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Oz cinema in its gory, birthday-suit glory


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POSTED: Friday, October 17, 2008

Did you enjoy those screamer B-movie flicks of the '70s and '80s? Those cinematic travesties with the thin plot lines and even thinner acting? Well, you ain't seen nothing until you traipse down this pube-lined and blood-soaked lane of celluloid memories.

Definitely not for the young, or morally inhibited, “;Not Quite Hollywood”; is a wild romp through the fleshy world of Australian “;genre movies.”;

                       
'Not quite hollywood: the wild, untold story of ozploitation'
Australia
Directed by Mark Hartley
Screens 10 p.m. Saturday
HHHH

Split in three parts, the documentary explores the erotic comedies, bloody horror flicks and action movies that emerged on the Australian cinema scene in the '70s and '80s. Skin and gore flourished with the advent of the “;R”; rating system in Australia, and directors took full advantage of it all by creating movies that were completely over the top.

Suddenly, nudity wasn't a problem, and film clips from such gems as “;The Naked Bunyip”; and “;Alvin Purple”; show men and women freely parading in full-frontal glory. The comedy was pure camp, and no subject was too taboo to tackle.

But cinema evolved, and soon enough gory horror movies were the rage. Directors weren't afraid to soak the screen with buckets of blood and completely horrific scenes of every form of dismemberment possible. The films ran the gamut, with great titles like “;Inn of the Damned,”; and the stunning “;Howling III - The Marsupials.”; Some questioned the artistic merit of it all, but audiences around the world ate it up.

The effects of American films on Australian directors is explored, but it also becomes apparent that, at least in modern times, American directors were equally influenced by their counterparts down under. Quentin Tarantino is interviewed extensively, and the filmmaker provides insight into aspects of his movies that were colored by his infatuation with Australian “;genre movies.”;

As the documentary moves to its third part, we see how the Australian movie industry was really flying by the seat of its pants. It was a time of completely uncharted territory, and directors were attempting insane no-budget stunts with little regard for safety. Broken limbs and torched torsos were the norm for many involved in the stunts.

The film is a fast-paced and fun-filled look at a piece of cinematic history of which many have seen very little. Tons of film clips are blended expertly with great commentary and fascinating interviews with the directors and actors.

If you love the oddball and bizarre, this is the film for you.