Podsploitation

Body Melt (1993). Written by Philip Brophy & Rod Bishop, directed by Philip Brophy. Starring Gerard Kennedy, Andrew Daddo, Ian Smith, Gina Gaigalas, Brett Climo, Lisa McCune, Nick Polites, Maurie Annese, William Innes, Suzi Dougherty, Vince Gil, Neil Davis, Ben Genrens, Amanda Douge, Matt Newton, Anthea Davis, Adrian Wright, Jillian Murray, Lucinda Cowden, Stig Wemyss and Tommy Dysart.

Splat!

Out of the Body (1988). Written by Kenneth G Ross, directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith. Starring Mark Hembrow, Tessa Humphries, Linda Newton, Helen O’Connor, Mary Regan, Carrie Zivitz, Sally Hudson, John Clayton, John Ley and Margaret Gerard.

A killer terrorises Sydney and gives visions to a wild-eyed musician. Or is the wild-eyed musician himself the killer? What does his cat have to do with it? What can the police do? What’s his job? There are a lot of questions to this movie.

Alison’s Birthday (1981). Written and directed by Ian Coughlin. Starring Joanne Samuel, Lou Brown, Bunney Brooke, John Bluthal, Vincent Ball, Ralph Cotterill and Brian Wenzel.

When Alison Findlay gets a warning not to go home for her nineteenth birthday, she pays it no attention whatsoever. Can her boyfriend Good Guy Pete get to the bottom of the mystery at the bottom of the garden? And what is herbal chocolate like?

Forgotten Silver (1995). Written and Directed by Costa Botes & Peter Jackson. Featuring Jeffrey Thomas, Peter Jackson, Costa Botes, Leonard Maltin, Sam Neill, Johnny Morris, John O’Shea.

Time for our annual April Fool celebration, a trip across the Tasman for a New Zealand film. This documentary begins with a simple call to Peter Jackson from his mum. What Sir Peter found in his neighbour’s shed would raise questions about what we thought we knew about history.

Sidecar Racers (1975). Written by Jon Cleary, directed by Earl Bellamy. Starring John Clayton, Ben Murphy, Wendy Hughes, John Meillon, Peter Gwynne and Peter Graves.

Two men who don't like each other share a dream. Well, they don't really share it. One's kind of along for the ride. Which make sense, because they're a pair of sidecar racers. They're also rivals for the love of a largely indifferent woman. The Podsploiteers, never the sportiest of folks, juggle the racing and the relationships, and Callum reviews Days of Thunder.

The Love Epidemic (1975). Written by Brian Trenchard-Smith and Michael Laurence, directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith. Starring Derryck Barnes, Michael Laurence, Rosalind Speirs, Grant Page, Tim Lynch, Roger Ward, Billy Thorpe, Bobo Faulkner, Clyde Packer and Bettina Arndt.

There was as much love and sex in 1975 as there is today. And sexual health is just as important in any era! This Valentine’s, we’re unzipping Ozploitation’s comic sex documentary subgenre. (Even more than usual, not for under 18s.)

Melvin, Son of Alvin (1984). Written by Morris Gleitzman, directed by John Eastway. Starring Gerry Sont, Lenita Vangellis, Graeme Blundell, Jon Finlayson, Tina Bursill, David Argue, Arianthe Galani and Abigail.

THE SUMMER OF ALVIN CONCLUDES!

Ten years later, Alvin Purple was back - in a film more recent than any before it. The Podsploiteers bring Three Colours Purple to an end. One of them even admits that this was their first exposure to Ozploitation. This extended episode looks not only at Melvin’s debut, but the trilogy as a whole. They ask: was Alvin’s time past…and can it come again?

Alvin Rides Again (1974). Written by Alan Hopgood, Tim Burstall and Alan Finney. Directed by David Bilcock and Robin Copping. Starring Graeme Blundell, Alan Finney, Chantal Contouri, Penne Hackforth-Jones, Noel Ferrier, Frank Thring, Gus Mercurio, Ross Bova and Jeff Ashby.

THE SUMMER OF ALVIN CONTINUES!

Alvin Purple was such a hit with audiences that they had him Ride Again the following year. This time, there’s not just sexy escapades, but gambling, cricket, more car chases, guns, murder, lookalikes and beloved children’s television programs. It's three movies (and then some) in one!

Alvin Purple (1973). Written by Alan Hopgood. Directed by Tim Burstall. Starring Graeme Blundell, Elli Maclure, Alan Finney, Penne Hackforth-Jones, Roger Hattam, George Whaley and Noel Ferrier.

