The Australian film industry enjoys a rich history ranging from titles such as Mad Max, The Castle, Wolf Creek and Romper Stomper launching the international careers of many actors or actresses.
However, the benefit of Australian films are locally produced cars feature as the stars and on the Repco Garage we’ll be reflecting on the top five best.
- Mad Max (1979) – Ford Falcon Pursuit Special
There is no more iconic car of Australian film then Max Rockatansky’s Ford Falcon Pursuit Special he ends Mad Max in. A film set in a near-future dystopian time, the movie follows Rockatansky and his battle with the Nightrider in addition to the Toecutter. Inspired by injuries witnessed by director George Miller when he was a Sydney medical doctor and became an instant classic. There are so many iconic cars such as the Nightrider’s Holden, the Interceptor Falcons and the Bongo van.
- Running on Empty (1982) – Ford Falcon XY GT-HO
A street racing movie set in the early 1980s, Running on Empty stars many muscle cars including Holden Monaros, Dodge Challengers and a 1957 Chev. Following the rivalry of Fox and Mike, the movie focuses on not just the need for speed, but the affect it has on the people surrounding the racers. The star of the show is Mike’s Ford Falcon 351 GT-HO, but this meets an untimely end.
- The Man from Hong Kong (1975) – Valiant Charger
George Lazenby starred in this movie, which was the first international coproduction between Australia and Hong Kong. Serving as a satire to popular films James Bond and Dirty Harry, it follows an officer from the Hong Kong Police Force travelling to Australia to extradite a criminal, but he meets Sydney’s most powerful crime lord. A Valiant Charger stars in one of many car chases throughout the film, which it survives.
- The Big Steal (1990) – Van’s Holden Monaro
Yes, there’s the Jaguar and the Cedric. You just can’t forget the Cedric, especially the reaction from Danny’s father after he was told of its sale! The Big Steal stars Ben Mendelsohn, Claudia Karvan and Steve Bisley as shonky used car dealer Gordon Farkas. Long story short, Mendelsohn’s character Danny tries to impress Joanna Johnson (Karvan) by buying a Jaguar ahead of their date, but Farkas swaps engines with his later model XJ6 with its unreliable motor. Danny and his friends successful replace the engine as Farkas fails humorously to catch them. Danny’s friend Van’s (Angelo D’Angelo) Holden Monaro provide the perfect escape vehicle.
- Metal Skin (1994) – ‘Sex’ Holden Torana LX
Imagine driving a high-powered LX Torana on your P Plates today? It just doesn’t happen, but the mid-1990s was a different time and this is when the film Metal Skin was produced. Directed by Geoffrey Wright (best known for Romper Stomper), the film stars Ben Mendelsohn, Nadine Garner, Aden Young and Tara Morice in a plot focused on a bunch of street racing misfits. Of course, the LX is the bad guy’s wheels of choice.
BONUS
One for our New Zealand friends is from the movie Smash Palace and is of a police chase involving the RALT RT1 Formula Pacific. Driven by Steve Millen, the beast is driven on the dirt as well as across a level crossing to successful evade the police.