former star pupil Luke McKenna) provided all the excuses required to spruik a more homespun theme. The brief was straightforward enough: go to wherever you can legally obtain DVDs, find one filmed in Melbourne that you’ve never watched before, and then render your reckoning for an audience that gives a damn.
Dr Lawrie Zion
Senior Lecturer,
Journalism Coordinator,
Media Studies Program,
La Trobe University
Contents
Chopper
(2000)
Lachlan James
Read the full review here.
Macbeth
(2006)
Heather Bloom
Read the full review here.
Romper Stomper
(1992)
Prudence Cook
Read the full review here.
Dogs in Space
(1986)
Andre Cristiano
Read the full review here.
Malcolm
(1986)
Tom Lyons
Read the full review here.
The Wog Boy
(2000)
Lindsay Schwietz
Read the full review here.
Chopper
Year of original release: 2000
Directed by: Andrew Dominik
Starring: Eric Bana, Vince Colosimo and Simon Lyndon
Melbourne locations include: Pentridge Prison and BoJangles nightclub.
In a nutshell: A fictional dramatisation and exploration of the life of notorious convicted criminal Mark Brandon “Chopper” Read.
Before Carl Williams, there was Mark Brandon ‘Chopper’ Read, rescuing ordinary Melbournians from shady underworld figures and “other assorted scallywag behaviour”. Inspired by Read’s best-selling autobiography, From The Inside, Chopper is a tantalisingly treacherous squirm-in-your-seat exposé of the twisted and bloody antics of Australia’s most recognizable criminal. The casual brutality and constant bombardment of the insalubrious, seedy and obscene, is complemented by a dark humour that makes for a psychotically compelling journey. Besides, nobody minds seeing repulsive greasy-haired convicted criminals and crippled ‘wogs’, foul-mouthed prostitutes or irritating foreigners getting stabbed, shot, bashed or killed - right? Welcome to the confused set of amorals and unjustifiable justifications that govern Chopper’s (Eric Bana) world.
Chopper seems oblivious to the often-gruesome violence when contemplating and committing atrocities, yet suffers inconsolable remorse and appears visibly traumatised by the consequences of his actions, as if the outcome of repeatedly stabbing a man in the face is somehow unforeseeable. So is he “a good bloke (fanciful story-teller and humanist of sorts) down on his luck”, or simply a hypocritical sadist who “bashes people just to get a name” for himself? The naive folk-law loving adolescent in me would like to believe the former.
This liberal biographical interpretation begins in Melbourne’s iconic Pentridge Prison in 1991. Chopper is enjoying attention from “spunky ladies” and the prestige of national media coverage following the release of his autobiography. The 1978 pale bluestone walls of Pentridge’s H Division provide the basis for a disconcerting, yet absorbing, exploration of Chopper’s murderously malevolent criminal history. After the stabbing murder of fellow inmate Keithy George (David Field) and betrayal by compatriots Jimmy Loughnan (Simon Lyndon) and Bluey Barnes (Dan Wyllie), Chopper puts knife to ear to persuade prison officials to organise a transfer to help him escape marauding hoards of self-created enemies.
Released from prison in 1986, Chopper seeks reunion with value-challenged father Keith Read (Kenny Graham) and romantic rendezvous with full-time hooker, speed aficionado and occasional lover, Tanya (Kate Beahan). Under the guise of performing some twisted “public service”, Chopper indulges his own desire for revenge and need to satisfy unchecked paranoia, double-crossing friend or foe in “a case of first in best dressed”. He rejects the hospitality of old enemy, turned friend, turned enemy – repugnant drug-lord-wanna-be Neville Bartos (Vince Colosimo) and after initially threatening it, spares Loughnan’s life. Chopper’s malicious misgivings, disposal of the unfortunate Sammy the Turk (Serge Liistro) and warped homage to Robin Hood, inevitably land him back in jail. In a truly bi-polar display of inexplicable vulnerability and outrageous hostilities, Chopper “sets his little traps” and succeeds in alienating or violating “all and sundry”.
