The History of Ozsploitation! (Not Quite Hollywood (DVD))

Member Name: adambrown400

Product:	Not Quite Hollywood (DVD)
Date:	07/11/09 (59 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great snappy documentary

Disadvantages: none really

Ozsploitation is in a nutshell exploitation films financed and made in Australia. This documentary attempts to explain how the Australian film business managed to get itself going by initially making some horrendously trashy films in the 70's and early 80's. Through interviews and clips from the producers, actors and Quentin Tarrantino we get a picture of the risks that were made in trying to get both sexploitation, horror and action films made whilst at the same time trying to put across a decent image of the Outback.

Having recently watched films like 'The Adventures of Barry McKenzie', 'Harlequin' and 'Thirst' this new doc intrigued me immensely. What other films were made in Oz during this period. Many of them seem to have been lost in the annals of time itself, but some are remembered now as classics. Films like 'Mad Max' broke through this exploitation mould and became breakaway hits.

Some of the films look absolutely ludicrous and certainly need to be viewed in context. Tarantino does his best to ooze his slimy voice over the majority of the film, but he certainly does have a genuine love of this trashy form of cinema.

I really want to see some of these films now, especially ones like 'Dead End Drive In', 'Stork' and 'Alvin Purple'. I expect quite a few of them will be extremely difficult to find but I will do my best. I expect Mr Flesh from right here on dooyoo has seen his fair share.

It was also interesting to see the experience that some British and American stars had when making films in Oz. Jamie Lee Curtis describes her experience as being like an intruder and that she felt the whole cast were against her. Dennis Hopper who made the film 'Mad Dog Morgan' seems to have been totally out of it for the entire production, getting himself arrested within hours of getting off the plane. David Hemmings and Robert Powell also made a good number of films in Oz, the most famous being the plane crash horror 'The Survivor' (one film I have tracked down and will be reviewing soon). Hemmings also directed the film 'Race for the Yankee Zephyr' in which several people died during its troubled making.

In fact quite a number of the films that were made seemed to have some very close calls when it came to stunts. Many of the car crashes and car chases had no permission at all from the local authorities to shoot on the roads. Many people seem to have been hurt and in the case of the ludicrous 'Turkey Shoot' (a film set in the future where humans are hunted like animals) live ammunition was used and a number of people were shot accidentally!

Films like 'Patrick' are also cited by Tarantino as being a major influence on his film 'Kill Bill', in particular the scenes where Uma Thurman in a coma.

It was also hilarious to see 'The Man From Hong Kong', a kung-fu epic along the same lines as Enter the Dragon. This time with George Lazemby (unable to get work in the US after his James Bond debacle) sporting a very 70's moustache.

The film was also interesting as it had interviews with some of the leading ladies who seemed to have no qualms whatsoever to get their kit off at every conceivable occasion. Even now they seem proud of their work - right on!

Barry Humphries is also interviewed about his experience making the Barry McKenzie films which initially kick-started the interest in Ozsploitation. One of the funniest scenes in the film shows McKenzie vomiting from the top of the Eiffel Tower onto some passing tourists. Humphries and co. go into quite some detail about what ingredients constitutes a good cinematic vomit.

Ozsploitation seems to be making a bit of a comeback as well. Films like Wolf Creek have again opened the doors for new film makers to make their action or horror films in the Outback. So put another shrimp on the Barbie and enjoy this action-fuelled romp through the history of Ozsploitation.

Summary: Throw another shrimp on the barby!