Gary Sweet Movies
Australian actor Gary Sweet began his career with the B-horror film Nightmares, shortly after receiving his Diploma of Teaching from Flinders University, Adelaide. What was once only a hobby in acting soon became his full-time career, and Sweet had no trouble continuing to rack up roles in Australian movies and on television. He scored a particularly good part in the miniseries Bodyline in 1984, and in 1991, he took a starring role in the hit Australian series Police Rescue. Sweet had no trouble transitioning into the new millennium, getting particular attention for his performance in the critically acclaimed 2003 film Gettin' Square. He also attracted attention in 2006 for his portrayal of Duncan in a modern retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth, as well as for taking part in the fifth season of Australia's version of Dancing with the Stars, in which he made it to the final seven. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
With the 2006 MacBeth, controversial Australian director Geoffrey Wright (Romper Stomper, Metal Skin) launches his fourth big screen outing and continues the trend of reinventing Shakespeare by contemporizing the bard's plays. As in other recent efforts (Richard Loncraine's Richard III (1996), Michael Almereyda's Hamlet (2000)), Wright uses a distinctly postmodern context to extract related themes from the original work. Here, Wright reworks the brutal tragedy Macbeth, retaining its Elizabethan dialogue, but resituating the events within the arena of modern Australian gang violence. His Macbeth (Sam Worthington) is a drug baron and pimp, his Lady Macbeth a Valium-addicted, narcoleptic burnout and manipulator, his Duncan the head of Melbourne's criminal underground. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth murder Duncan in cold blood (framing the servants as responsible), but soon after Macbeth takes the throne, he is undone - and beheaded - by usurper Macduff. Like former adapter Roman Polanski, Wright ups the quotients of bloodletting, sadism, and underlying iciness. He filmed much of the picture with HD photography - thus capturing a broader range of imagery and a much blacker darkness in his nighttime sequences - and lit a pivotal action scene exclusively with red laser gun sights. The result is a thoroughly unique and unprecedented work. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Worthington, Victoria Hill, (more)
- 2005
Take a trip to the two land blacktop for a little M&M - that's motorcycles and models - in this release designed to showcase the hottest bikes on the street and bring a little beauty into the mix as well. Ama Prostar Drag Racing Series champion and defending Street Bike Shootout victor Rickey Gadson shows viewers how things are done on the pavement, while calendar model and aspiring actress Melyssa Ford shows that a little flesh can go a long way in the world of blinding speed and hot steel. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Australian filmmaker Jonathan Teplitzky directs the crime comedy Gettin' Square. Barry Wirth (Sam Worthington) is an ex-con who just wants to stay on the right side of the law. David Wenham plays Johnny "Spit" Spitieri, a zany, lovable drug addict who knew Barry in prison. They both get paroled by officer Annie Flynn (Freya Stafford) and plan to play it straight this time. They get jobs at the Texas Rose, a restaurant owned by Darren Barrington (Timothy Spall), another ex-con trying to go straight. Barry, Spit, and Darren team up against the local gang boss Chicka Martin (Gary Sweet).Things get messed up when Darren's shifty accountant Warren Halliwell (Steven Tandy) finds himself the interest of the Criminal Investigation Commission. Gettin' Square was the opening film at the 2003 Brisbane Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Worthington, David Wenham, (more)
Rolf de Heer's psychological thriller Alexandra's Project captures a turning point in a very unhappy marriage. Steve (Gary Sweet) and Alexandra (Helen Buday) have two children and numerous grievances against each other. After a birthday in which Steve received a birthday cake and a raise at his job, Steve arrives home to find his family is gone and a videotape awaiting his viewing. On the tape, Alexandra lists all of her frustrations and begins to strip for the camera. She then reveals that she suffers from breast cancer. Before the now emotionally reeling Steve can recover, he learns that Alexandra has paid to have the neighbor he hates change the locks in the house. Steve is trapped inside with little to do but think about what he has done to his wife, and his only company is the video that continues to provide disturbing information. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Sweet, Helen Buday, (more)
Experimental director Rolf DeHeer's film The Tracker depicts a controversial moment in the Australian justice system, in doing so taking on a popular topic among Australian filmmakers--the complicated and too often racist relationship between Aboriginals and locals. When an Aboriginal tracker (David Gulpilil) leads the manhunt for a fugitive native, a series of atrocities are performed on the ancient tribe by a sadistic policeman participating in the search party. The line between savage and civilian is blurred beyond recognition when Fanatic (Gary Sweet), the policeman, massacres a large group of peaceful Aboriginals. It eventually becomes clear that the tracker, who purposely keeps the Aboriginal a half-day ahead of the search party, is in control of the operation and has his own mysterious agenda. DeHeer takes a unique approach in the direction of this film; opting to show graphic paintings by artist Peter Coad during violent moments in lieu of filming bloody scenes among the actors. The drama itself is often contradicted by haunting, plaintive songs with lyrics written by DeHeer himself. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Gulpilil, Gary Sweet, (more)
- 1995
Celebrated Australian filmmaker Mike Jenkins helms this controversial, true-life tale of police corruption in New South Wales that was banned from airing in the state where the events occurred for six years due to ongoing legal proceedings. Decorated police officer Roger "The Dodger" Rogerson (Richard Roxburgh) was a shining example of law enforcement at its most commendable; until he made a deal with the devil, that is. When Rogerson enters into a deadly partnership with career criminal Arthur "Neddy" Smith (Tony Martin) that gives the violent psychopath free reign to run rampant through the Sydney underworld, the stage is set for tragedy as guns on both sides start blazing. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Roxburgh, Tony Martin, (more)
