“Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story
of Ozploitation!”
If you loved
“Dead Snow,” do not hesitate a single *#@!ing minute. Rush your frozen zombie
heels over to the Loft Cinema to see “Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story
of Ozploitation!” This documentary tribute to the history of Australian genre
filmmaking is a bubbling brew with a foamy head, an absolute beverage of choice
full of sex, gore, violence, nudity, adolescent attitude and a nose-thumbing
celebration of political incorrectness.
What’s
not to like?
With
Quentin Tarantino serving as an enthusiastic, if often annoying host, “Not
Quite Hollywood” is a wood chipper full of highlight clips nipped from the
peaks of nudie pics, slasher flicks and two lane road kill – interspersed with
wry comments from presumed influential figures of the Australian film world
making sometimes hilarious, often self-deprecating and always entertaining
comments.
Clearly
there is much more to the land of cinema down under than “Picture at Hanging
Rock,” “The Piano Lesson” and all that bunch. While the picture is divided into
the three aforementioned sections, convenient when watching DVD rentals, first
see “Not Quite Hollywood” on the big screen to get the full sound and visual
effect of a documentary with rock ’n’ roll energy that takes childish delight
in overloading the senses.
Just
like with any good amusement park ride, your first response will be to stay on
and go for a re-ride.
There
are also some redeeming social values here (should you be interested).
Australia’s heritage as a displaced European country quickly comes to the
surface. The nation’s young people heartily embraced the revolutionary spirit
of the 1960s, chasing the government’s film censorship office out of business.
Tired
of that sourpuss attitude and determined to prove the filmmakers could be as
cheeky as the Brits, all manner of naughty movies were made. This unbridled
spirit quickly spread to pulverized bloody parts, outrageous amounts of vomit
and exploding automobiles, with Australia’s drive-in movie audience eager to
devour every outrageous scene.