THE SUMMER OF ALVIN BEGINS!
There’s a good chance that if you ask Jay Public to name an Ozploitation picture, they’ll pick this sex comedy. Or they may remember scenes of Graham Blundell in his top hat, or running away from dozens of women. We were always going to come to these sooner or later, and this summer, we’re bringing you our look at the three - Yes, there were three! - films about Alvin and his antics.

The Marsupials: The Howling III (1987). Written and directed by Philippe Mora. Starring Barry Otto, Imogen Anneley, Dagmar Bláhová, Lee Biolos, Ralph Cotterill, Frank Thring, Max Fairchild and Michael Pate.

Now, it’s the sequel that’s not a sequel. Werewolves in the outback, orange future fashions, film buffs doing science and women with pouches - the team get themselves a horror-comedy Halloween as the Undead Host brings them some Howling!

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this podcast may contain audio of, and references to, people who are deceased.

I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer (2008). Written and directed by Stacy Edmonds & Doug Turner. Starring Jai Koutrae, Stacey Edmonds, Az Jackson, Doug Turner, Ben Paul Owens, Otto Heutling, James Winter, Aaron Scully, David Gambin and Brendan Arlington.

For November’s Dealer’s Choice, she deals out the low-budget cricket horror comedy to end all low-budget cricket horror comedies. This episode gives us a look at another way to make a low-budget film, revisits Callum’s definition of Ozploitation, has an intern try to raid her treats supply on-air, and once again asks how much of a film needs to be in the film itself?

The Nullarbor Nymph (2012). Written and directed by Mathew J Wilkinson. Starring Douglas Feary, Jessica Sterling, Paul Hayman, Scott Whitecross, Madeyln Wilkinson, Ron Redford, Neville Betts, Mark Jeffrey and Mathew J Wilkinson.

Unable to decide on violence or nudity for her Dealer's Choice episode, Daria picked both in the form of The Nullarbor Nymph. Hoax begat legend begat movie begat review. Excessively 'helped' by two ginger cats, the team take on this modern approach to urban legends and indie mockumentaries.

The Time Guardian (1987). Written by John Baxter and Brian Hannant, directed by Brian Hannant. Starring Tom Burlinson, Nikki Coghill, Carrie Fisher, Dean Stockwell, Peter Merrill, Tim Robertson, Thye Liew Wan and Jim Holt.

Callum kicks off our Dealer's Choice season with popular always-on-the-video-rental-shelf The Time Guardian. Has this time-travel adventure withstood the trip from 1987 to 2020? Is there a reason we're not enjoying the Time Guardian Expanded Universe to this day, or was that predestination?

Number 96 (1974). Directed by Peter Benardos, written by David Sale and Johnny Whyte. Starring Lynn Rainbow, Tom Oliver, Johnny Lockwood, Alister Smart, Rebecca Gilling,  Philippa Baker, Pat McDonald, Ron Shand, Bunney Brooke, Jeff Kevin, Elizabeth Kirkby, James Elliott, Joe Hasham, James Condon, Bettina Welch, Elaine Lee, Chard Haywood, John Orcsik and Thelma Scott.

The series that lost Australian television its virginity (so they say) went on to deflower the cinema. We look into the whole world of soap, sex, slapstick and seventies that Number 96: The Movie opens up. And, well, we're pretty much hooked.

Me and My Mates Vs The Zombie Apocalypse (2015). Directed and written by Declan Shrubb. Starring Alex Williamson, Greg Fleet, Jim Jeffries, Adele Vuko, Andy Trieu and Matt Popp.

Three Australian telecom tradespeople find themselves trapped in a telephone exchange during the onset of a zombie apocalypse. Three Australian podcasters find themselves in a home studio chattering about zombie rules and beer brands.

Black Sheep (2006). Written and directed by Jonathan King. Starring Nathan Meister, Danielle Mason, Peter Feeney, Tammy Davis, Tandi Wright and Glenis Levestam.

April Fool! And now for something completely (well, a bit) different.  There are a lot of sheep in the Land of the Long White Cloud. But you don't want to get up close and friendly with these ones.

Stork (1971). Directed by Tim Burstall, written by David Williamson. Starring Bruce Spence, Graeme Blundell, Jacki Weaver, Helmut Bakaitis, Sean Myers, Jan Friedl, Max Gilles and Dennis Miller.

Bruce Spence's would-be revolutionary might mark the start of Ozploitation. Or one of them. What did it say about the Australia of the time? And what happened next?

The Shrimp on the Barbie (1990). Written by Grant Morris and Ron House. Directed by Alan Smithee. Starring Cheech Marin, Emma Samms, Carole Davis, Vernon Wells, Terence Cooper and Bruce Spence.

Cheech Marin comes to Australia to fall in love, and our team fall in love with Cheech Marin coming to Australia. Callum is happy because his Ozploitation BFF OTP is in the movie.