This infamous cult classic provides a perverted examination of morality, society, its criminal underclass and a welcome escape from the Australian film industry’s standard melodramatic cultural misrepresentations of over-turned utes, outback epiphanies or giant man-eating crocodiles. Perhaps Chopper is to Melbourne what Batman is to Gotham City – a dark knight the public despises, but society relies upon to rid the city of its criminal strangle hold. Is he a good guy doing bad things, a bad guy doing good things, or is he just insane? Either way, it will be a fascinating wait to see who plays Chopper in an inevitable Underbelly prequel.
Eric Bana’s captivating portrayal earned him an AFI award for Best Actor, propelling him from relative comedic obscurity on ABC’s Full Frontal, to Hollywood superstardom. It might be difficult to establish a solid stance on Chopper as a character, but Bana’s ability to harness this sense of lawlessness, anarchy and madness, embodied in a surreal, matter-of-fact manner, is astonishing. His performance is unquestionably mesmerizing, almost hypnotic in it its madness, and truly engrossing. Bana is surrounded by a supporting cast who all give excellent, compelling performances, especially Simon Lyndon, who claimed the AFI award for Best Supporting Actor. The film also won an AFI award for Best Direction and was nominated in a further seven categories. Australian director Andrew Dominik’s first feature film effectively utilizes a range of cinematic techniques to convey a sense of desperation and lunacy. Shades of light and dark in combination with slow and fast motion sequences create a dream-like, subconscious sensation: eerie, erratic and out-of-control. Dingy locations and dim, washed-out lighting, expose the bleak, besmirched and destitute nature of criminal life, emphasising its anti-hero status.
This unpredictable interpretation of the life and times of Chopper Read leaves a lingering sense of hollowness, provoking many poignant questions, but providing none of the answers. We’re left to judge Chopper for ourselves and draw our own conclusions. Most importantly, Dominik “never let(s) the truth get in the way of a good yarn”.
Macbeth
Year of original release: 2006
Directed by: Geoffrey Wright
Starring: Sam Worthington, Lacy Hulme and Victoria Hill
In a nutshell: Fair is foul and foul is fair in Melbourne’s underworld.
As theatre legend has it, to speak the word “Macbeth”, or even to quote from the play, brings certain doom and bad luck to any production — anything from a financial flop to a death amongst the company. To reverse the curse, it is said, you must leave the theatre, spin around in a circle three times, spit, swear, then knock before being allowed back into building.
Perhaps Geoffrey Wright (Romper Stomper) should have considered this before attempting to adapt the Bard’s most gory and violent play for a modern audience, shakily shifting it from Scottland to the grimy streets of Melbourne.
Sam Worthington (Dirty Deeds) plays the brooding Macbeth, who is more a ‘little boy lost’ than violent warrior. After a whisky and drug-induced vision of three witches dressed as sexy teenagers in schoolgirl outfits promise Macbeth the position of King in the world of mobsters, he and his cocaine-addicted wife Lady Macbeth (Victoria Hill) hatch a plan to murder the mob leader Duncan (Gary Sweet) in a bid to snatch the top job.
Melbourne’s gritty backalleys are almost credible as the setting, until a dark witch-filled cave is replaced by a seedy city nightclub — complete with disco balls, dry ice and techno beats. Gone are the European battlefields, they are replaced with city car parks and suburban houses. And Macbeth’s eventual elevation to ‘Thane of Cawdor’ actually translates to ‘owner of the Cawdor Club’.
Wright’s interpretation rockets through the narrative in a hallucinigenic haze, and with little regard for many of the more subtle elements that made the play so enjoyable, as Macbeth and his cronies – dressed like trashy rockstars – strut through Melbourne’s seedy underbelly killing and maiming.
