Windrider (1987)

In a sentence

P.C. Simpson, a Perth hipster, tries to becomes a champion windsurfer while courting the gorgeous rock singer Jade.

Principals

Director: Vincent Monton

Writer: Everett De Roche and Bonnie Harris

Producer: Paul Barrons

Director of Photography: Joseph Pickering

Cast

Tom Burlinson as P.C. Simpson

Nicole Kidman as Jade

Charles “Bud” Tingwell as Stuart Simpson, Snr

Full cast and Crew

About the film (possible spoilers)

P.C. Simpson has a good job working at his dad's engineering firm but lives to windsurf. He has a host of colourful, zany friends who windsurf with him on the beaches of Perth, Western Australia. He also has an enemy: the cool and detached, Coyote, whom he battles for windsurfing dominance.

The plot centers around P.C. courting up-and-coming rock singer, Jade. After an all night recording session, Jade wanders to the beach and sees P.C. do a 360 on his windboard; he then tracks her down to so she can confirm his incredible stunt to his disbelieving friends. When they meet backstage at a concert he immediately develops feelings for her.  

P.C. is cocky in his courtship of Jade. He kidnaps her from the recording studio, tows her car to the beach and buys her a pet galah (parrot), all in hopes of getting a date. Finally his persistence pays off, they fall in love, and there is a sexy montage to prove it.

Things take a bad turn for P.C. after he survives a shark attack. He gets behind at work, falls out with Jade and gives up on creating the perfect windsurfing board with his work colleague Howard. But most important he is afraid of the water.

The film doesn’t have the strongest narrative. P.C. does not have a “goal” that is set out during the first 15 minutes of the movie. The plot never meanders though and ends with a decisive conclusion. There are jokes, good dramatic scenes and the obligatory beat-the-clock sequence leading to the climax. And of course there are wonderfully shot windsurfing scenes.

My personal take

I liked this film because of it’s 1980s vibe. I grew up watching John Hughes movies and this film has the feel of a “Ferris Bueller down under.” P.C. is hip slick and cool and seems to get away with everything. However, unlike Ferris, P.C.’s luck changes and he must confront his issues of selfishness. Ferris Bueller never changes as a character, P.C. must and does.

I suggest you watch it like a documentary of 80s teen culture. There are over-the-top haircuts, shoulder pads, flouro clothing and plenty of “quirky” characters typical of the genre. I took this all in with detached amusement and enjoyed the film more for it.

A major highlight is the amazing cinematography. Western Australia is beautifully captured on film. The director of photography uses long light that is present when the sun sets over the water. Even late afternoon office scenes include these glowing pinkish hues. Credit must go to director of photography Joseph Pickering.

Director Vincent Monton was a cinematographer before he became a director. So it is not surprising that the scenes are well shot. Check out Long Weekend, Roadgames or Race For the Yankee Zephyr for examples of his photography work.

Commentary

The protagonist is an upper middle class young man. This is unique as many Australian films focus on working class youth. P.C. comes from a privileged background and has a well paying job at his father’s engineering firm.

Writing P.C. as being well off is inspired choice. It is an excellent backdrop to explore his character. By taking the question of money out of the equation the filmmakers can focus solely on his relationships to Jade, his father, and most importantly, windsurfing.

Genre: Teen comedy

Windrider walks the line between Disney and Adult themed content. There are body function jokes and silly visual gags normal to more tame teen comedies. But also there is also swearing, nudity and drug taking. It could be called a “Young Adult Comedy” as the younger cast are all out of high school, have regular jobs and hang out in bars.

Things to watch out for:

Nicole Kidman getting naked

Awesome Windsurfing scenes (you can’t miss them)

Unicycle jousting with pool cues

Watch this movie if

You like sports movies

You enjoy 80s cinema

You are a windsurfing enthusiast

You want to see some great shots from the water

Avoid this movie if

You don’t like young adult themed movies

You consider the 80s a tacky and soulless decade

You want to watch a deep and meaningful movie

You hate Western Australian beaches

Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972)

In a sentence:

Young Aussie bloke Barry McKenzie, along with his aunt Edna, have an action-packed visit to London, meeting many interesting “poms” (English people) along the way.

The Principals:

Director: Bruce Beresford

Writers: Barry Humphries and Bruce Beresford

Producer: Phillip Adam

Main Cast:

Barry McKenzie: Barry Crocker

Edna Everage: Barry Humphries


Full Cast and Crew

About the film:

There is very little plot to speak of in this film. The inciting incident is that Barry McKenzie receives an inheritance from his father. He can only get the money after he’s visited England and fulfilled the “cultural education of the McKenzie family.” Barry dutifully goes on the trip with his aunt Edna. When they land they encounter the many strange inhabitants of the “old country”.

The film is quite episodic, due to the lack of narrative drive. The idea of his cultural education is never really addressed after the inciting incident leads him to England. Barry does a cigarette advert, goes to a Young Conservatives mixer, records a song with some hippies, gets sent to an insane asylum, and winds up showing his penis on BBC chat show. What propels the action forward is Barry’s desire for Foster’s beer. Barry is always thinking about where and when he can get another “tube of the amber fluid”.

The other thing that motivates Barry is sex. Barry is eager to have sex with any (and all) available women. In classic comedic fashion, he never achieves his goal because of a character flaw: he is searching for sexual adventures, yet afraid of them.

The jokes in the film come fast and hard and you have to pay close attention to pick up on all the Australianisms peppered throughout. The humour is crude, racist, perverted, demented and utterly funny. There are also brilliant cameos from Peter Cook and Spike Milligan.

My personal take:

I laugh out loud throughout this film. It's a film that can be watched several times as there are so many jokes that you can easily miss them on the first viewing.

I admit that the film is a bit clunky at times. The weakness is mainly in the razor-thin plot, but I think comedies are rarely served by having complex storylines. Like Citizen Kane, I feel the strengths of Barry McKenzie outshine the weaknesses. This film is pure stupid fun and it’s meant to invoke laughter. I particularly enjoy that everyone is a target - this film takes no prisoners as it mocks everything that it sets its sights on.

This is Bruce Beresford’s directorial debut. He would later direct Driving Miss Daisy, Tender Mercies and other great films. This is almost like looking at Peter Jackson’s filmography and realizing that the man who would directed the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit cut his teeth by making splatter/zombie and puppet porno films.

Commentary

Barry McKenzie doesn’t grow as a character. Nothing in the film indicates that he has any deep problems which block his happiness. In fact all the Australian men in the film are portrayed as blissfully happy to drink and carry on as they are.

There is also a strong sense of cultural antagonism. The Poms and Aussies don’t like each other and never hide their feelings on the matter. Barry even goes so far as to wear a “Pommy Bastards” t-shirt for part of the film.

Genre: Comedy

This film could be considered the benchmark for ocker comedy. For those of you non-Aussies reading this, “ocker” [pronounced okka] is simply low-brow, or broad, Australian comedy. The film is rife with Aussie slang, has more euphemisms for peeing than you’d hear at a urology convention, and attacks Poms and their culture at every opportunity.

Things to watch out for:

• John (Fred Dagg) Clarke appears in this film in a small role
• Barry Humphries plays three different roles in this film (making him the Peter Sellers of Ozploitation)

Watch this movie if:

• You like broad comedy
• You like ocker stereotypes 
• You enjoy the satire of Barry Humphries
• You want to hear as much Australian slang as humanly possible in an hour and forty minute period

Avoid this movie if:

• You need a strong narrative to enjoy a film
• You are an English person who is easily offended
• You are disgusted by vomiting on screen
• You cringe at portrayals of Australians overseas

Coming soon

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