Plugg (1975). Written and directed by Terry Bourke. Starring Peter Thompson, Cheryl Rixon, Norman Yemm, Reg Gorman, Noel Ferrier, David Vallon and Alan Cassell.

This month's film sees an unkempt private detective investigate a brothel while a pair of police officers investigate him. They don't make them like this anymore. Thank goodness.

Dying Breed (2008). Directed by Jody Dwyer, written by Michael Boughen, Jody Dwyer and Rod Morris. Starring Mirrah Foulkes, Leigh Whannel, Nathan Phillips, Melanie Vallejo, Bille Brown, Ken Radley, Sheridan Harvey and Elaine Hudson.

A researcher and her colourful entourage go looking for a Tasmanian Tiger and find the secret descendants of cannibal convict Alexander 'The Pieman' Pearce. Our team have a lot to say about their methods, as well as broader questions like their own favourite cannibal films, and the possibility of modern-day Ozploitation pictures.

BMX Bandits (1983). Directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, screenplay by Patrick Edgeworth based on a screenplay by Russell Hagg. Starring James Lugton, Angelo d’Angelo, Nicole Kidman, David Argue, John Ley and Bryan Marshall.

Some may wonder if this is Ozploitation, but we didn’t wonder whether we wanted to review it this month, so here’s our talk of the tale of teenagers getting into the hi-jinx that comes with crossing small-time organised crime.

Felicity (1978). Directed by John D Lamond, screenplay by Felicity Robinson as told to Diane & John D Lamond. Starring Glory Annen, Joni Flynn, Chris Milne, Marilyn Rodgers, Gordon Charles and Jody Hanson.

Centrespread (1981). Directed by Tony Paterson, screenplay by Robert Fogden and Michael Ralph. Starring Paul Trahair, Kylie Foster, Mark Watson, Ivor Louis, Jack Neate and Paula Carter.

Time for a special adults-only episode as we indulge in the love and sex of a double-bill of Ozploitation erotica. A young woman blossoming into a world of discovery, and the high-profile low-clothing world of near-future photography. Turn off the lights and slip into bed with the Podsploiteers.

Fortress (1985). Written by Everett De Roche from the novel by Gabrielle Lord. Directed by Arch Nicholson. Starring Rachel Ward, Sean Garlick, Rebecca Rigg, Asher Keddie, Marc Gray, Vernon Wells, David Bradshaw and Terence Donovan. 

A quartet of masked men kidnap the teacher and students from a small rural school, and their day doesn't get any better from there. The Podsploiteers can't help but be reminded of their own 1980s schooldays, and wonder how (or if) the film might be made today. Meanwhile, the cats find the studio equipment as much fun as ever.

Long Weekend (1978). Written by Everett De Roche, directed by Colin Eggleston. Starring Briony Behets and John Hargreaves.

A couple having marital troubles go camping at the beach to have their marital troubles there instead. When it becomes clear that they don't treat their surroundings much better than they treat each other, those surroundings start to threaten their weekend - and their lives.

The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972). Written by Bruce Beresford and Barry Humphries, directed by Bruce Beresford. Starring Barry Crocker, Barry Humphries, Mary Ann Severne, Peter Cook, Paul Bertram, Dick Bentley and Jenny Tomasin.

When Ocker-about-town and hypermicturationist Barry and his Aunt Edna Everage pay a visit to England, they manage to be offensive to just about everyone. Except cinema audiences, who threw their hard-earned seventies money to them.

Next of Kin (1982). Written by Michael Health and Tony Williams, directed by Tony Williams. Starring Jacki Kerin, John Jarratt, Gerda Nicholson, Alex Scott, Charles McCallum, Bernadette Gibson, Robert Ratti, Vince Deltito and Tommy Dysart.

Let the Undead Mistress introduce to you a tale of blood relatives and blood spilt. The team face their own past - or at least random television nostalgia.

The Cars That Ate Paris (1974). Written and directed by Peter Weir. Starring Terry Camilleri, John Meillon, Kevin Miles, Chris Haywood, Bruce Spence, Max Phipps and Max Gillies.

It's a title that everyone remembers, and now we review the film that goes with it. The team watch a strange small town and car crashes in Peter Weir's The Cars That Ate Paris. 

Welcome to a regular chat about some classic (and not-so-classic) Australian films from the Ozploitation oeuvre!

Razorback (1984). Written by Everett De Roche, directed by Russell Mulcahy, . Starring Bill Kerr, Gregory Harrison, Arkie Whiteley, David Argue, Chris Haywood and Judy Morris.

Nature horror! As a killer boar chomps its way through the Australian Outback, our reviewers take their first crack at defining just what Ozploitation is. We also take a quick tangent into the future to look at the legacy of Australian pig-vs-people movies.