Buddies (1983 film)
| Buddies | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Arch Nicholson |
| Written by | John Dingwall |
| Produced by | John Dingwall |
| Starring | Colin Friels Kris McQuade Harold Hopkins |
| Cinematography | David Eggby |
| Edited by | Martyn Down |
| Music by | Chris Neal |
| Distributed by | Hoyts (AUS) Paramount Pictures (Worldwide) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | A$1.9 million[1] |
| Box office | A$81,777 |
Buddies is a 1983 Australian comedy/drama film directed by Arch Nicholson and written by John Dingwall. Dingwall won the Best Original Screenplay AFI Award for the script.[2][3] The film was not a great success in 1983, as no Australian distributor wanted to release it, but Dingwall took it around the country's cinemas himself, where it was well received.[4]
Plot[edit]
Young miners Mike and Johnny work in the gem fields of central Queensland around Emerald. Conflict arises when their pick-and-shovel operation is threatened by a large scale bulldozer operator.
Cast[edit]
- Colin Friels as Mike
- Harold Hopkins as Johnny
- Kris McQuade as Stella
- Simon Chilvers as Alfred
- Norman Kaye as George
- Lisa Peers as Jennifer
- Bruce Spence as Ted
- Andrew Sharp as Peter
- Dinah Shearing as Merle
- Dennis Miller as Andy
Production[edit]
John Dingwall wrote the script and decided to produce it himself. He raised the money with the help of Rex Pilbeam, a former mayor of Rockhampton. Most of the money was raised in Queensland, including investment from the Queensland Film Corporation. Shooting took place on location in Emerald, Queensland and lasted six weeks.[1]
Box office[edit]
According to Dingwall, the film tested extremely well with audiences but there was a difficulty in marketing it.[1] Buddies grossed $81,777 at the box office in Australia,[5] which is equivalent to $215,891 in 2009 dollars.
Awards and nominations[edit]
At the 1983 AFI awards Buddies was nominated in the Best Achievement in Sound, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Simon Chilvers), Best Actress in a Lead Role (Kris McQuade) and Best Original Music Score (Chris Neal) categories. John Dingwall won the Best Original Screenplay AFI Award for the script.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c David Stratton, The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry, Pan MacMillan, 1990 pp. 88–89
- ^ IMDb info
- ^ "BUDDIES". Filmnews (Sydney, NSW : 1975 – 1995). Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 1 January 1984. p. 7. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
- ^ Australian screen
- ^ "Film Victoria – Australian Films at the Australian Box Office" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
- ^ IMDb awards
External links[edit]
- Buddies at IMDb
- Buddies at the Australian screen
- Buddies at Oz Movies
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- 1983 films
- Australian comedy-drama films
- 1983 comedy-drama films
- Films set in Queensland
- Films shot in Queensland
- Films about mining
- 1980s buddy comedy-drama films
- Films scored by Chris Neal (songwriter)
- 1980s English-language films
- Films directed by Arch Nicholson
- 1980s Australian films
- Films financed by the Queensland Film Corporation
- 1980s Australian film stubs
- 1980s comedy-drama film stubs