32 Australian Films Trivia Questions & Answers

Answer: Lawn Bowls

Released in 2002, 'Crackerjack' stars Mick Molloy as Jack Simpson who has joined the local lawn bowling club three times so he can get free parking which he rents out to his workmates to make some extra cash. When the bowling club is in danger of financial collapse the club president insists all members need to play and Jack reluctantly becomes involved. Of course against all odds they win the big tournament and the club is saved.

Answer: The Castle

The movie is superbly acted by a great cast and based upon the Kerrigans' family home being compulsorily purchased by the Government for the expansion of Melbourne's international airport, Tullamarine. The Kerrigan family take the matter to court, where the argument by lawyer, Dennis Denuto, that it goes against the vibe of the Constitution fails. Ex Queen's Counsel, Lawrence Hammill, happened to be in court to watch his son's first performance as a barrister. Hammill offers to take their case to the High Court of Australia, where he argues that it is not just a house but a castle full of memories and shared love. The case is won and the Kerrigans and Hammill become life long friends.

Answer: Babe

"Babe" (2002) - A cute little pig named Babe is adopted by a sheepdog who had to watch all of her puppies get sold. Babe then learns how to herd sheep at an award winning level.
This film is so cute. It was a huge success, not only in Australia but all over the world.
Of the others, only "Shine" is Australian, and it's about a pianist who failed due to mental illness and gained fame later in life. As far as I know, there aren't any pigs in it.

Answer: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' was released in 1994 and was seen as somewhat ground breaking in its positive treatment of LGBTI issues. The Priscilla of the title is the bus that takes them from Sydney, through the Australian outback, to Alice Springs. The contrast between our drag queens and some of the people they meet creates some of the best and most thought provoking scenes of the movie. Whilst this may sound a little serious it is a comedy! 'Road Games' and 'Last Cab to Darwin' are also Australian made movies in the road trip genre. And 'Tales of the Fabulous Fairy Hill Girls' is not an actual movie but Fairy Hills is a town in New South Wales, Australia.

Answer: Kenny

The central character Kenny Smyth delivers porta-loos to festivals, fetes and events. Kenny is totally ignored and unappreciated because of his job but it is an important one. Kenny and his Splashdown crew work tirelessly to ensure clean and usable facilities at all their events. The movie also shows Kenny going to the highlight of all waste plumbers, the International Pumper and Cleaner Expo in Nashville, Tennessee. This is a funny movie that covers a subject not many have tried to cover - the raising of family and the balance of relationships, romance and friendship.

Answer: The Castle

"The Castle" (1997) - The story of Darryl Kerrigan, the everyday family man who takes on a major airport in order to stop his house from being demolished. He says the lines on multiple occasions throughout the film. Darryls son-in-law, Con, is played by "Troy" star Eric Bana.
I absolutely adore this film. It's sweet, it's hilarious, and it's about the battle of the underdog. Worth noting is the fact that this film needed to be dubbed over for its international release.

Answer: A radio telescope

The Dish of this movie is the radio telescope at Parkes in country New South Wales which was a critical part of broadcasting the first moon landing. Again, another classic Australian comedy. Who knew astrophysics could be funny. Well it is if it looks like the Dish won't be in the right position in time for the broadcast of the moon landing. The cricket game in "The Dish" is a classic moment.

Answer: Billy Connolly

The basis of the movie is that a lawyer (Steve Myers) who no longer can put up with the corruption within the system takes a sea change. Myers becomes a fisherman but when his boat is struck by lightning and is destroyed he claims compensation from his insurance company. The insurance company refuse to compensate stating that it was an "Act of God". Myers takes the Church, Church leaders and the insurance company to Court on the basis that if it was an Act of God they were liable, and if was not an Act of God, then they could not rely on that clause in their policy.

Billy Connolly is a well known Scottish Comedian, though he started his career in the arts in music. Connolly also has an antipodean connection being married to Pamela Stephenson.

Answer: Mel Gibson

This movie made Mel Gibson a star in Australia and introduced him to the rest of the world. The movie only made $8 million in the US but $100 million worldwide. It was independently funded for an alleged A$400,000, and for 20 years, the movie held a record in "The Guinness Book of Records" as the highest profit-to-cost ratio of a motion picture, finally being overtaken by "The Blair Witch Project" in 1999. The movie was awarded three Australian Film Institute Awards in 1979.
Contributed by 1nn1 who in 1979 drove like Mad Max but was never under any delusion that he looked like Mel Gibson.

Answer: Muriel's Wedding

Muriel Heslop dreams of the perfect marriage and moving away from her dysfunctional family in Porpoise Spit. Unfortunately Muriel's own social skills are somewhat lacking and this seems an impossible dream. She does eventually get the 'dream' wedding with the 'perfect man' but it is actually an arranged marriage to secure Australian citizenship for a South African swimmer. The marriage lasts barely longer than the wedding ceremony. And yes this is a comedy but in the best tradition of comedy it shines the spotlight on some socially questionable behaviours.

Answer: Muriel's Wedding

Muriel is a socially incompetent and awkward girl who is obsessed with ABBA music, which the movie uses in its soundtrack. The movie goes through a wide ambit of lies, dishonesty, abuse combined with not fitting in, a small town environment, disease and in the end friendship. The film features a funny delivery of some very serious social issues.

Answer: Gallipoli

Directed by Peter Weir, 'Gallipoli' told the story of the ill-fated ANZAC campaign through the experiences of two main characters: Archy Hamilton (Lee) and Frank Dunne (Gibson). Enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force after meeting in a foot race competition, the men are eventually sent to Turkey. Frank is a message runner and has to dodge bullets in 'Sniper Alley' while Archy is in the infantry. The film concludes with the suicidal attack on 'The Nek' where the soldiers - including Major Barton (Bill Kerr) - are mown down by machine guns. An anguished Frank arrives seconds too late to stop the attack after a belated decision to change plans by the English command.
The film won eight Australian Film Industry awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography but had limited success overseas.

