13.4.1 Films: Action/Adventure
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This article is from the soc.culture.australian FAQ, by Stephen Wales with numerous contributions by others.
13.4.1 Films: Action/Adventure
Escape 2000
Fortress
Forty Thousand Horsemen
The Lighthorsemen
Period dramas of WW1 in the Middle East. The Australian Light
Horse, the charge at Beersheeba, etc.
Mad Dog Morgan
Bushrangers.
Mad Max (1979) Dir. George Miller. Mel Gibson. In the desolate near
future, the police have their hands full keeping roads safe from
suicidally daring drivers and roving gangs. Top cop Gibson tires and
quits, but when his wife and child are murdered by vicious cyclists,
he embarks on high-speed revenge. Weird atmosphere and characters
combine with amazing stunt work in this remarkable action film.
Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior) (1981) Sequel finds Max, now a loner,
reluctantly helping a tiny oil-producing community defend itself against
band of depraved crazies thirsty for precious fuel. Far less original
script-wise, but trend-setting visual design and some of the most
unbelievable car stunts ever filmed make this equal to, if not better
than the original.
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) Tina Turner. Mad Max comes upon
Turner's cutthroat city of Bartertown, survives a battle-to-the-death
in the Roman-style Thunderdome, and is exiled to the desert where he
is rescued by a tribe of wild children. Lots of stunts and action,
and even some philosophical moments, but lacks kinetic energy.
The Man From Snowy River (1982) Dir George Miller. Kirk Douglas, Tom
Burlinson, Sigrid Thornton, Lorraine Bayley. Grand, old-fashioned
Western-style saga, based on epic poem, about strong-willed young man
who goes to work for an empire-building cattleman, and falls in love
with his daughter. Kokey, simplistic, but great fun, with eye-filling
scenery of the Snowy Mountains and incredible action scenes with some
wild horse. Thompson cameo role as Clancy of the Overflow.
The Odd Angry Shot
A Vietnam war film from the Australian viewpoint. Stars Graham
Kennedy, Graeme Blundell.
"You could set your watch to this fucking rain." :-)
The Quest
Razorback
The "Jaws" of feral pigs.
Return to Snowy River, Part II
Walk Into Hell
We of the Never Never (1983) Angela Punch McGregor. True story based
on the memoirs of the first white woman to travel into Australian
inland wilderness (known as the Never Never). Visually stunning.
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