Though not in genuine 3d, like the lion in your lap conjured in the 1952 movie bwana devil, or bazs comeandgetyou gatsby, cinesounds kangaroo did seem to leap from the screen into the front. Featuring a veritable cavalcade of australian actors and entertainers, including the legendary chips rafferty the leading aussie screen star of the 1940s and 50s, standup comic slim degrey and future crocodile dundee sidekick john meillon, theyre a weird mob broke local boxoffice records and pointed the way towards the coming new wave. Theyre a weird mob is an hilarious snapshot of the immigrant experience in menziesera australia, by a writer with a brilliant ear for the australian way with words. In the 1980s i served with the australian armys special forces and witnessed firsthand. They re a weird mob was also probably the first australian film made with a realistic eye to international distribution, not only because much of the movie seems to delight in explaining and translating many examples of aussie lingo, but because it takes delight in simply showing australians being australians and them being a weird bloody. Theyre a weird mob the 100 greatest australian films by seagull moustache theyre a weird mob the 100 greatest australian films by seagull moustache. While the book theyre a weird mob was a bestseller in its home australian market, it remained virtually unknown outside its borders and had no cultural currency beyond that narrow and, indeed, minor english. It was the penultimate collaboration of the british filmmakers michael powell and emeric pressburger. Which led to a nice little battle, which was ended by some australian policemen. The film is an example of the work of famous british filmmaker michael powell 190590. The story of nino culotta, an italian immigrant coming to australia with the promise of a job at his cousins magazine, allows the directors to play with the australian slang and portray a stereotypical aussie. The cultural atlas of australia is an interactive digital map that explores australian places and. What are the mustwatch films about australian history. Contexts in which to place theyre a weird mob and into.
They re a weird mob by nino culotta john ogrady this book is iconic. The film that kickstarted australian cinema after a long hiatus an italian journalist is lured to our shores by his cousin to write for a magazine. The cultural atlas of australia is an interactive digital map that explores australian places and spaces as they are represented in and through films, novels, and plays. Walter chiari, ed devereaux, john meillon, tony bonner, clare dunne, chips rafferty, alida chelli, slim degrey, charles little, anne haddy, michael powell, they re a weird mob they are a weird mob, they re a weird mob, they are a weird mob, michael powell, walter chiari, ed devereaux. In melbourne it has broken the records for the new forum. Nino culotta, both narrator and apparent author of the novel, travels from nor. May 21, 2012 in a way, theyre a weird mob reads just as much as a loveletter to the australian language as it does as a paranorma of immigration and cultureshock in 1950s sydney. Graham kennedys short cameo in theyre a weird mob 1966 is his first feature film appearance, although he was an uncredited extra in on the beach 1959 nino culotta played by walter chiari is an italian migrant who has recently arrived in australia and is looking for work.
Paul byrnes on the evolution of australian film comedy from the silent era to the 1980s. Nino culotta walter chiari is an italian journalist who is lured by his brother into coming to australia to work. The hedonistic modernity of sydney in theyre a weird mob. Theyre a weird mob by nino culotta john ogrady this book is iconic. This is an australian film, about australians with australian financial backing. I suggest that you dont just include films about the big things that happened, but films about some of the little important things. Its also a rather indescribable film and i dont really know what it is despite having seen it.
They re a weird mob is a popular 1957 australian comic novel written by john ogrady under the pen name nino culotta, the name of the main character of the book. This includes theatres in five capitals and dozens of country locations. The story of the kelly gang, released in 1906, was the worlds first feature length movie. Wow you really have asked one that will need a lot of jotting down. Theyre a weird mob 1966 65 years of australian film comedy. Oct 30, 2017 they re a weird mob your shout australian culture surprize move, australian language from the book by nino culotta. I knew nothing about theyre a weird mob before watching it, except that it was the work of legendary film duo michael powell and emeric pressburger although pressburger is credited under a pseudonym. Regardless, films were produced in every year of the decade, although perhaps the only really successful one was theyre a weird mob in 1966, about an italian immigrant who tries to understand the australian way of life, its values, rituals and language. Theyre a weird mob 1966 1h 52min adventure, comedy, romance october 1966 australia nino culotta is an italian immigrant who arrived in australia with the promise of a job as a journalist on his cousins magazine, only to find that when he gets there the magazines folded.
