As Australians we like to take pride in even our most meagre achievements. The fact that we are such a tiny population makes many of our greatest legacies something to be truly proud of. Whether music, sports, art, literature or dance there are many fine examples of individuals making us proud and showing the world what this land can produce. Unfortunately our pride soon turns to embarrassment when we mention the words “Australian film industry”.
Maybe it’s part of trying to find a national identity and telling stories that mirror this that has created such a confused and inconsistent filmic legacy. This year has restored the faith of many with the release of Beautiful Kate and Blessed, but they are truly the exception.
Many have criticised the current state of Australian cinema but I like to believe that the occasional classic we produce is evidence that amongst the horrible comedies and poorly scripted dramas there’s real talent to be found, before it goes overseas anyway.
We have looked back at those films that have made us ashamed to be Australian and questioned the use of our tax dollars. We present our top ten worst Australian films for your approval, if there are any that you believe deserve to be included please feel free to comment.
10. Danny Deckchair (2003)
It’s like Disney’s UP only a million times worse.
9. Meat Pie (2005)
Did we really need an Aussie version of American Pie? (NSFW)
8. Mr Accident (2000)
What the hell Yahoo Serious, what the hell!
7. The Craic (1999)
Jimeoin can be funny, his attempts at acting unfortunately were not. Remember the good times…
6. Take Away (2003)
Embarrassingly bad for all involved.
5. Razorback (1984)
The plot description reads “Killer pig terrorises Australian outback”, enough said.
4. You and Your Stupid Mate (2005)
You know you’re in trouble when the “international star” is Rachel Hunter.
3. The Wannabes (2003)
We have just given Nick Giannopoulos money to make another Wog Boy, this man must be stopped.
'The Wannabes' movie trailer
2. Houseboat horror (1989)
Legendary for all the wrong reasons. Enjoy, you’ll bar up!
1. Australia (2008)
Sure it’s not the worst film ever made but between the hype, the reported $150 million budget, Nicole’s expressionless face and the fact that we forked out $25 million to help fund this turkey, this represents a dark and overblown chapter of Aussie film history. Surely that money could have gone to something better.