Australian movies.

[Dave Gray]

This is probably mostly for Downunder Dolphan, but I'm almost done with my huge movie list and I've run across some Australian movies, one just yesterday.  It's weird to see actors who I consider American staples (like Mel Gibson or Sam Neill -- New Zealand, but still), but before he was big here, doing local cinema.

These are some of the movies I've seen and I wonder if these are ubiquitous with your culture there:
Mad Max
Picnic at Hanging Rock
The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Wake in Fright
Walkabout
Gallipoli (just saw this yesterday)
Muriel's Wedding

[Downunder Dolphan]

This is probably mostly for Downunder Dolphan, but I'm almost done with my huge movie list and I've run across some Australian movies, one just yesterday.  It's weird to see actors who I consider American staples (like Mel Gibson or Sam Neill -- New Zealand, but still), but before he was big here, doing local cinema.

These are some of the movies I've seen and I wonder if these are ubiquitous with your culture there:
Mad Max
Picnic at Hanging Rock
The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Wake in Fright
Walkabout
Gallipoli (just saw this yesterday)
Muriel's Wedding

Yes, all of those are definitely revered here in Australia.

There's a great documentary about the 1970s-80s B-grade Australian film explosion (featuring Quentin Tarrentino mentioning some of his favorite OZploitation films) called Not Quite Hollywood. Some of the films that came from this era included Mad Max and Wake in Fright.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-UQULlfiiY

The Castle (1997) is a movie that a lot of Australians associate with - the idea of a fair go, mateship, and our own eccentricity. It also featured a young Eric Bana in the cast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlfxX98vsY0

Speaking of Eric Bana, it's hard not to look past the film he made here before he made it big in Hollywood - Chopper (2000) which was about real-life underworld figure Chopper Read.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSELr4Dk3eo

[Downunder Dolphan]

More Australian movies to check out include.

Crocodile Dundee (surprised you didn't mention this one - avoid the sequels though)

Breaker Morant
The Lighthorsemen
The Odd Angry Shot

(These three are classic war films from an Australian perspective.)


The Man from Snowy River
My Brilliant Career (an early film for Sam Neill and Judy Davis)
Sunday Too Far Away
The Year of Living Dangerously (another film with both Mel Gibson and Director Peter Weir)
Storm Boy
Newsfront
The Year My Voice Broke (early starring roles for Noah Taylor & Ben Mendelsohn)
The Interview
Shine (the role for which Geoffrey Rush won an Oscar)
Romper Stomper (the role where Russell Crowe first really got noticed)
Two Hands (an early Heath Ledger film)
Candy (another Heath Ledger film)
Animal Kingdom (with Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton & Guy Pearce)
The Dish
Red Dog
Snowtown
The Sapphires
Rabbit Proof Fence
The Tracker
Ten Canoes
The Water Diviner
Lion

(These films I've picked are from what is generally seen as the start of the Renaissance period of the Australian film industry, through to more modern ones with Australian stories)

[Downunder Dolphan]

Plus, while technically not Australian, I just have to mention these two as well in this conversation:

Iron Sky (2012) - a Finnish production shot here to take advantage of our special effects expertise. It's outrageous and crazy, and I loved it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py_IndUbcxc


Meet the Feebles (1989) - Peter Jackson's second ever film, made across the pond in New Zealand, and one of the funniest things I have ever seen in my life. The most deranged take on The Muppets you'll ever see!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=094jCv3iFfI

[Dave Gray]

I have also seen
Crocodile Dundee
Shine
Romper Stomper
Rabbit Proof Fence
and Lion.


I actually really love love love Lion.  I think that's a fantastic film.

A lot of what I have seen from Australian dramas involves the plight of the indigenous.  It seems to be a part of your history that you are reckoning with.

[Downunder Dolphan]

A lot of what I have seen from Australian dramas involves the plight of the indigenous.  It seems to be a part of your history that you are reckoning with.

That's 100% right.

It's still a massive ongoing issue.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

More Australian movies to check out include.

Crocodile Dundee (surprised you didn't mention this one - avoid the sequels though)

When I saw the title of the thread Crocodile Dundee was the only movie could think of..... and documentaries on kangaroos.   

[Dave Gray]

I also saw a movie called Wake in Fright from 1971 that had tons and tons of real kangaroo hunting -- it was disturbing to watch that.

[CF DolFan]

Downunder Dolphin ... have you ever had a vegemite sandwich and are they any good?

[Downunder Dolphan]

Downunder Dolphin ... have you ever had a vegemite sandwich and are they any good?

I sure have. As a kid growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, a lot of us had them pretty regularly.

It's a spread that basically dates back to the era between WWI and WW2, very similar to Marmite in Britain in that it was a great use of a leftover resource (brewers yeast) to make a cheap, high energy and B vitamin spread, that served well as a cheap source of food and rations.

The flavor is very potent, bitter, malty and salty, best suited to toast and sandwiches. For many years it was seen as a bit of a morning staple (if you traveled by train or plane, or had room service breakfast, there was usually a tub of Vegemite and marmalade with butter for your toast)

There are some who insist it's (at least) part of a reasonable hangover cure...  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmnrpv6rVBc

... but really, only an absolute idiot would try to eat it off a spoon straight out of the jar.  

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VrbySVt0wnY

[CF DolFan]

I sure have. As a kid growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, a lot of us had them pretty regularly.

It's a spread that basically dates back to the era between WWI and WW2, very similar to Marmite in Britain in that it was a great use of a leftover resource (brewers yeast) to make a cheap, high energy and B vitamin spread, that served well as a cheap source of food and rations.

The flavor is very potent, bitter, malty and salty, best suited to toast and sandwiches. For many years it was seen as a bit of a morning staple (if you traveled by train or plane, or had room service breakfast, there was usually a tub of Vegemite and marmalade with butter for your toast)

There are some who insist it's (at least) part of a reasonable hangover cure...  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmnrpv6rVBc

... but really, only an absolute idiot would try to eat it off a spoon straight out of the jar.  

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VrbySVt0wnY

Hahaha ... Thanks for that detailed answer as I've always wondered but never knew anyone who had eaten one. Well ... every since Men at Work sang Down Under in the 80s. 

[Sunstroke]

I had a vegemite sandwich once while on vacation in Canberra years ago (1990ish).  Well, I had a single bite of one...and threw out the rest.

I thought it was pretty foul. Sorry DownUnder.  

[CF DolFan]

I had a vegemite sandwich once while on vacation in Canberra years ago (1990ish).  Well, I had a single bite of one...and threw out the rest.

I thought it was pretty foul. Sorry DownUnder.  

Did it change the song for you? Haha

[Sunstroke]

^^ Still love the song*...still hate the sammich.  :-)


* - I actually love pretty much ALL Men at Work songs. Colin Hay was fucking awesome.