I am a huge fan of Australian cinema. When I was a wee lad I discovered The Road Warrior and loved it. The camera work was like nothing I had ever seen. The landscape was barren yet beautiful and the cars are still unrivaled in film. I have yet to visit the land down under, though some day I hope to visit their sunny shores and meet Crocodile Dundee. In recent years I’ve devoured any films made there and I jumped at the chance to see some ultra rare vintage 70′s sexploitation. Australia After Dark and The ABC’s of Love and Sex Australia Style were made during a small window of cinematic freedom in Australia. The Australian film board became increasingly prudish as time went on, just as our own film boards became more open and free, thus killing Australia’s ability to compete. Only in recent years with the success of Wolf Creek are we seeing a new influx of genre filmmaking from Australia, and it’s about damn time.
First up we have Australia After Dark (1975) directed by John D. Lamond of Felicity fame. The film is a documentary from the Mondo school of filmmaking. Rather than being an investigative or educational production, the film is simply a silly romp through Australian culture, leaning heavily on the sexual world. We get to see nude body painting, a custom bikini maker, nude scuba diving, occult sexual practices, and more. The film is fun and airy for the most part, although an incongruous section involving the plight of the aboriginal peoples weighs the piece down. I have to wonder if maybe its inclusion was either made to appease censors or pad the film. Beer drinking competitions, an arty comedy performance of a muscular dude in drag, and a shemale striptease are also included among other odd and intentionally “shocking” scenes that haven’t really aged well. The film quality is certainly on the grainy side, but the film was supposedly thought lost and discovered at an old drive-in, so I can’t fault the print quality too much. If you were hoping for a glossy flick, look else where, because this one does show its age. Clearly Australia After Dark was a cheaply made cash grab flick meant to shock and titillate its audiences, but it still remains a fun time killer.
Next we have The ABCs of Love and Sex Australia Style (1978) also directed by John D. Lamond. Softcore (and a couple hardcore shots) fans rejoice! This one delivers on its title in spades. Taking and educational direction, The ABCs of Love is a fun sex romp that starts with A, ends with Z, and has tons of nudity in between. One way that early pornographers were able to publicly screen their films here in the states was by making them educational in some way. For example, the birth of a child, starting with the act of conception of course, and this flick takes that tactic to its near end. With such subjects as: kissing, masturbation, love, contraception, genitals, seduction, and erotica, the film really covers all the bases. Honestly, given the time in which it was made, some of the information would have been difficult to access and could have proven to be quite helpful to those that watched. In our day of instant information access, it feels like a lost relic, but in a very good way. The flick provides a fun, and at times graphic, depiction of sex and somehow seems more innocent then the aggressive and disgusting depictions of sex we are inundated with today. Here, it is meant to be enjoyed and is not peddled as a commodity, which I felt was quite refreshing. Although it’s quite clear sex was used to make this flick crank a buck, it doesn’t effect the spirit of the film. It really plays like an instructional manual on the art of lovemaking without being preachy or serious. Of the two, this one is the winner for those curious enough to seek these out.
Intervision has once again proven to be a real contender in the niche DVD market and I’m eagerly waiting to see what they unearth next.
