Strictly Australian - TV, Movies, Theatre

[hughmanity]

So ERSKINEVILLE KINGS is now on Amazon Prime.  This afforded me the opportunity to watch it for the first time since I was able to view it on youtube a long time back.  This nacent performance of his amazed me all over again with its depth and dramatic nuance.  I have one thing to say to Jon Bream of the Minneapolis Star Tribune who highlighted Hugh's concert as one of the best of the summer, yet references him as "the cheesy and hammy movie star":   Watch this performance and you will eat your cheese and ham along with your crow!  

www.startribune.com/from-neil-to-j-lo-the-10-greatest-twin-cities-concerts-of-2019-so-far/512907922/

[jo]

One of his first jobs - annotating IN FASHION for Aussie TV!

Very young Hugh

[jo]

A review of PAPERBACK HERO --

[jan]

This weekend in Nindigully, Queensland.......scroll down for Hugh's message, trailer of Paperback Hero plus movie!

www.eventbrite.com.au/e/nindigully-film-music-festival-tickets-65384708423

Cheers, Jan

[njr]

Oct 4, 2019 18:09:12 GMT -5 jan said:

This weekend in Nindigully, Queensland.......scroll down for Hugh's message, trailer of Paperback Hero plus movie!

www.eventbrite.com.au/e/nindigully-film-music-festival-tickets-65384708423

Cheers, Jan

After clicking on link, click “View Details” to see info and videos.

[jo]

In this photo gallery of BLUE HEELERS - you can spot the thumbnails that feature the very young Hugh Jackman...and expand to view.

www.australiantelevision.net/bh/galleries/0233.html#

[jo]

[jo]

Here's a review from VARIETY --

variety.com/1999/film/reviews/erskineville-kings-1200459594/

Oct 11, 1999 12:00am PT
Erskineville Kings


By David Stratton

The basic theme of this gritty urban drama — the reunion of long-separated siblings because a parent is mortally ill or has died — has become a tired cliche in Australian cinema, but Alan White’s striking debut feature manages to breathe fresh life into the material thanks to extremely fine camerawork and strong ensemble performances. The screenplay by first-timer Anik Chooney relies on deliberately banal dialogue, and “Erskineville Kings” has the feel of a theatrical piece transferred to the screen. Palace Films will have to pull out the stops to attract audiences to this niche entertainment, while overseas business looks limited to TV and ancillary, where, sadly, the beautiful, burnished images will lose much of their luster.

One of the most striking elements of the film is first-time d.p. John Swaffield’s remarkable lensing, and the choice of locations in the grimy inner suburbs of Sydney at the height of summer. Shot after shot is worthy of framing, as Swaffield’s beautifully composed images reveal decaying buildings, tattered posters, ancient graffiti (“Go Home Hippies!”) and narrow, mean, deserted streets on a very hot, still day. These run-down shops, bars and houses are a world away from the attractive harbor and downtown district of Sydney, although just as real.

Twenty-five-year-old Barky (scripter Chooney, using the pseudonym Marty Denniss) arrives at the city’s central rail station early one morning on a summer weekend. He’s been away for two years working in the cane fields up north and seems to be a bit of a lost soul. We soon learn that he left the family home to escape his drunken and abusive father, and has returned for Dad’s funeral. But first he wants to meet with his brother, Wace (Hugh Jackman), with whom he had a falling out when he left.

As he comes across various friends, including ex-girlfriend Lanny (Leah Vandenberg), Barky reveals more and more about himself and the oppressive world he left behind. But this is no prodigal son returning in triumph; if anything, Barky seems to have less now than he did when he went away.

The film is composed of apparently aimless conversations and encounters, all of which add to the viewer’s knowledge about Barky. Some may find the pacing extremely slow; director White, working from a wordy screenplay, is in no hurry to cut to the chase — something which, in any case, proves to be nonexistent.

There’s a generally strong ensemble cast of little-known actors, with the film’s only “name” actor, Jackman, making quite an impact as the bitter Wace. Denniss successfully connects with the tenuousness of Barky’s character, and Vandenberg is extremely sympathetic as the self-possessed Lanny.

Though made on a low budget of about A$ 500,000($ 326,000), and entirely unsupported byusual government funding bodies, “Erskineville Kings” is technically impressive on every level.

Erskineville Kings
(DRAMA -- AUSTRALIAN)
Production: A Palace Films (Australia) release of an Underground Films/@radical.media production. (International sales: Southern Star, Sydney.) Produced by Julio Caro , Alan White. Executive producers, Jon Kamen, Frank Scherma, Marion Pilowsky. Co-producer, Annette Simons. Directed by Alan White. Screenplay, Anik Chooney. Camera (FotoKem color), John Swaffield; editor, Jane Moran; music, Don Miller-Robinson; production designer, Andrew Horne; costume designer, Kelly May; sound (Dolby), Max Hensser; associate producers, Jasper Sceats, Kate Toms; assistant director, Heather Oxenham; casting, Shauna Wolifson. Reviewed at Academy Twin 300, Sydney, June 22 , 1999. (In World Film Festival, Montreal --- Cinema of Tomorrow; Noosa Film Festival --- competing.) Running time: 85 MIN.
Crew:
With: Wace ..... Hugh Jackman Barky ..... Marty Denniss Trunny ..... Aaron Blabey Coppa ..... Andrew Wholley Wayne ..... Joel Edgerton Lanny ..... Leah Vandenberg Kane ..... Marin Mimica
Music By:

*It showed early signs of Hugh Jackman's dramatic forte. He did get an acting award for the role (from the Film Critics Circle of Australia).

*The screenwriter (Anik Chooney) and the actor playing Wace (Marty Deniss) are actually the same person. According to past HJ interviews, he was a former classmate at WAAPA but who did not complete the course.

*As mentioned in the review, it had the feel of a theatrical play. In real life, IIRC, it was eventually converted to a play.


JO

[jo]

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