The fatal flaw in this modern re-telling lies within the actors’ treatment of the simple brilliance of the language – the cast just isn’t strong enough to bring credibility to it, compensating by overacting.
The most convincing and entertaining members of the film’s cast are actually better know for their comedic abilities. Mick Molloy (Crackerjack) is a delicious “murderer in brown”, who slashes his way through Macbeth’s rivals completely devoid of human emotion. Bob Franklin (The Craic) is also remarkable as Siward, the strong but silent leader of an opposing gang.
Unfortunately, Shakespeare’s language doesn’t carry the same weight when performed with an Australian accent – at times it’s unbearable. So it is with flashy cinematography and a splash of nudity (for dramatic purposes I’m sure) that Wright keeps his audience somewhat interested, as he desecrates the delicate prose with actors more accustomed to the set of neighbours than the Shakespearean stage.
Romper Stomper
Year of original release: 1992
Likened to Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange and Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, Romper Stomper is one of the few Australian films that has attained the elusive status of cult classic. I wanted to find out why. Fans of the film all tend to agree, with some disquiet, that the film’s popularity lies mainly in its brutality.
And brutal it is. Winner of three AFI awards after its controversial and widely criticized release in 1992, Romper Stomper gives a violent insight into racism and revenge in Melbourne during the late ’80s.
Set in Footscray, Romper Stomper shows Melbourne’s ugly and dangerous side. The Footscray depicted is one of derelict warehouses, high barbed wire fences, seedy back lanes, shabby pubs and dimly lit train stations, all surrounded by a grimy industrial wasteland. Its shabby lower class inhabitants blend perfectly into the bleakness of the film’s setting.
Amidst an influx of Vietnamese immigrants to Melbourne in the late 1980s, a gang of uneducated out-of-work neo-Nazi skinheads find an outlet for their ignorance, fear and hatred by regular savage beatings on small groups of ‘gooks’ that have the misfortune to cross their paths.
The skinhead’s lives are filled with booze, sex, head banging, swearing and visceral violence. Only the leader of the gang, the Mein Kampf-quoting Hando (played by a young Russell Crowe), seems to have any level of intelligence or self-justification for his hatred against what he sees as “boat loads of human trash.”
After one too many attacks, the Vietnamese retaliate, outnumbering the skinheads and forcing the gang into hiding. Here Hando’s love interest, the vague and drug-addled Gabe (Jacqueline McKenzie), uses the gang to get back at her wealthy, overprotective and abusive father.
As gang members are forced into dangerous new territory and the situation is wrested further from their control, Hando grows increasingly sadistic, pushing Gabe into the arms of his right hand man, the tormented and easily manipulated Davey (Daniel Pollock) who then has to choose between gang and girl.
The skinhead culture is shown as mainly a party scene – the politics behind their posse takes a back seat. Only Hando has any comprehension of the Nazi philosophies that have led him to his racial loathing. The others simply follow his lead. Little attempt is made to either vilify or humanise the remaining gang members. They are simply part of the scenery. Their sole motivation: “We came to wreck everything and ruin your life. God sent us.”
Crowe plays a mesmerizing monster, well deserving of the AFI award for best leading male actor. His piercing eyes and charismatic voice leave the impression of a dangerous and volatile man, constantly on the verge of vicious outbursts. His breakthrough role as Hando, in addition to roles in other Melbourne films Proof and Spotswood, gives a great indication of his future star potential and helped catapult him into the limelight.
Pollock is convincing in the broody and anguished role of Davey. A known heroin addict who was romantically linked to McKenzie in real life, Pollock committed suicide shortly before the movie’s release.
The film is fast-paced, confronting and violent. Brilliant but rather bloody fight scenes are capably captured by Ron Hagen’s frantic camera work, highlighting the irrationality of the gang’s blind hatred. The dark Oi! soundtrack, by John Clifford White, complements the film perfectly. Fierce lyrics repeatedly yelling ‘skinhead’ and raw punk-thrash music adds to the viciousness of fight sequences.
