RUNNING ON EMPTY

Australia, 1983, 83 minutes, Colour.
Terry Serio, Deborah Conway, Max Cullen, Richard Moir, Chris Haywood, Penne Hackforth-Jones?.
Directed by John Clark.

Running on Empty is one of the many films of 1981-82 that took advantage of Australian government tax incentives for producing films quickly. It is in the vein of the American road movie, the popular feature for young audiences at drive-ins. It is certainly very well made technically and has excellent special effects and stunt work. The plot and screenplay are a mixture of exploitive material, material aimed directly at the youth market (dashes of sex scenes, violence, language and adolescent confrontations) and some reflective material on current issues. The screenplay also has a nostalgia about cars (perhaps they'll become obsolete in the near future). Max Cullen very effectively portrays a character who is a remnant of the James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause, days of the mid-'50s. He is an image of what the hero of this film might be like in decades to come. With these strands the film does have something to say as well as something to show.

Terry Serio and Deborah Conway have strong screen personality which enhances the impact of the film. A number of prominent Australian actors and actresses are in the cast, especially Max Cullen and Anne Semmler. Richard Moir, quite in contrast to his roles in such films as Heatwave, is a particularly obnoxious villain. While the film was sponsored by the Western Australian Film Corporation, with some location photography in the west, the setting is Sydney.

1. An entertaining film? The audience aimed at: age, local audience, overseas?

2. Production values: use of 5Testern Australian locations, Sydney? The atmosphere of the contemporary Australian city, countryside? An authentic atmosphere for the people, the events? Panavision, colour? The focus on cars, machinery, technology? Special effects and stunts? The atmospheric musical score? The title song and its lyrics - significance?

3. The title and the reference to cars? The challenge of cars, danger, youth, competitiveness, life and death?

4. The title and themes: the love of cars, machinery, knowledge of engines, the make of cars, their power? Racing and speed? Youth doing something with their lives to drive cars, exercise control, and a possibility of freedom? The focus on experience for the driver? The self-preoccupation and disregard of others? The possibility of heroics in driving? Admiration? Competitiveness, bets, defying even to death? The film's use of the symbolism of the car: contemporary technology, the vehicle of the modern age, power, speed, the feel of driving the car? The car as an extension of its driver? The writings on the car as masculine symbol for aggression, drive, personality, sexuality? Did the film use this symbolism much?

5. The opening and the initial race, its atmosphere, the youth cheering their heroes on, the speed of the race, the roads, the dangers, accidents? The hostility of the drivers? The competitive atmosphere and desperation? The accident? Death? The onlookers, the running from the accident, the police? Fox and his winning, his callous attitude towards the dead opponent, his pride in winning? The recapitulation of this opening at the end with the clash with Mike? Fox driving to his death? The comments made about not wanting to come second - even preferring death?

6. The initial focus on Fox: an exaggerated villain? Realistic? The stereotypes of his character? The callous attitudes, leadership. his presence at the special bar. his entourage. the deaf henchman, his dominance in the group, wanting to be top, pursuing mike and Julie in the countryside, his relationship with Julie, the callous attitude towards Mike and the cutting of his jeans and standing on him? The challenge to race? The initial win? The clash and Fox's pride being hurt? His being unsatisfied? The bashing of Tony? The build-up to the final challenge? Fox pressurised by the corrupt police? Fox's losing the race, staring at Mike, driving intensely at him, killing himself? The symbolising of the death wish of the intense driver?

7. The contrast with Mike as hero? The ordinary young Australian man? His involvement with cars, at work, knowledge of machinery, skill with machines? His attachment to Julie? The magazine in the store? His watching the lifesavers and the photography? His bond with Tony ~ friendship, working with him? Belonging to the group around the bar? The interlude with his father and the ineffectiveness of his father? His seeming to have his feet on the ground more than his father? The lack of ties, employment? The ability to race and go to the bush? His pursuit of Julie? Discussions? The sexual relationship? The love for her - and the ironic comment about asking of she still respected him (reversal of sex roles and language in the contemporary world?) - the continued rivalry with Fox? The going to the country to make money to race? The initial race with Fox and the crashing into the semi-trailer?

8. Mike and his skill with cars, love of the road, the drive to Wollongong and his being bashed by Fox's car? The challenge and his races in the countryside, being hemmed in by the hostile vehicles, the car in flames, the escape, the going into the river? The encounter with Rev - meeting him, the driving in the dark at night, his garage? His becoming friends with Rev? Julie and Tony at home with Rev and his wife? The talking. the memories of the 150s? The days of 'chicken' races and daredevil driving - with disastrous results for life. blindness? The working with Rev to reconstruct the car? The idyllic time in the country? The return to confront Fox? The build-up to the first race, the crash into the serni-trailer? Mike in hospital. the tension with Tony and his being bashed, the tension with Julie and her going out, his hurting her and bruising her? His decision to plead with Rev for his car? His being seen as Revs surrogate son? The return to the race? His beating Fox? His standing defiantly on the road, Fox's driving at him, his response to Fox's death? The final image of his looking from the screen?

9. Julie as ordinary heroine? Her background, family? Her involvement with the group at the bar, with Fox? The drive with Mike and her being taken by Fox and running away? The invitation to mike for relationship, sexual liaison? Her accompanying Tony and Mike to the country, sharing their experiences, the dangers, enjoying the time with Rev and his wife? Her going out when Mike was convalescing? Their clash and his hurting her? The reconciliation and her saying 'We did it" about the bruises? The ending?

10. Tony and his background, ethnic themes, prejudices of Fox's group? His skill with his work, close friendship with Tony, sharing the experience of the races and building the car with Rev? His visit to the hospital and his jealousy of Julie? His being bashed? His contribution at the end? The theme of the bonds of Australian mateship and masculine friendship?

11. The character of Rev: his manner, American style language, dress? Driving and the discovery that he was blind? His knowledge of cars', his driving on the strip in the bush. continuing the risks of the past? A relic of the old days, the value of his memories? His love for his wife and her sharing things? His skill with cars. using his ears? The friendship with the group? The rapport with Mike? The reconstruction of the car? Mike's return and pleading for the use of his car? His hesitation, Mike as his son? Mike winning on his behalf? The parallel between the older Rev and the younger Mike?

12. The various types in the groups - Vic and his friendship and building his car in style? Fox’s entourage - the big deaf man, his brutality, his being put in the toilet by the police? The various friends who checked on the radio? The staged chase through the lumberyard to divert the police? The atmosphere of the bar? Cars, belonging to peer group? Attitudes? How accurate this picture of a sub-culture in the cities?

13. The picture of the police - initially comic, madcap chases, exaggerated attitudes? Their becoming sinister with the pressure on Fox and their exercise of violence in the club? Their sharing Fox's failure?

14. incidental characters - the comment made in portraying Mike's father, the races in the countryside and their brutality, the lifesavers and the photographer?

15. A blend of action, cars, mirroring of the times, sensation and exploitation, themes of youth?