- 1994
This Australian action movie is based on a popular Australian television series about the Sydney Police Rescue Squad. The squad comes to the big screen with the addition of Officer Lorrie Gordon, a former member of the Drug Squad. After her partner and secret lover was killed on duty, Ms. Gordon has been under the suspicious surveillance of Internal Affairs. Her partner it seems, had been corrupted. At first, Gordon is not welcomed into the rescue squad by Sgt. Mickey McClintock. Then he sleeps with her. She is suspended from the force. Later, during the film's climax, she becomes a civilian heroine when she rescues kindergartners and their teacher from a mad bomber. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Sweet, Zoe Carides, (more)
- 1990
In this children's drama, Steven Wilson (Andrew Shephard) has been sent from his country home to stay with his grandmother Pearl (Pat Evison) in Melbourne. She earns her keep working in the boxoffice of a theater, and Steven spends most of his time with her at the theater. For the most part, he has delightful encounters with the actors and theater workers, but the theater owner is a charmless and mean old fellow who only very reluctantly allows him on the premises. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pat Evison, Max Phipps, (more)
- 1989
In keeping with its title, the Australian sci-fier The Dreaming has all the earmarks of an extended hallucination. A young doctor experiments in mind-expanding drugs. While doing so, he accidentally discovers an additional dimension where dreams are reality and vice versa. Will he ever escape -- or better still, does he want to? The Dreaming was directed by Mario Andreacchio. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arthur Dignam, Penny Cook, (more)
- 1985
Wendy Hughes plays a gorgeous nurse tending to emotionally disturbed Australian soldiers during WWII. Private Gary Sweet seems to be the most well-adjusted of the patients, which Hughes finds attractive. The fly in the ointment is jealous, maladjusted-patient Richard Moir. His campaign of cruelty, calculated to humiliate and unhinge Sweet, serves only to draw Sweet closer to Hughes. His own love for Hughes unrequited, Moir kills himself. Hughes is then abruptly deserted by Sweet, who feels responsible for Moir's death. Despite all her good intentions and her heartfelt compassion, Hughes is left alone upon war's end. Indecent Obsession is based on a work by popular Australian novelist Colleen McCullough (Tim, The Thorn Birds). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wendy Hughes, Gary Sweet, (more)
- 1983
This Australian TV-movie is set in the cutthroat world of fashion modelling. The usual backstabbing takes literal dimensions when several murders occur. The investigation is complicated by internal romances and petty avarice. Jane Menelaus, Carmen Duncan and Gary Sweet are among the victims and suspects. Originally presented in two parts, The Body Business was first shown in the US over the Lifetime cable service. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
Filmed in Berlin in 1981, Stage Fright has been described as "an essay" by its creator, Jon Jost. The film stars Jenny Newman as an aspiring actress. Outwardly calm and collected, Jenny's true self is unleashed when she assumes her stage character. It is then we learn that she has the potential to be a homicidal psycho-and she wastes little time acting on her impulses (at least, this is the generally accepted synopsis; Jon Jost is seldom this linear). Originally lensed in 16 millimeter, this largely adlibbed 75-minute character study was blown up to 35mm for theatrical exhbition. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
Jenny Neumann, star of the cult/trash classic Mistress of the Apes, stars in this tedious slasher movie from director John D. Lamond. A little girl named Cathy tries to keep her mother from making out with a man while driving one day, and she inadvertently causes her mother's death in the ensuing crash. Sixteen years later, Cathy is somehow named Helen and has become a psychotic actress. Since her mother died with a shard of glass in her throat, Helen begins hacking through the cast of her new play, "Comedy of Blood," in similar fashion. This is a torpid, slavish slasher film where sex equals death (there is copious nudity) and Colin Eggleston's script equals boredom. Lamond further mucks up matters with the standard subjective-camera shots during the murders, which are doubly pointless here because the killer's identity is obvious from the beginning. There is, however, some nice music by Brian May. Lamond returned with the smarmy sex-comedy Pacific Banana. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
Stage Fright toys with our notions of the dividing line between reality and artifice by being set in the London theatre world. On the lam from the police, Richard Todd takes refuge in the home of his former girlfriend, RADA student Jane Wyman. Todd has been spotted fleeing the scene of a murder, but he insists that he's innocent. Wyman believes his story, but knows that the police won't, so she decides to play detective herself. She also plays several other roles in a variety of disguises so as to escape the notice of genuine detective Michael Wilding. Top-billed Marlene Dietrich plays a Dietrich-like chanteuse whom Wyman pigeonholes as the real murderer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane Wyman, Marlene Dietrich, (more)
- 1988
- R
Here's the "dramatis personae" of The Fever. Bill Hunter is Jack Welles, an ex-cop turned unscrupulous private eye. Mary Regan plays his faithless wife Leanne and Gary Sweet is Leanne's lover, who schemes to bump off Jack. The "maguffin" in the case is a satchel full of illegal drugs. Little dialogue is spoken in the course of the story; still, the characters' actions speak volumes. The Fever is one of the most startlingly original films noir to come down the pike since the 1940s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Hunter, Gary Sweet, (more)
- 1987
- PG
An elite Australian cavalry unit attacks the Turkish-held stronghold of Beersheba in this World War I adventure drama. Four friends goes through the trials of battle in this epic $10 million production. The Australians resent being led by the British who continually misuse the cavalry. They conspire to strike out on their own to prove their effectiveness and drive the Turkish hordes from the desert town. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Blake, Peter Phelps, (more)
