20 Outrageous Ozploitation Classics

‎Aussie exploitation cinema or Ozploitation (the favored shortened term) became highly successful throughout the 70s and 80s due to two main factors: 1) tax cuts which gave producers the boost to make movies and 2) Australia's then new R-rating. The filmmakers of the day finally had the chance to supply their audiences with all kinds of vibrant cinema that reflected and celebrated the Aussie culture. Early Ocker comedies such as Alvin Purple, The Adventures of Barry McKenzie and Pacific Banana were the first to kick off a New Wave of moviemaking in the Outback which spanned a wide variety of genres. Most international film fans were later introduced to Ozploitation through the internationally successful cult classics Patrick and Mad Max, but there's still many more movies for you to experience that are every bit as exciting, daring and fun. Here's 20 of our favorites.

Alvin Purple (1973)

One of the earliest films that kicked off the whole Ozploitation craze. Graeme Blundell stars in this over the top "Ocker" sex comedy about a Melbourne man who has women problems...he can't stop making love to them since they find him utterly irresistable! The film was a massive success upon its release and even spawned a sequel Alvin Purple Rides Again.
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The Man From Hong Kong (1975)

Asian kung fu icon Jimmy Wang Yu is Hong Kong Inspector Fang Sing Leng who is sent to Sydney, Australia to interrogate a drug courier (Sammo Hung) that has been arrested there. Aussie Detectives Gross (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and Taylor (Roger Ward) assist him in the investigation which leads them to the man behind all the dirty dealing, Jack Wilton (George Lazenby) a flamboyant crime kingpin. This film aka "The Dragon Flies" is a highly charged, stunt filled, action classic and one of the gems of its era.
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Wake in Fright (1971)

In this Aussie version of Deliverance, a schoolteacher named John Grant (Gary Bond) on a brief stopover in a small hick town called "The Yabba" finds himself being pulled into the local lifestyle of beer drinking, gambling, kangaroo hunting and general moral degradation. A nightmarish journey into the dark side of the Outback that you'll never forget.
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Mad Max (1979)

In the post-apocalyptic future, Australian Main Force Patrol officer Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) does battle with a gang of crazed nomadic bikers led by the ultra maniacal "Toecutter" (Hugh Keays Byrne). The cars and bikes tear up the highways and the emotions soar in this heart racing, high octane action classic.
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Patrick (1978)

Robert Thompson plays Patrick, a creepy comatose patient in a Melbourne hospital who murdered his mother and her lover years earlier. To make matters worse, Patrick happens to possess special psychokinetic powers which he uses to communicate with Kathy (Susan Penhaligon) a young nurse he falls in love with and also defend himself from another nurse that wants to do him harm. A cult horror classic that blends aspects of Psycho and Carrie together in a uniquely thrilling way.
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Road Games (1981)

Stacy Keach is Patrick Quid an American born truck driver working in Australia who becomes entangled in a mystery revolving around a serial killer who’s knocking women off across the territory. On his travels he picks up a hitchhiker (Jamie Lee Curtis) that accompanies him as he tries to figure out who the killer really is. A brilliant road-thriller that mixes a nice amount of dark humor and suspense.
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Stone (1974)

When a mysterious assassin begins knocking off members of the "Grave Diggers" outlaw motorcycle club, the police send in a clean living, straight arrow officer named Stone (Ken Shorter) to go undercover with the wild bikers and investigate who's pulling the trigger. A legendary action packed, counter-culture classic from the Ozploitation explosion.
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BMX Bandits (1983)

While American audiences were loving movies like Spielberg's E.T., Aussies had this fast moving action-comedy about a trio of teenage BMX bike enthusiasts (Angelo D'Angelo, James Lugton and Nicole Kidman) who get caught in the middle of a criminal organizations' plan to rob a bank. The movie was inspired in large part by comedic British films of the 50s and 60s that were aimed at kids and their parents.
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Mad Dog Morgan (1976)

Dennis Hopper stars in this film based on the life of 19th century bushranger Dan "Mad Dog" Morgan. Filmed during Hopper's heavy substance abuse period, it is uneven on some levels but also a wild, wreckless adventure that portrays the controversial life of Morgan who was regarded as a Robin Hood figure to some and a deadly Jesse James type to others.
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The FJ Holden (1977)

