THE INTRUDERS
Australia, 1969, 100 minutes, Colour.
Ed Deveraux, Ken James, Tony Bonner, Gary Pankhurst, Jeanie Drynan.
Directed by Lee Robinson.
The Intruders is a pleasant family film, a spin-off from the popular television series, Skippy the Kangaroo. It was made before the renaissance of Australian films in the '70s. Featuring the regulars from the series - including the stars Ed Devereaux, Tony Bonner and Ken James, the film has attractive location photography of the south coast of New South Wales and typical enough TV power adventure plot. There is some violence which might be harmful for very young children, but the film is an engaging Australian adventure story of younger audiences. Skippy is the hero as well!
1. An entertaining family film, adventure? For the Australian audience, international audiences? For what age group?
2. The popularity of Skippy, of kangaroos, of a personalised kangaroo? The television series, its audience? The film as a spin-off? In later years seen separated from the series? Audience expectations?
3. The quality of Australian production prior to the cinema rebirth in the '705? Technical skills, colour, location photography, action sequences, special effects, underwater photography? The score? The song and its lyrics and its use?
4. An enjoyable and satisfying blend of an animal film, a children's film, an adventure, police drama?
5. The conservation background - the presentation of the national parks and their beauty, the lines of the screenplay about conservation, values? The environment and animals? The need for protection and supervision? The temptation always to exploitation?
6. The basic adventure ingredients of the plot - the abalone fishermen, the criminals and salvage, deception and violence, police chases, fights and clashes? The background of the police, the supervision of the national park, the people in the south coast towns of New South Wales and their way of life especially in the hotels? The atmosphere and local colour?
7. The personalities of Hammond, King, Mark? Their being presented in heroic style - their work.. values, abilities in tracking the criminals? The humorous aspects? The family background and the children? Heroes in action, tough heroes? Australian toughness!
8. The picture of the criminals, their plans for the salvage, their cover work? The network and the communications from the hotel?
9. The pace and excitement of the chases and the fights?
10. The situating of Skippy within this adventure? Skippy as hero - realism, fantasy?
11. A satisfying resolution? Audience identification with the heroes? An enjoyable fantasy adventure?
