Geoffrey Wright

I'm surprised that Geoffrey Wright has directed so few films, given the astonishing power of much of Romper Stomper.

Arrivederci Roma (Geoffrey Wright, 1979) short; set at City Baths Melbourne

Lover Boy (Geoffrey Wright, 1989) wr. Geoffrey Wright; Noah Taylor (Mick), Gillian Jones (Sally), Ben Mendelsohn (Gaz), Daniel Pollock (Duck), Alice Garner (Rhonda), Peter Hosking (Lex), Beverley Gardiner (Mick's mother); 16 mm. 57 min.; inappropriate liaison between teenager and woman three times his age ends tragically; on the DVD with Metal Skin; not a feature film, but almost 60' long; not the only film which stars both Noah Taylor and Ben Mendelsohn; the first of Daniel Pollock's half-dozen before he committed suicide after finishing Romper Stomper

Romper Stomper (1992) this brought Russell Crowe to everyone's attention; powerful performances from all three leads: Crowe, Jacqueline McKenzie and Daniel Pollock (who died very soon after making this film, aged only 22)

Metal Skin (1994) Geoffrey Wright's take on revhead culture, but it's not merely realistic: it has a legendary (in the original sense) dimension - a powerful film despite weak performances from Aden Young, Tara Morice and Nadine Garner (in my opinion); Ben Mendelsohn is more reliable

Cherry Falls (2000) not Australian: made in the US; unpleasant topic

Macbeth (Geoffrey Wright, 2006) wr. Victoria Hill, Geoffrey Wright, prod. Martin Fabinyi, Mushroom Pictures; Sam Worthington, Victoria Hill, Lachy Hulme, Mick Molloy, Gary Sweet, Steve Bastoni; set in Melbourne underworld contemporary ganglands milieu; world premiere Toronto Sept 2006; Shakespeare's script

Garry Gillard | New: 29 September, 2012 | Now: 14 August, 2020