Watch film clips from the 1966 film production of theyre a weird mob on australianscreen, a website operated by. While nino culotta can already speak english, the language that he encounters on his arrival is tarnished with. As part of italian week 20, the australian cinematheque at the gallery of modern art presents two special screenings of the rarely seen australian film theyre a weird mob 1966 by british director michael powell. Jul 29, 2015 the australian film industry led the rest of the world in the first decade of the 20th century. Mar 11, 20 what surprised me about the film was the lack of food scenes or italian culinary references. Though it wasnt the best film ever to grace the screen at the state, theyre a weird mob contributed significantly to the idea that an australian film industry revival was neither a fanciful idea nor a national folly.
Theyre a weird mob dvd is about sydney, weird australia. Cut to the comedy of errors that follows and he finds himself digging holes as a. Theyre a weird mob film theyre a weird mob is a 1966 australian film based on the novel of the same name by john ogrady under the pen name nino culotta, the name of the main character of the book. It could herald the rebirth of the australian film industry. Theyre a weird mob is sometimes credited with reviving the australian film industry.
Theyre a weird mob 1966 clip 2 on aso australias audio. In 1965, a sprawling, growing city of three million people. The film has been credited with the revival of the moribund australian film industry, which led to the australian new wave films of the 1970s. History of the australian film industry chrispearce52. Its an australia that no longer exists, making the film something of a social document worth watching. Now retired from filmmaking, he went on to become the awardwinning producer of films like caddie and bliss. The film provides an example of the work of famous british filmmaker michael powell 190590.
Theyre a weird mob is the first book by john ogrady writing under the pseudonym nino culotta, and purports to tell the tale of nino, an italian journalist sent to australia to write articles about the country and her people for italians to read. Instead, they re a weird mob was written by author john ogrady under the pseudonym of nino culotta. Walter chiari, ed devereaux, john meillon, tony bonner, clare dunne, chips rafferty, alida chelli, slim degrey, charles little, anne haddy, michael powell, theyre a weird mob they are a weird mob, theyre a weird mob, they are a weird mob, michael powell, walter chiari, ed devereaux. Italian sports journalist nino culotta is lured to sydney during the mid1960s to work for his brothers new magazine for migrant italians.
This film is a story of the fair go, and how a generation of new australians were embraced as part of society as a whole. He played the lead role in the popular australian film theyre a weird mob 1966, michael powell as nino culotta, a sports journalist who travels to sydney by ship following the promise of a magazine job. Australian screen online latest films and commentary on aso. Theyre a weird mob is a popular 1957 australian comic novel written by john ogrady under the pen name nino culotta, the name of the main character of the book. Theyre a weird mob your shout australian culture surprize move, australian language from the book by nino culotta. Mar 05, 2014 in 1966, english filmmakers michael powell and emeric pressburger adapted for the screen the australian comic novel theyre a weird mob. Australian famer kit kelly and his new bride anna are driving through europe when they help a stranded motorist. Theyre a weird mob the 100 greatest australian films. Theyre a weird mob is a popular australian comic novel written by john ogrady under the pseudonym nino culotta, the name of the main character of the book. Easy going, down to earth and hilariously funny people. The first australian film to be made in 7 years, its success meant that the australian government was pressed to provide money for further film funding. In a way, theyre a weird mob reads just as much as a loveletter to the australian language as it does as a paranorma of immigration and cultureshock in 1950s sydney.
