Backroads (1977)

A black and white lowlife duo drives around Australia's Outback in a stolen vehicle and finds trouble after trouble.

Director:

Phillip Noyce

Writers:

Josephine Emery, Phillip Noyce

Stars:

Bill Hunter, Gary Foley, Zack Martin

Cast

Cast overview:
Bill Hunter	...	Jack
Gary Foley	...	Gary
Zack Martin	...	Joe (as Zac Martin)
Terry Camilleri	...	Jean Claude
Julie McGregor	...	Anna
Essie Coffey	...	Aboriginal Woman
Doc Coffey	...	Card Player
Richard Sullivan	...	Card Player
Stan Penrose	...	Policeman
Allan Penney	...	Shopkeeper
Max Andrews	...	Garageman

Storyline

A black and white lowlife duo drives around Australia's Outback in a stolen vehicle and finds trouble after trouble.

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Plot Keywords:

australia | car theft | one word title | racism | independent film | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 June 1977 (Australia)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Australian Film Commission, The, Backroads Productions, Creative Development Branch of the Australian Film Commission

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

This picture was one of fifty Australian films selected for preservation as part of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia's Kodak / Atlab Cinema Collection Restoration Project.

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Connections

Featured in Reading Australian Film (1988)

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Soundtracks

"Backroads"
Written and performed by Zack Martin (as Zac Martin)

User Reviews

Australia's racial Easy Rider?

This movie reminded me of EASY RIDER. While not documenting the emergence of a freer counter-culture or revealing the shortcomings of contemporary society, it flowed on similarly as a thoroughly fluid road-movie that sought to uncover deeply-engrained prejudices that still persist, even latently, in attitude formation: black or white.

The two protagonists are once again outcasts; Bill the itinerant, petty-thief rebel-rouser and Dave his good, clear-thinking, articulate Aboriginal friend. They pick up hitchhikers on their way across Northern New South Wales, stopping by Dave's reservation and generally having a good time. The movies ends in an element of pathos analogous to EASY RIDER.

The movie gives the actors scope to make a balanced statement on the nature of racism. Bill Hunter plays an essentially fair, full-loving and decent bloke, who still had ingrained reservations about fully recognising Aboriginal cultural-sovereignty. BACKROADS succeeds because it is sensible and makes no definite statement on the race debate.

A very enjoyable film that probably gave the Australian Film Commission courage to make others like "Wrong Side Of The Road".