Scarfies (1999)

Five kiwi flatmates find something growing in their basement much to their delight, but when the rightful owner comes knocking and finds that they have appropriated the goods things start to go awry.

Director:

Robert Sarkies

Writers:

Duncan Sarkies (screenplay by), Robert Sarkies (screenplay by)

Stars:

Willa O'Neill, Neill Rea, Ashleigh Seagar

6 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Willa O'Neill	...	Emma
Neill Rea	...	Scott
Ashleigh Seagar	...	Nicola
Taika Waititi	...	Alex (as Taika Cohen)
Charlie Bleakley	...	Graham
Jon Brazier	...	Kevin
Mark Neilson	...	Gordy
Mark Dudfield	...	The Yams
Pat Soper
Dave Dudfield
Andrew Munro
David Kilgour	...	The Clean
Lanfranco Perini
Robert Yeats
Thomas Bell

Storyline

Five Otago University students ('Scarfies') decide to squat in an empty house. They discover a locked room that holds a hidden treasure - a large quantity of marijuana. What happens when the cash-strapped students decide to become amateur druglords for the week? And what exactly should they do about the owner of the crop?

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Plot Keywords:

student | university | dunedin | squat | drugs | 

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, violence, drug content and some sexuality

Details

Country:

New Zealand

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 August 1999 (New Zealand)

Also Known As:

Crime 101

Filming Locations:

Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand

Box Office

Budget:

NZD1,600,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nightmare Productions, New Zealand Film Commission, Portman Entertainment Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Willa O'Neill had a serious allergic reaction to the face paint used for the scene when they are going to the Auckland/Otago rugby match. She had to leave it on despite the burning, as there were no other options and the paint had to be re-applied the next few days leaving O'Neill with red bumps all over her face.

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Goofs

The National Provincial Championship final is portrayed as to only be a few weeks after the start of the school year. The University of Otago school year actually begins in late February, while the NPC finals are held in late October - 8 months later.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Scott: You come about the flat?
Emma: [yes]
Scott: I warn ya, this place is free for a reason. It's a shit hole. Still want to have a look?
Emma: Yes.
Scott: Okay. Guided tour... Hallway, dark, damp, rat-infested.
Emma: Nice.
[heads up the stairs]

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Connections

References Blue Heelers (1994)

User Reviews

Just well done

Having spent a few months in New Zealand, I had the chance to see Scarfies and it turned out to be a very good surprise. Many countries have bought the movie since so check it out, it could play soon at a theater near you. The characters, sharing a house in Dunedin, are what work best and succed where a film like "Shallow Grave" failed. Their development, going from pure comedy to dramatic/horrific moments doesn't come too artificially. The consequences of their discovery just make perfect sense in the way they act and in their relationships, but still manage to surprise you. And that's why you're stuck to your seat when one of the guys start to torture another one in the cave. Then the moments of fun you had half an hour before come back to memory and the movie takes another dimension: no, it's not just a farce. That's nice and neat on the surface, but pretty explosive inside. A last word to thank Mr Sarkies to have made a "non-teenage" teenage movie. He managed to avoid the trap of easy identifiyable characters as Hollywood does.