A dramatisation of The Fitzgerald Inquiry which looked into illegal prostitution and gambling aided by corrupt police. Stalwart Bill Hunter stars as star witness Graeme Parker. He won Best Actor at the Australian Film Institute for his role. And for good reason as he’s excellent. Police State is a fantastic TV movie. It’s well made, …
Continue reading Marsupial March- 31 Days of Aussie Movies- Day 31- Police State (1989)
Young people congregate at a local New South Wales suburb community centre. They also live together in accommodation which is kind of like a halfway house for youngsters from difficult backgrounds. Ely moves in after her mother's boyfriend sexually assaults her. Meanwhile, a local businessman who hopes to become a politician holds a dinner party …
Continue reading Marsupial March- 31 Days of Aussie Movies- Day 28- Crime of the Decade (1984)
A group of ex-hippies reunite. They go to the old house they used to live together in which is due to be demolished. But there’s a more sinister reason why they go back- one of their housemates killed himself and rather than going to the hippie-hating cops, they bury him in the basement. They’re going …
Continue reading Marsupial March- 31 Days of Aussie Movies- Day 19- Natural Causes (1985)
In 2001, a British couple, Joanne Lees and Peter Falconio are travelling across Australia in a camper van. One night, they are stopped by another driver who turns out to be a cold-blooded killer. He shackles Joanne and throws her into the back of his van. She hears a gunshot but shortly after this manages …
A female passenger leaves her handbag in the back of a taxi. The driver seeks to trace her to give it back which is where the adventure begins. A premise like this requires the one thing this TV movie lacks- an interesting plot. It was good to see which actors would go on to star …
Continue reading Marsupial March- 31 Days of Aussie Movies- Day 15- Taxi! (1979)
Gail Osborne is a 16 year old who starts dating Steve Pastorinis who goes to the same school as her. It's also around this time that she starts to receive abusive notes stuck in the grills of her school locker and also abusive telephone calls. For a film, let alone a TV movie to deal …
Continue reading 31 Days of Halloween- Day 31- Are You In The House Alone? (1978)
A hotel complex where a new building is being constructed is infested with killer ants. I love the TV movies that featured a special guest star who was slumming it as work had dried up. Ants stars Myrna Loy as well as Suzanne Somers (!) and Lynda Day George (yes, the actress from Pieces!) so …
Amy leaves her art class late at night and goes to her car. However, she then finds a man dressed all in black resplendent with a black balaclava and shades waiting for her in her backseat. She gets away but isn't taken seriously by the police when she goes to report the incident. Apparently, the …
Continue reading 31 Days of Halloween- Day 24- No Place To Hide (1981)
Allan (Anthony Perkins) wakes to find the family home is on fire. The fire kills his father and burns his sister. The trauma also makes him go blind. It was Allan who accidentally caused the fire as he placed cans of paint thinner too close to a heater making him take on a huge burden …
Continue reading 31 Days of Halloween- Day 17- How Awful About Allan (1970)
An abominable snowman turns up at a snow resort and starts killing skiiers. And just before their Winter Carnival! So inconsiderate! Substitute the snow resort for a Cape Cod coastal tourist town. Substitute the Winter Carnival for the 4th of July. Substitute the Snowbeast for a killer Great White Shark. Boom! If this was the …
Continue reading Day 25- 31 Days of Halloween- Snowbeast (1977)
Meathook Cinema 