well how about that then ...

thanks for the words on puberty blues, sam. growing up down under sounds a lot like growing up in LA!

(just quietly - i recently saw a poster for jane campion's new flick - bright star ... v exciting!)

felt the need for a trip down memory lane - ended up hanging out in the very early 80's watchin' Puberty Blues ...

based on the book by gabrielle carey - but a lot lighter ... and directed by bruce beresford ('breaker' morant, driving miss daisy, mao's last dancer - to name a few)

this flick is a bloody brilliant snap shot of what it was like being a teenager down under then ... take out the surfies and drop in a bunch of rev heads and you'd have a pretty accurate account of my teenage years ...

ah - smoking in the dunnies, baking yourself on the beach, barely tolerating school, sneaking foul tasting bottles of whatever out of your parents' liquor cabinet, being sooooo bored, pervin' on the spunks (that had no idea you existed), hating your parents, desperately trying to be accepted, then eventually realising you don't need to ... this film has it all

the kids do a decent job with their roles (the boys are stinky and the girls are cliquey) ... the story line is a little loose - but it doesn't seem to matter too much ... a lot of the shots are brilliant (really love the one where the girls are finally accepted into the gang) ... and the ending is uplifting (yay girls!)

but my favourite thing about this movie is the language ... unreal, deadset, dickheads, gutless wonder, far out, good one, brown nosers, spunky, suck up, fish face moll, slack arse moll (or just moll if you're running short of time), box tosser, crawler, rootable and every other variation of root - beautiful!

now if you're patient you can watch the whole thing on youtube ... there are 10 episodes starting with this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xZn-9svN...

gosh this chick loves this flick

ariadne,

i LOVED sweetie and recommend it highly (based on your favorite director list).

but i haven't seen two friends. years ago the castro did a night of her early short films, which i liked a lot, but can't remember any of the titles....

About Jane Campion, have you guys seen Sweetie or Two Friends would you recommend them? I think those are the ones I haven't seen

awh c'mon now pg - there was no call to the carpet ... you'll know when that call is made darlin'

and yes - I did like angel ... and yes - you're dead right ...

so what Aussie flick should we watch next? ... let's see if we can keep the discussion nazi's at bay ...

wow! i stand corrected! this is clearly a day where i am being called on the carpet.

i hope you liked angel at my table nonetheless. it's not every day that a film can deliver such a powerful story.

ariadna - checked out the Aussie Macbeth ... geez we suck at pronouciation - mumble mumble damn spot mumble mumble ... ;o)

pg - a close friend has just pointed out that angel at my table isn't Australian - and then we went on to discover Jane Campion isn't either ... both are New Zealand ... I'm a little devastated that Jane isn't - I just love her work & I thought she was one of ours ... been wandering around stating that for a while now ... whoops

now the discussuion nazi's might get their knickers in a knot about being off topic (nz is pretty close to oz but definitely a different country) - but here's what I thought ...

the way campion told the story was very simple - the story & characters were defintely front & centre ... but gosh this flick made me sad ... such a awkward girl - our Janet ... painfully ... and such personal suffering ... I know that this, in some way, helped her to achieve what she has - but who deserves emotional turmoil & pain like that ... very glad that I've seen it - but am still processing it

well then I'll need to check with my DVD fairy for hunt angels and report back

6 months? ... in that case it's your country too now ;o) ... there's lots to fall in love with ... were you on the east coast?

Sam wrote: "Ariadna wrote: "Just remembered more, another with Victoria Hill: Hunt Angels
Also Like Minds and Happy Feet ha!"

gosh ariadna - are you an Aussie too??? ... I've seen both Like Minds & Happy Feet..."

I do recommend Hunt Angels it's not one of my favorites but it's interesting.
...I lived there for six months and fell in love with your country what can I say...

that will be my recommendation the next time I attend one.

I think international leaders should take note then George ... hard to be sore at someone over a snag & a beer ... all international meetings etc should be conducted at a barbie ...

well, so do we.

George wrote: "an older frat man/boy perhaps, although this fellow looks like he could mix right in at any barbeque I've ever been to. "

that's right George - you've had first hand experience :o) ... gosh love the ol' barbie

Ariadna wrote: "Just remembered more, another with Victoria Hill: Hunt Angels
Also Like Minds and Happy Feet ha!"

gosh ariadna - are you an Aussie too??? ... I've seen both Like Minds & Happy Feet (awh happy feet) ... But not Hunt Angels - would you recommend it?

Phillip wrote: "what values???
you're talking about american frat boys...values don't enter into the paradigm..."

exactly ;o)

an older frat man/boy perhaps, although this fellow looks like he could mix right in at any barbeque I've ever been to.

Sam wrote: "ha! ... well they can certainly drink like one ... not sure their values align though"

what values???
you're talking about american frat boys...values don't enter into the paradigm...