Question by MikeMaster99, who unashamedly admits to shedding a few tears at the film ending.

Answer: Chopper

"Chopper" (2000) - The biographical story of Mark "Chopper" Read, one of Australia's most notorious criminals. The film tells the story of his crimes, from his attempt to kidnap a judge, to the publishing of his book.
This film is still considered to be Eric Bana's best performance. It's intriguing, funny, disturbing, and ultimately very impressive. It's because of this film that Bana was asked to do "Black Hawk Down".

Answer: Satine

Satine is the ill-fated star and courtesan of the night club of the movie's title. This visually stunning movie was directed by Baz Luhrmann and was released in 2001. Richard Roxburgh gives a wonderful performance as the not very likeable Duke of Monroth who pursues Satine. Ewan McGregor plays her somewhat fickle love interest, Christian, who struggles to reconcile his love for her and the life she leads. Sadly Satine dies of consumption towards the end of the movie.

Answer: The Dish

"The Dish" is a comedy take on the role of Parkes Observatory in New South Wales, Australia during the Apollo program. The role of the observatory as well as Honeysuckle Creek, near Canberra, was to receive signals and footage in the Southern Hemisphere of the 1969 moon landing.

As the landing became nearer it was apparent that NASA had to utilise Parkes in a major role due to it being the only station that was able to receive the footage of the first landing on the moon.

"The Dish" is based on a true story but it has been twisted to look at the Australian and American cultural difference. The high activity of the control room coupled with the visiting Americans gives rise to some very funny scenes.

Answer: Eric Bana

Eric started out as a comedian, well known for his impersonations and in 1997 won a Logie (Australia's version of the Emmys) for the Most Popular Comedy Personality.
"The Castle" was a huge success in Australia, in part because its humour was directed as Australians' self image of their place in modern Australian society. Themes such as land rights, Tasmanian Dam, Australian rights protected by the Constitution, were interspersed with self-deprecating humour. One of the reasons this success was not repeated in the overseas market was some of the distinctly Australian themes were changed to more generic language (Rissole became Meatloaf, Camira became Corolla).
Contributed by Chogobad. This is my first question/quiz submission.

Answer: Proof

"Proof" (1991) - This film stars Hugo Weaving ("Lord of the Rings", "The Matrix") and Russell Crowe ("Gladiator", "A Beautiful Mind"). My favourite part of this film is when Hugo Weaving (who plays Martin, the blind man) tries to drive a car and has an accident.

Doctor: "You've been blind all your life."
Martin: "I know"
Doctor: "What were you doing driving a car?"
Martin: "I forgot."

Answer: The Castle

Every man's home is their castle no matter how unprepossessing or badly located at the end of an airport runway it is. The Kerrigan family love their home but are ill prepared to fight the big end of town to keep it. Luckily a chance meeting with a retired barrister changes the odds and the Kerrigan clan get to keep their home. This 1997 movie was filmed in 11 days and on a budget of just A$750,000.

Answer: Death in Brunswick

"Death in Brunswick" is about a nightclub / restaurant in Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. The chef, Carl, falls for the waitress, Sophie, from a Greek family dominated restaurant. A co-worker, Mustafa, is a drug dealer and is beaten up by the Greek family, and he believes Carl is behind it. A fight happens where Mustafa is accidentally killed. Carl asks for assistance from a grave digger friend, Dave, and then the black comedy begins when they try and hide the body in the cemetery. This film is not everyone's idea of comedy but it really tickled my funny bone.

Answer: Gallipoli

"Gallipoli" (1981) - Starring a young Mel Gibson, this film illustrates the terror that was found in Gallipoli and the "lambs to the slaughter" fighting tactics that caused so many Australians to die there.
I first saw this film at school, which was really annoying because the ending is tragic and I nearly cried.

Answer: Kate Winslet

'The Dressmaker' is a movie in the revenge genre in which Winslet's character Myrtle 'Tilly' Dunnage returns, as a successful dressmaker, to her small country home town some 25 years after she was forced to leave. Dressed in classic 1950s couture, Kate is stunning and bewitches the town with her style and skill as she uncovers the events that led to her banishment all those years ago.

Answer: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

"The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" (1994) is about two drag queens and a transsexual who are driving a bus (Priscilla) to Alice Springs (a town in the middle of the Australian outback) to perform in a cabaret show.

Answer: The Sapphires

Whilst opals are very much an Australian gem, the name that the group went by was The Sapphires. A few members of the group were initially spotted at a country music singing concert by an Irish promoter looking for entertainers to send to entertain the troops in Vietnam. With the addition of another relative, who was a member of the stolen generation (i.e. forcibly removed from her family) they become The Sapphires and entertain the troops in Vietnam against a backdrop of war and race.

Answer: Car parking

"Crackerjack" is centered around Cityside Lawn Bowls Club, which Jack Simpson joins to gain a parking lot in a busy inner city suburb close to his work. Jack then joins twice more and sells off the parking lots to his co-workers. After Jack loses his job the club becomes an important part of his life and he turns from being a wise cracking layabout to a committed member. This is a great feel-good movie, with well acted parts and great characters.

Answer: Heath Ledger

"Two Hands" is the Australian version of a gangster film. It tells the story of Jimmy (Ledger) who accidentally loses a large sum of money that he was delivering to his boss, and his attempts to get it back. This is an absolutely brilliant film!