It could be the locale—from the crystal blue waters of the Great Barrier Reef to the rocky, desert terrain of the Outback to the city life of Sydney or Melbourne.
It could be the talent—from the smoldering performances by Mel Gibson or Russell Crowe to the tough but beautiful Nicole Kidman to sweet newcomers Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths.
It could be the history—from Australia’s part in World War I to the Lindy Chamberlain conviction and subsequent acquittal.
What makes a film Australian? Here are some examples:
Crocodile Dundee (1986)
Australian Factor: The rough-and-tumble, yet incredibly beautiful, Aussie locale.
Paint the Picture: Having received the sights and tastes of the surroundings by her famous croc-killing guide Michael J. “Crocodile” Dundee (Paul Hogan), magazine journalist Sue Carlton (Linda Kozlowski) is a little peeved with the nonconformist Aussie boy wonder. She’s used to doing things her way. But she’s no longer in New York City, and even when she thinks she’s got it all under control, drinking some water from the river’s edge, out pops Mr. Huge-Crocodile-Who-Wants-a-Little-New-York-Cuisine-for-Lunch. Guess who saves her? Guess who falls in love?
The Road Warrior (1981)
Australian Factor: Tasty Australian morsel #1 – Mel Gibson.
Paint the Picture: This guy Max (Gibson) is not a cheery fellow. He’s been through a lot in this post-apocalyptic age. The Outback is now a dangerous place, but he knows the game – get the petrol, make the car go, rule the world. And don’t get involved. But he breaks his cardinal rule to help a group of people escape (with enough petrol to last a long while) from some real baddies. But to do that, he has to drive a decoy tanker full of sand, smash up several road vehicles, and elicit the help of a little wolf boy – before a big mohawked baddie kills them both.
Romper Stomper (1992)
Australian Factor: Tasty Australian morsel #2 – Russell Crowe.
Paint the Picture: Forget about L.A. Confidential. Forget about Gladiator. This was our first real glimpse of hunk Russell Crowe. He plays Nazi skinhead Hando, whose gang is confronted by the Vietnamese people that it terrorizes. When gang members realizes that the power they think they possess is just an illusion, it scares them silly and sends them running for cover. Where did they go wrong? As Hando runs from justice, he has to take a long look at himself.
Muriel’s Wedding (1994)
Australian Factor: Oscar-nominated newcomers Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense) and Rachel Griffiths (Hilary and Jackie)
Paint the Picture: All Muriel (Collette) wants is a big wedding. But she has little opportunity to meet the right guy, being overweight, from a dysfunctional family and desperately attached to ABBA songs. Still, she breaks away and moves to Sydney with friend Rhonda (Griffiths). As Muriel tells Rhonda, “When I lived in Porpoise Spit, I used to sit in my room for hours and listen to ABBA songs. But since I’ve met you and moved to Sydney, I haven’t listened to one ABBA song. That’s because my life is as good as an ABBA song. It’s as good as ‘Dancing Queen’.” And she ends up getting what she wishes.
Dead Calm (1989)
Australian Factor: Hot Australian babe – Nicole Kidman.
Paint the Picture: John and Rae Ingram (Sam Neill and Kidman) try to get over the loss of their toddler son in a car accident by taking a long sailing trip across the beautiful waters of Australia’s Queensland coast. On a particularly calm day, they come across the stranded Hughie (Billy Zane), who turns out to be a little more psychotic than John and Rae want to deal with. But deal with him they must. As Rae tries desperately to save her husband, she uses everything in her power – from sex to spear guns – and manages to rid herself of the pesky problem, sail the boat and rescue John. And, in the process, heal herself.
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The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
Australian Factor: Three hot Australian babes, traveling across the Outback in a multicolored bus.
Paint the Picture: Wait a minute … “babes” might not be the exact word. More like two drag queens (Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce) and a transsexual (Terence Stamp). They travel from Sydney to Alice Springs to perform a drag show, but have many misadventures along the way. Like when the bus breaks down in the middle of the desert. Instead of getting upset, they do a little dance performance on top of the bus. Verrrrry Australian.
Gallipoli (1984)
Australian Factor: Some Australian war history (and of course, Mel, again)
Paint the Picture: The Gallipoli campaign in Turkey during World War I was a brutal one. Sprinters were used to run messages across the battlefield, but many never made it. When Aussie runner Jack (Bill Kerr), an Olympic hopeful, decides to do the patriotic thing and fight in the war, he meets fellow runner Frank (Mel Gibson). The two form a friendship and look out for one another. When the fighting is at its worst, the only thing they are running for is to save each other lives. Another Australian tidbit is the film’s Aussie director, Peter Weir (The Truman Show; Witness; Dead Poet’s Society).
Cry in the Dark (1988)
Australian Factor: The sensational story of Lindy Chamberlain, the Aussie equivalent of Susan Smith.
Paint the Picture: The story that rocked Australia. Chamberlain was accused and convicted of murdering her baby girl, whose body was never found. She insisted a dingo took her child while camping near Ayre’s Rock. Meryl Streep does an amazing job playing the emotionally distant Chamberlain, who was apparently convicted because she showed little remorse. Sitting in the witness stand, a straight-faced Chamberlain tells the lawyers, “A dingo took my baby.” And she was finally proven right and released – after serving several years.
And for a little television action…
The Crocodile Hunter
Australian Factor: What isn’t Australian about this show – the flora, the fauna – and its wacky, exuberant host, Steve Irwin?
Paint the Picture: Holding a writhing, giant cobra, Irwin says, in a thick Australian accent, basically the same thing he says in every show: “This is the most dangerous snake in the world. If he bites you, you die.” And then we move onto the crocodiles….
