My experience with Australian cinema is basically Mad
Max and whenever a Hollywood director decides to film something there. Not
Quite Hollywood is here to say that if you are judging all of Australian
cinema on Mad Max, that would be the same as judging someone's wardrobe
based on when they wear their Sunday best. Australian cinema was wild. It was
crude, tawdry, scandalous, absurd, exploitative, misogynistic, and dangerous.
There really wasn't a movie industry there before the 70s. Suddenly, a bunch of
men with cameras started making movies, several thousand miles away from the
rules and know-how of a "proper" studio system. They didn't know what
to do. More importantly, they didn't know what they weren't allowed to do.
I'm not sure there's a single movie that Not
Quite Hollywood introduced me to that I ever plan to see. It's a
fascinating look into that era and place though. Buried in all the schlock is
some really incredible stuff. There are stunts that no one would ever try these
days. Filmmakers put themselves in harm's way to get a cool shot. The
destruction and excesses are truly impressive.
The film manages to assemble a large number of the
people from that era for interviews. Most of the interviews have the tone of
men and women swapping stories at a pub over a beer. While I can sometimes find
Quinten Tarantino insufferable, I love seeing him here fanboying out. He has
such a deep love of these films, and his mix of film knowledge and copious
praise helps legitimize this movie library.
This isn't a perfect documentary. It glosses over
the seedier parts a lot. They mention people who died pulling off stunts. They
half-heartedly blanch at the misogyny. There's never much reckoning with any
of it though. And some of this comes down to who the movie is supposed to be
for. As a celebration for those who remember the movies and the era, it's a
nice and thorough reminder and all the work. As an introduction to the
unfamiliar, it could do more. In the end, I came out favorable because I was
never going to hear this story otherwise.
Verdict: Weakly Recommend
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