Welcome to Woop Woop (1997)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Stephan Elliott

Writers:

Douglas Kennedy (novel)
Michael Thomas (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The hills are alive...

Plot:

A con artist escapes a deal gone wrong in New York and winds up in the Aussie outback in a strange town...

Plot Keywords:

Con Artist | Shower Scene | Hairdresser | Funeral Pyre | Australian Outback

Cast

Johnathon Schaech	...	Teddy
Rod Taylor	...	Daddy-O
Susie Porter	...	Angie
Dee Smart	...	Krystal
Richard Moir	...	Reggie
Maggie Kirkpatrick	...	Ginger
Barry Humphries	...	Blind Wally
Mark Wilson	...	Duffy
Paul Mercurio	...	Midget
Stan Yarramunua	...	Young Lionel
Bob Oxenbould	...	Moose
Daniel Rigney	...	Small Kenny
David Hoey	...	Dirty Dean
Sarah Osmo	...	Laverne
Con Demetriou	...	Darren

Also Known As:

The Big Red (Australia) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality and language, and for some drug content.

Runtime:

Argentina:97 min | France:106 min (Cannes Film Festival) | UK:97 min

Country:

Australia | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Chile:14 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia

Company:

Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC)

Trivia:

One of the few times in movies when an actor or actress makes their first appearance in the movie after their name is listed in the end credits. Shane Paxton as Sonny and Bindi Paxton as Cher don't appear in the movie until a scene after the credits are done rolling, which takes place 15 years later.

Quotes:

Reggie: Happy as a bastard on Father's Day.

Movie Connections:

References Razorback (1984)

Soundtrack:

I got you babe

If you're not Australian, you may not get it.

I saw "Welcome to Woop Woop" a couple of weeks ago on HBO, on the recommendation of my American neighbour. He loved it! And he's right. I watched this film grinning from ear to ear, and if it were not for my neighbour's enjoying it so much, I'd have thought that only Australians would get the drift of this film.

"Welcome to Woop Woop" is resplendent with Australian iconography, and if you don't know the space you may have a hard time understanding the references. As an Australian, I can tell you those references are spot on! The language, being out in the bush, the actors Rod Taylor and Barry Humphries (Dame Edna) and so many others, the stereotypical Aborigine. Cockatoos, dunnies(outhouses), the VW van, the backyard tip (dump), the brand of beer (it's real), Rogers and Hammerstein films, kangaroos as Aboriginal spirits, kangaroos as dog meat (true, not good, but true), even the main character's dog ( a Blue Heeler, Australian Cattle Dog), and the reference to the beach. They have nailed this film. 10 stars!