Best mates Kevin (Paul Couzens) and Bob (Carl Stever) cruise around town in their FJ Holden classic car trying to pick up girls and having a ball. A very entertaining, chilled out 70s Aussie version of American Graffiti meets Two Lane Blacktop about the freewheeling yet dead end lifestyle of youth in Bankstown, New South Wales.
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Fast Lane Fever (1982)

A fast paced action cult film about street racers Mike (Terry Serio) his best friend Tony (John Agius) who compete with Fox (Richard Moir) the top hot rod racer in New South Wales. Featuring some very cool supercharged musclecars such as the Ford Falcon GT-HO Phase III, Dodge Challenger and 57 Chevy Coupe. This is a perfect Aussie gem for gearheads.
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Stork (1971)

Based on the play "The Coming of Stork", Bruce Spence (The Road Warrior) plays Graham "Stork" Wallace, a very tall, geeky bloke who loses his job at an auto plant and moves into a bachelor flat with hipsters Tony (Sean McEuan), Clyde (Helmut Bakaitis) and their girlfriend Anna (Jacki Weaver). Of course the hijinks ensue as everyone gets their rocks off and Stork learns about life and love. An early "Ocker" coming of age comedy that was hugely successful and an essential part of the Aussie film revival.
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Fair Game (1986)

A woman (Cassandra Delaney) who runs a wildlife preserve becomes the unwilling human prey for three kangaroo poachers who are looking for a new form of hunting. It's I Spit On Your Grave Australian style.
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Turkey Shoot (1982)

Three convicts: Chris Walters (Olivia Hussey) Rita Daniels (Lynda Stoner) and Paul Anders (Steve Railsback) are given a unique chance at regaining their freedom if they can evade psychotic hunters in a human turkey shoot. An exciting dystopian survival-thriller that pits imprisoned "social deviants" against their deranged captors. Some very gory thrills and exciting action sequences within.
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The Road Warrior (1981)

Since losing his wife and child, ex-police officer Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) lives like a scavenger on the highways of the Outback. He soon gets caught up in another personal war when he comes upon a large fuel refinery that is the target of a new nomadic band of psycho marauders led by the hockey masked brute "Lord Humongus". The stunts are ramped up to mindblowing levels and so are the stakes. This remains one of Australia's greatest action movies.
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Harlequin (1980)

A modern day version of Rasputin which focuses on Senator Nick Rast (David Hemmings) and his son (Mark Spain) who has leukemia. When a faith healer/magician named Gregory Wolfe (Robert Powell) shows up and seems to cure the boy, Rast's wife Sandy (Carmen Duncan) falls in love with him. Rast's political organization led by Doc Wheelan (Broderick Crawford) don't hold the same view of Wolfe and consider him a threat. A strange blend of fantasy and political conspiracy thriller makes this a unique entry in the Ozploitation genre. TRIVIA: Originally written for David Bowie (Wolfe) and Orson Welles (Doc Wheelan).
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Razorback (1984)

An eco-terror cult classic in the tradition of JAWS about a giant, maneating wild boar that wreaks havoc on citizens of the Outback. Shot in the area of Broken Hill, New South Wales and based on the novel by Peter Brennan.
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Deathcheaters (1976)

Since leaving the horrors of war behind, two Vietnam vets Steve (John Hargreaves) and Rodney (Grant Page) work as stuntmen for TV programs. Due to their extensive commando backgrounds the government decides they are the perfect duo to infiltrate a Filipino island where a criminal boss is holding some secret documents they want retrieved. It's a cracking "men on a mission" blend of stunts and adventure the likes you've never seen!
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The Chain Reaction (1980)

Released right around the same time as Mad Max, this film has a similar theme to American films like The China Syndrome dealing with the fears of a Nuclear catastrophy. You may notice there's also an oddly similar look to some characters seen in Romero's The Crazies as well. Writer-Director Ian Barry didn't have a very big budget to work with, but he did a great job making a film about ordinary people affected by something they have no control over. For extra help and to save time, Director George Miller (Mad Max) was brought on to shoot the film's car chase sequences. These added an exciting edge to the film that it may not have had otherwise.
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Long Weekend (1978)

An Aussie couple, Peter (John Hargreaves) and Marcia (Briony Behets) try to save their marriage by going camping and rekindling their lost feelings for one another. Soon after they arrive at the beachside getaway their mistreatment of nature and various wildlife causes dangerous repercussions. A suspenseful, atmospheric Eco-thriller in the tradition of Hitchcock's The Birds.
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