Yet in its heyday it was the biggest selling australian novel in history. Unfortunately, its pretty weak stuff from the acclaimed british filmmakers. The best quotes i havent had time to type up, but so many of the characters i have seen personified in the aussies that i have known. Graham kennedys short cameo in they re a weird mob 1966 is his first feature film appearance, although he was an uncredited extra in on the beach 1959 nino culotta played by walter chiari is an italian migrant who has recently arrived in australia and is looking for work. With walter chiari, claire dunne, chips rafferty, alida chelli. The book was the first published novel by ogrady, with an initial print run of 6,000 hardback copies. In 1966, english filmmakers michael powell and emeric pressburger adapted for the screen the australian comic novel theyre a weird mob. Based on a popular australian novel, this comedy was produced down under in 1966. They re a weird mob, now in its second month in melbourne, has so far broken every boxoffice record in every australian theatre in which it has played. Jan 10, 2017 match the sweltering summer scene to the australian film quiz red deserts, sweaty brows, scalding sand and swimsuits. All critics 1 fresh 1 regarded as a classic, this film takes a kindhearted look at sydney in the mid 60s.
In less than six months, the book had been reprinted eight times and sold 74,000 copies. For something a little more lighthearted theyre a weird mob provides a somewhat humorous take on an italian mans migration to australia. Hocking, that i bought in melbourne in 2007, which collates the choices of various critics and other people related to australian cinema. The tensions of the rich wave of migration to australia after world war ii were satirised and sanitised by the enormously popular adaption of nino culottas john ogradys comic novel they re a weird mob. It tells the real story of bushranger ned kelly and his family and friends, and their many runins with the law. Certainly everybody in the motion picture in australia is vitally interested in the success of the film. The mid1900s had a slow start for australian film, although the first academy award was won for an australian film, kokoda front linethe industry picked back up during the 1970s with one of the first internationally released films, picnic at hanging rock, and with the success of the series of mad max franchise films. Theyre a weird mob is destined to be one of the great successes in 1966 in australia.
They re a weird mob is about sydney, australia in 1965, a sprawling, growing city of three million people. They re a weird mob they are a weird mob nonusa format, pal, reg. Australian screen is part of the national film and sound archive of australia. During his career, powell made more than 50 feature films, often in collaboration with writer emeric pressburger. Theyre a weird mob they are a weird mob nonusa format, pal, reg. Ninos true identity was only revealed two months after publication. They re a weird mob is adapted from a bestselling comic novel written by john ogrady under the pseudonym nino culotta, this tale of postwar immigration was one of the last collaborations between british filmmakers michael powell and emeric pressburger. Theyre a weird mob the good, the bad and the italian.
The book this film was based on was not actually written by nino culotta, although it did bear his name. Contexts in which to place theyre a weird mob and into which. Nov 11, 2016 now retired from filmmaking, he went on to become the awardwinning producer of films like caddie and bliss. Featured in the story of making the film theyre a weird mob 1966 see more. Williamsonpowell international, 1966 z553582 1966 single work filmtv humour taught in 6 units abstract. Hands up any of you who have read theyre a weird mob by nino culotta, or seen the film. The stars of the comedy film the weird mob having lunch on the marconi chiari, ed devereaux etc. They re a weird mob is a popular australian comic novel written by john ogrady under the pseudonym nino culotta, the name of the main character of the book. Posts about theyre a weird mob written by ambradambra. Match the sweltering summer scene to the australian film. The two films that powell made in australia, theyre a weird mob 1966 and the age of consent 1969, are seen as precursors to the hit australian comedies of the late 20th century. Match the sweltering summer scene to the australian film quiz red deserts, sweaty brows, scalding sand and swimsuits.
Nino culotta, both narrator and apparent author of the novel, travels from northern italy on an assignment from his boss to write about what kind of people these australians are for publications back home. If you like theyre a weird mob you are looking for movies about with love, male female relationship, journalist, beach, father daughter relationship, debt and beer themes of adventure, comedy and romance genre shot in australia or uk. Theyre a weird mob, now in its second month in melbourne, has so far broken every boxoffice record in every australian theatre in which it has played. There is no better way of life in the world than that of the australian. If theyre a weird mob were made in todays foodobsessed world, its plot of an educated italian immigrant finding himself in an angloaustralian mid 1960s setting could have been milked by the filmmakers for all its worth. About the author john ogrady was born in waverley on 9 october 1907. Things dont go to plan and hes left at the mercy of 1960s australia. The weird mob of the films title refers not to the migrant but to the very strangeness of australian culture as perceived via the gaze of a foreigner. What surprised me about the film was the lack of food scenes or italian culinary references.
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