Just remembered more, another with Victoria Hill: Hunt Angels
Also Like Minds and Happy Feet ha!

ha! ... well they can certainly drink like one ... not sure their values align though

so, an aussie gentleman is synonymous with american fraternity boy?

ha! ... of course!

also known as Dunlap disease where I come from.

yay ... all good then George ;o)

ockers are measured by how big their beer bellies come down over their little stubby shorts

offend? if I gave that impression, I truely do apologize. I thought I was just playing along.

there will no doubt be a Dr Bruce somewhere around here ... didn't mean to offend - just trying to put it in terms that were comparable ... :o)

No doubt, no doubt. some literature professor named Bruce somewhere, I'm sure.

Most Americans tend to confuse hillbillies with all Southerners, but those of us who grew up there know there are many different subcultures down South, each vying for the title of most uncultured. many can only be distinguished by the size of their trailers.

well there are some cultured Aussies George ... ;o)

if we're being accurate (and not makin' broad sweepin' statements sam) - ockers are probably a sub cultural group ... much like hillbillies perhaps? ... but i've found that most of us have some ocker characteristics - kinda rubs off on ya ...

i didn't know the origin - but found this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocker ... not sure of how accurate it is but it's interesting ...

so, then why the distinction between the two words? isn't it, more or less, assumed as a given? what's the origin anyway?

ocker = an aussie that speaks and acts in an uncultured way ... which is most of us :oP

and lookit that the dvd fairy finally comes through ... wow!

Sam wrote: "I'm gonna try and track down this ocker Macbeth ... I wanna see if he's wearin' stubby shorts and thongs - ha!"

"ocker" macbeth?

macbeth is wonderful. i caught it on stage up at the oregon shakespeare festival in ashland a few months ago. i'd be hecka curious to see an australian version. i like orson welles' version quite a lot, and kurosawa's throne of blood (based on the scottish play) friggin' RULES.

I'm gonna try and track down this ocker Macbeth ... I wanna see if he's wearin' stubby shorts and thongs - ha!

That's the one!!! Thanks Sam

Phillip wrote: "i saw wolf creek...it kicked a$$! "

the correct pronouncation for this thread is arse pg ;o)

I reckon WC might be on our list

Last Train to Freo? ... If so it's set in Perth - my neck of the woods :o)

Sam wrote: "lookit you go Adriadna ... nice list ... i've seen a good many of them but wanna know more about ...
- Macbeth - really?? ... I can't imagine an aussie Macbeth
- Ten Canoes - one of those ones I ke..."

Not only an aussie Macbeth, but set in the streets of Melbourne; it's not amazing but I really enjoyed it.
I watched Ten Canoes in a flight to Australia so it was a fun experience.
Suburban Mayhem is a black comedy drama about a disfunctional family, it's cool.
I just remembered another one, but I can't remember the title, it was about two guys that bullied people in the subway (not quite sure if it was Melbourne)

Yes, indeed, Wolf Creek will do.

i saw wolf creek...it kicked a$$!

lookit you go Adriadna ... nice list ... i've seen a good many of them but wanna know more about ...
- Macbeth - really?? ... I can't imagine an aussie Macbeth
- Ten Canoes - one of those ones I keep meaning to see but never get around to ... are you able to get me off the fence one way or another?
- Suburban Mayhem ... ooo! tell me more ... please ;o)

pg - Wolf Creek is a pretty good aussie horror ...

really enjoyed December Boys - cute

Jindabyne was so good ... i fell in love with Paul Kelly's song a long long long time ago ... http://www.paulkelly.com.au/index.php?pa... - which was also inspired by the short story by Raymond Carver ... the movie delivered a nice visual version for me (although it got a bit long winded towards the end) ... shocking story ... awesome performances

Don't know if anyone mentioned Jindabyne (Laura Linney), Macbeth (Sam Worthington), December Boys (Daniel Radcliffe), Disgrace (John Malkovich, although it’s co-produced with South Africa), Shine, Ned Kelly, Wolf Creek, Ten Canoes, Suburban Mayhem

it was celebrated back when it was first released (in america anyway), so it is strange to me that it's hard to find now.

yeah except right now i am staying w. my cousins who live in the wilderness, and it doesn't seem to exist or anything around here. i guess in chch they will prob have it, thanks. (but i feel like it's NOT well known)

Margaret - I just rented it at the local ... it is a little old (early 80's) but fairly well known so I am surprised ... you're in NZ yeah?

awh bugger pg

my awesome video store told me their copy was lost...so sad. and netflix doesn't seem to have it either.

where did you even get this? i can't rent this anywhere, it sucks.

that'd be two yups darlin' ...

there area couple of scenes where Danny is teachin' himself to play the guitar ... they reminded me of a photo i have of a certain young man and his guitar

flirting is a "sequel" to the year my voice broke? i HAVE to see that. i loved flirting. that photograph that thandie newton looks at in danny's copy of the sartre book is freya then?

thanks sam, you've given me an appropriate mission for my lazy weekend!

ha! ... too quick fer ya! ;o)