Unlike more recent skinhead films American History X and This is England, Romper Stomper makes no attempt to moralise and elicits little sympathy for any of its characters. By saying nothing though, director Geoffrey Wright manages to say a lot.
Despite a career of over 20 years, Romper Stomper, Wright’s second film, is really his only success. His other better known films, a recent remake of Macbeth and before that, American slasher flick Cherry Falls both received poor reviews and have none of the rawness of Romper Stomper. This is unfortunate as Romper Stomper is a superb example of what Australian films can accomplish and, 1994s Metal Skin aside, it would have been interesting to see Wright do more with a similar genre.
Dogs in Space
Year of original release: 1986
Directed by: Richard Lowenstein
Starring: Michael Hutchence, Saskia Post, Nique Needles
Melbourne locations include: Richmond, CBD.
In a nutshell: Punk band “Dogs in space” share a house together in Richmond. They discover that parties don’t last forever.
The punk scene that Melbourne housed during the late 70s is somewhat of a myth to me. I’ve been told that places like The Espy, The Corner Hotel and The Arthouse were the incubators of a radical revolution in music and culture, but I’ve never been convinced. It’s taken Richard Lowenstein’s (He Died with a Felafel in his Hand) stylish cult classic, Dogs in Space to prove it to me.
Based on the young, punk-fuelled inhabitants of a Richmond share house, the film serves as an invaluable record of Melbourne’s youth culture during the late 1970s. Although the minimal dialogue and strong focus on the Richmond residence at times gives the film a documentary feel, the overwhelming attitude and style will keep you captivated. Of course, having the late Michael Hutchence starring as Sam, singer of the house’s resident chaotic punk-band Dogs in Space helps compensate for any boredom that the lack of character development might cause. But Dogs in Space is a lot more than a chance for INXS fans to see their hero in his debut on the silver screen.
It begins with Sam (Hutchence) and girlfriend Anna (Saskia Post) camping out in the queue for tickets to a David Bowie concert. In actual fact Bowie did come to Melbourne in 1978 playing to a crowd of 40,000 at the MCG. However, the film’s opposition to glamour rules out any attempt to recreate either David Bowie or the MCG. Instead we are brought to the decaying double story house shared by Sam’s band, along with practically any one who wanders in. Picture the most ramshackle share house you’ve ever been a part of and turn that thought up to 11. Apparently punk rockers in the 70s received all their nutrition from marijuana and heroin and were not affected by silly things like noise restrictions.
This lifestyle of excessive sex, drugs and punk rock forms the basis of the story. The realisation that Dogs in Space is based on events from when Lowenstein and friend Sam Sejavka actually shared the Richmond house will make you quite concerned for the wellbeing of the original protagonists. Especially Sam. However, in the crazy, twisted way that life unfolds, the real Sam still lives in Melbourne as a playwright and actor and recently had a daughter, while Hutchence’s suspected suicide took place just over 10 years from the production of the film. It is strange to watch a true story about such harmful excesses and be concerned about the state of the actor rather than the person it is based on.
In fact, many of the film’s most fascinating moments are separate from its story – Hutchence’s eventual demise, and the portrayal and the depiction of the punk scene, for instance – which can make it difficult to appreciate the narrative in isolation.
Not that there is much of a plot. This movie never intended to blow audiences away with profound dialogue or an original story, so the point is an observation rather than a criticism. There are tentions within the band, concerning Tim (Nique Needles) the substandard synth player, and more importantly between Sam and Anna, but they are not as developed as they could be. Lowenstein clearly prefers to construct emotion and feeling through the sensory overload of the images and sounds, rather than explicitly through dialogue and conventional narrative. Does it work? Let’s just say I was more captivated by the red neon ‘Pelaco’ sign in the background of the shots of Richmond, than I was when Sam confronts Tim about no longer wanting him in the band.
