So, I got around to reading Kenneth Cook’s 1961 novel Wake in Fright (recommended by S.J. Watson) which the film of the same name was based on, and which I wrote about here. It is a remarkable, vivid, and wry piece of writing, still fresh after over half a century, and I thoroughly recommend… Read More »Oh God, That Light!
My pal Graham recently drew my attention to the 1971 Australian film Wake in Fright, which is now available to watch in full, in a gloriously restored, uncensored HD on YouTube. I have no idea why he thought I would be interested in a film about homosociality, repressed homosexuality, and drunken depravity.… Read More »‘First Time in the Yabba, Mate?’
Mark Simpson on how we’re all Australian now (One from the vaults, originally appeared in the Guardian Guide, 2001 – at what now looks like Oz’s cultural high-water mark) If you listen carefully to the soundtrack on Puppetry of the Penis, a video of the show which recently toured… Read More »Fauxstralian Britain
An Australian beer company tries the ‘buy our beer and save yourself from metrosexuality’ approach. I’ve been to Australia and can tell you that the beer in question certainly isn’t going to sell itself on something as gay as, er, tasting nice. I doubt this approach, however ironic it may… Read More »Real Beer For Real Men – A Niche Market?
By Mark Simpson, Independent on Sunday (December 3, 2006) We all know that Australians are better than us. Better looking, better at sport, better at partying, better at sex, better at reality TV shows. Mostly because they told us so. Very loudly. Little wonder recent Government figures showed half the… Read More »We’re Better at Everything, Mate: Australia’s Sports Complex