Graham Rouse Movies
In the wake of their surprise hit Malcolm, Australian screenwriter/photographer David Parker and director Nadia Tass concocted an equally delightful follow-up, Rikky & Pete. Rikky (Nina Landis) and her brother Pete (Stephen Kearney), feeling like misfits in their hometown (as indeed they are), head for a remote mining community. Here it is hoped that Rikky will at last discern her direction in life, and that Pete can work on his Rube Goldberg-ish inventions in peace. Well, now, if everything went as planned, there wouldn't be any movie, would there? Not quite as fresh and spontaneous as Malcolm, Rikky and Pete still possesses an eccentric charm all its own. Be advised, however, that the film is rated R, and may not be altogether appropriate for kids. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Kearney, Nina Landis, (more)
- 1986
- R
The premise in this actioner (set in the 1990s, which probably seemed futuristic at this time) is that the world's economy has hit the skids and in Australia, street punks are looting cars for their spare parts. In order to control the mobs of roaming gangs, the Aussie government rounds them up and stashes them in prison camps. When Crabs (Ned Manning) takes his girlfriend Carmen (Natalie McCurry) out to a drive-in movie on a date he does not realize he has just pulled into one of these prisons. In no time at all his tires have been stolen and he sees that he's been trapped. The rest of the action (spliced with humor) involves Crabs fending for himself and trying to finds a way out. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ned Manning, Natalie McCurry, (more)
- 1982
- R
Heatwave is the mildly interesting story of a woman's attempt to stop a redevelopment plot which she thought was the cover-up for fraud and other criminal activity. Kate (Judy Davis), through her own efforts, manages to find some evidence to support her claims and also have a romance. Davis gives an energetic performance as the crusading woman, but the script lacks a convincing plot or characters. While it has some good moments, Heatwave is primarily notable because it was one of the earlier efforts of Australian director Phillip Noyce, who went on to make the very exciting Dead Calm. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Judy Davis, Richard Moir, (more)
- 1981
Melanie (Angela Punch McGregor) is a television talk-show hostess who is missing the excitement of a new romance in her life -- and has been in that state for a few months now. When she and her good buddy Tom (Graeme Blundell) get together for a dinner at her place to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their friendship, they have enough wine to accidentally end up together in her bed, and nature takes over from there. When they wake up in the morning, Melanie wants to forget everything and go back to their easy-going friendship, while Tom disagrees -- he rather likes the new situation. It does not take long for Melanie to discover that her solitary slip-up has gotten her pregnant. She wants the baby but is definitely averse to marriage, while Tom wants to make the baby legitimate. In the end, the two compromise by moving in together -- though the truce does not last for long. As their relationship bounces back and forth, Melanie -- in her sixth month -- agrees to get married. But then the couple have a dust-up on the night before the wedding and they split -- will that be for good? Will their final choice be marriage or friendship or a steady animosity -- or all three? ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Angela Punch McGregor, Graeme Blundell, (more)
- 1979
In The Odd Angry Shot director Tom Jeffrey provides a cathartic Australian answer to Michael Cimino's The Deer Hunter. Australia's participation in the Vietnam War was as much of an alienating and soul-searching experience for Australians as for Americans, and Jeffrey's frank portrayal of a group of Australian volunteers casts the war in a different light from the perspective of a Cimino or Oliver Stone. The story concerns a corp of Australian elite soldiers -- the Special Air Service troops (the equivalent of the United States' Special Forces group) -- and the elite group's more pragmatic and hopeful attitudes -- whiling away the time in mindless diversions and cracking jokes. Then one of their own is killed and their feelings about the war suddenly change. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Graham Kennedy, John Hargreaves, (more)
Based on a novel by Colin Theile, the Australian Blue Fin stars Hardy Kruger as a taciturn tuna boat captain. Kruger's son, played by Greg Rowe, can't do anything to please his demanding dad. Hoping to prove his worth, Rowe puts his life-and sometimes other lives-on the line. A big box-office hit in Australia, Blue Fin failed to make a dent in the US. Perhaps it would have fared better had it been released after the internationally popular Aussie film Man From Snowy River. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hardy Kruger, Greg Rowe, (more)
- 1977
This Australian fox-and-hounds melodrama concerns an intensive manhunt for a suspected murderer. Polish immigrant Mark Gaweda is accused of killing a rancher's wife. Heading the posse is police officer Wyn Roberts, who hopes that by catching Gaweda he'll be able to live down an earlier tragedy caused by his negligence. John Waters, one of Roberts' men, begins to believe in Gawada's innocence, and ends up defending the fugitive against his accusers. Weekend of Shadows was based on a novel by Hugh Atkinson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Waters, Melissa Jaffer, (more)
- 1977
In this youthful Australian drama, a working-class teen finally manages to save enough bread to buy a hot-rod. The story centers around the happiness his car brings him. The new car also causes him to somewhat ignore his girlfriend until she demands he pay more attention to her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carl Steven
Two children ride the same pony in this Disney film, but neither one is happy about sharing the animal they both love. James Ellison is rich and wears leg braces; on the pony, she is not crippled. Scotty Pirie is a poor farm boy, and he loves to ride the pony as well. The two dispute the ownership of the pony, and the townspeople create many complications through their support of one or the other. Eventually, the two become friends, and while the ownership issue is resolved, it is not so important anymore because they have learned to share the pony between them. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Craig, John Meillon, (more)