Nevertheless, the bareness of the production works in its favour at some points. The simple look of dispair and distress on the face of Anna when she accepts heroin from Sam for the first time, for example. Saskia Post does as excellent job expressing the frustration of trying to develop a relationship with an egocentric and self-destructive wannabe rock star.
So while there are impressive cinematic moments, the film’s cult status is attributed mostly to its portrayal of the punk scene of the late 70s, its grungy use of Melbourne, and Hutchence’s legendary standing in Australian rock history.
Malcolm
Year of original release: 1986
Directed by: Nadia Tass
Starring: Colin Friels, John Hargreaves, Lindy Davies, Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell
In a nutshell: A reclusive gadget-making genius discovers a more practical use for his inventions.
Indulge in nostalgia with this delightful comedy about a curious man with a curious obsession – gadget-making.
Colin Friels, who won the AFI award for his role, plays the endearing character of Malcolm. This man’s unusual hobby of making mechanical devices focuses on his obsessive interest with the iconic Melbourne tram, and the creation of his own working version. From model tram routes in his kitchen, to his milk and mail delivery system – all his creative endeavours are transport-orientated and built to accommodate what would probably be described today as his Aspergers syndrome.
Twenty years on, Malcolm conjures a romanticised view of Melbourne – residing in Collingwood, the little street on which he lives exudes a sense of community spirit, creating the feeling that something has been lost inside the mobile phones, plasma screens and ipods of the 2000s. The local milkbar owner Mrs. T (Beverley Phillips), suggests that Malcolm should look for a housemate. Her concern for Malcolm is as much for his social health as his financial benefit. Mrs. T puts a ‘room for rent’ advertisement in the milkbar window – an old-fashioned act in itself. Gone are the days of the community-minded local proprietor.
It is the existence of Malcolm inside this small community that allows such a recluse to be known and loved. Director Nadia Tass portrays this superbly without condescension; Malcolm’s generosity of spirit, his character and heart, shine through beautifully, rather than remain hidden behind the bizarre way he spends his time.
Malcolm’s unlikely new flat mate Frank, played by the late John Hargreaves, leads a shady existence and is nothing like his landlord. He’s a tough-looking, extravert who drinks, smokes and fails to understand Malcolm’s strange behaviour. It’s Frank’s girlfriend Judith (Lindy Davies) who discovers there is more to Malcolm than a laughable dunce, quickly realising that it is her boyfriend who is the bigger moron of the two.
Judith is another character that eminates community spirit. Her maternal manner helps the protagonist cope with the pressures of life and eventually enables Frank to see the beauty behind his quirks.
Malcolm quickly discovers he can use his contraptions to help his new friend, and when he builds Frank a car, Hargreaves’ acting talent really shows. Frank begins to realise he may have misjudged Malcolm, almost feeling guilty for receiving a gift from his “halfwit landlord”. When Malcolm explains to Frank that it’s a “getaway car”, it is impossible not to crack a smile. Malcolm’s tiny yellow car is the focus of the film’s signature scene, and reflects the strangely hilarious nature of the story. At this point, the respect between this unlikely duo warms the heart.
Tass and screenwriter-husband David Parker based the character of Malcolm on Tass’ late brother, and the tribute to him is superb. Colin Friels’ acting is equally outstanding – if Water Rats is all you know of him by, Malcolm is a must see. Hargreaves’ portrayal of a Melbourne tough is equally enjoyable and delightfully comical. Simon Jeffes and The Penguin Café Orchestra provide the alluring soundtrack with simple rhythmic tunes that perfectly fit the mood of this charming story.
If nothing else, the film is enjoyable for the appearance of cigarette advertising, Holden Kingswood taxis and the almost careless, country-like nature of the Victoria Police. Malcolm is indeed gratifying for those parochial Melbournians who can spend almost the entire 82 minutes spotting landmarks of the city, in all its modest glory.
