Here are five great Australian films that inspired both the writing and making of Lucky Country. If you haven’t already seen them, check them out on dvd. Great films all :
5. The Chant Of Jimmy Blacksmith (1978) Dir : Fred Schepsi
I saw this recently after shooting Lucky Country and hadn’t seen it since I was a teenager. I was amazed by how much it had actually influenced me even after all this time. This is an incredible film and hasn’t dated a day since it was made. Powerful, incendiary and masterully directed. One of, if not THE greatest Australian films ever made in my books. Click here for the trailer.
4. Mad Dog Morgan (1976) Dir : Philippe Mora
Apart from the “hook-on” beards this is still an extraordinarily vivid, bizzare and bold film. Dennis Hopper is inspired casting and is truly mad as Mad Dog Morgan. This is the seminal Australian bushranger movie and I think still gives all the Ned Kelly movies a run for their money. Click here for the trailer.
3. Vigil (1984) Dir : Vincent Ward
Okay…this is a New Zealand film, but I’m a huge Vincent Ward fan and this film was produced by our executive producer, John Maynard. It’s uses the landscape to create an incredible cinematic mood. It shows the bush in such a beautifully dark and gothic way and the performance from child actor, Penelope Stewart is extraordinary. Click here for trailer.
2. Wake In Fright (1971) Dir : Ted Kotcheff
I guess this is the movie that has always inspired me. I first saw it on TV in the 80s and then again on a VHS copy that was dubbed from the Bill Collins movie show. I think that VHS did the rounds as until recently it was the only way you could see the film. It’s wonderful that it’s been rediscovered and is now going to find a new audience. Andy and I were both really affected by this film’s brutal honesty and it’s harsh, uncompromised view of Australians trapped, both physically and mentally inside a huge, enveloping landscape. Click here for the trailer.
1. Breaker Morant (1980) Dir : Bruce Beresford
As far as I know this is one of the only Australian films that deals with and examines the Boer War. It was made in South Australia at a time when the local film industry was in it’s infancy, and really put Australian movies on the world map. I think Bruce Beresford pulled off the impossible here and made an ambitious, and spectacular peroid war movie for something like only $ AUS 300, 000. He only had thirty extras to stage the battle scenes, but it feels like 300. We used this film as an example of what you can achieve when you have no money, but a great story and an open and lateral attitude to solving creative problems. Click here for trailer.