There were many impressive Australian films during the 1970s and ’80s, however the story of Malcolm, while retaining that distinct Australian tinge, provides something different. With this peculiar tale, Tass and Parker achieve something increasingly rare in modern cinema.
The Wog Boy
Year of original release: 2000
Directed by: Aleksi Vellis
Starring: Nick Giannopoulos, Lucy Bell, Vince Colosimo
Melbourne locations: Chapel Street, Chasers Nightclub
In a nutshell: Dole bludger and ‘Wog’ Steve Karamitsis becomes an unlikely role model when thrust into the spotlight.
As a Canadian, I had never heard of a Wog. In Toronto, we call them Ginos. The pimped up car, the coiffed hair, the tight-fitting clothes, the attitude that they are God’s gift to women. I know the type.
What I didn’t know was just how lucrative being a Wog can be. Comedian, writer and star Nick Giannopoulos made a name for himself exploiting the term. There were the comedy stage shows: Wogs Out of Work, Wog Boys, Wog Show and Wog-A-Rama. There was the popular Acropolis Now sitcom satirizing Greek restaurant culture.
Then the film finally came as the icing on the cake, or in this instance: the syrup on the baklava. The Wog Boy grossed close to $11.5 million in Australia when it was released in 2000 (by comparion, the top local film released in 2007 grossed just over $2.5 million). Obviously he appealed to a certain everywog second-generation immigrant family Australian.
The story follows Steve Karamitsis (Giannopoulos) – a Wog and proud of it. He cares too much about his car (with a photo album of its improvements in the glove compartment), and his long hair, tight black jeans and leather jacket. He enters a club, surrounds himself with women, and dances like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.
After a fender bender with the Minister for Employment, Raelene Beagle-Thorpe (played with scheming intent by Geraldine Turner), Steve is thrown into a world of fame and power. Raelene offers him a job after her plan to belittle him as the worst dole bludger on television backfires and he becomes a national role model.
Meanwhile, all the clichés are there. The classic love-hate relationship blooms between Steve and Raelene’s assistant, Celia O’Brien (Lucy Bell). The lower class man finds himself among the rich and must adapt, almost loses sight of where he comes from, but finds his roots in the end. The evil power-tripper tries to take advantage of the little guy. The multitude of supporting characters all bond together to help the hero with his cause.
I don’t think I’m giving too much away here – apparently most Aussies saw this film when it came out – and even if not, very little of the plot is original. From Shakespeare to Stiller, the same formula has been used time and time again.
When I was younger I used to sit around on Saturday afternoons watching those classic 1980s Eddie Murphy movies with my dad. Trading Places and Coming to America were my favourites. I knew what was going to happen, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t love every guiltily gratifying minute of it.
Just like those ‘80s flicks, The Wog Boy‘s characters are silly, yet entirely likeable. Steve and his Italian best friend (Vince Colosimo) epitomize the goofy hero and his sidekick. I loved to hate the Minister, felt for the dorky wannabes, and wanted Lucy and Steve to fall in love. This is as much a credit to the actors and the director (Aleksi Vellis) as it is to the writers (Giannopoulos and his own sidekick Chris Anastassiades).
The Wog Boy is not a thinking movie and doesn’t pretend to be. There was no profound statement made on Australian culture, or heart-wrenching moment that made me cry and want change my life. In fact, I have problems remembering all the details, the supporting characters, the sub plotlines and pretty much any of the funny lines.
But I could relate. Not much has changed in Melbourne in eight years. I can imagine a version of Steve driving his hottedup baby down modern Chapel Street on a Friday night to show it off. I work in an Italian café that has plenty of those smooth-talking men as regular customers.
More personally, I saw a little of my own multicultural Toronto in The Wog Boy. I grew up making jokes about Ginos and how they spent so much time on their cars and hair to make up for a lack of other things. And perhaps this is why I laughed, got so involved, and was cheering for Steve and his Wog friends.
