THE COOLANGATTA GOLD
Australia, 1984, 112 minutes, Colour.
Joss Mc William, Colin Friels, Nick Tate, Josephine Byrnes, Robyn Nevin, Grant Kenny.
Directed by Igor Auzins.
The Coolangatta Gold is an enjoyable and exciting Australian film - that was unexpectedly unsuccessful at the box-office. Produced by Hoyts/Edgley, it was financed by the profits from The Man From Snowy River. It uses its Gold Coast locations well. It focuses on a triathlon, a competition for an Ironman title - and shows running, surfing, canoeing. The sports sequences were filmed at an actual competition designed for the film - parallel with the sport is a sub-plot with the martial arts and the success of a rock band (with an elaborate disco sequence).
Direction is by Igor Auzins (High Rolling, Water Under the Bridge, We of the Never Never). Photography is by Keith Wagstaff who worked on such films as The Man from Snowy- River. The musical score is by American Bill Conti (Rocky, The Karate Kid, Mass Appeal). There are several songs from Split Enz and Tim Finn.
Nick Tate gives an intense performance as the obsessed father. Colin Friels is quite effective as the older brother and Joss McWilliam? does his best in the role of the persecuted son. Robyn Nevin has a small role as their mother.
The film focuses on particular Australian themes - especially sport and competitiveness.
1. An enjoyable film? Sport, competition? Its style?
2. Panavision photography, the use of the Queensland locations, beaches, surf, homes, the plantation? Action sequences: martial arts, the disco sequence, the triathlon?
3. The rousing musical score? The insertion of the songs and the disco sequence? The importance of the musical background?
4. The focus on the Australian family and its ethos? The relationship between Joe and his wife? The long marriage, its brittleness? The communication between husband and wife? Communication breakdown? The family plantation, the home? Joe and his obsession about sport, his past? The disdain for Steve? The demands on each son? The wife and her response, her regard for each of her sons? Her demands for Steve?
5. The portrait of Joe: a man living his past, his defeat, his obsession? Keeping fit, competitiveness with his sons, continued comparisons? Running gruelling training? The strain on himself? Adam and his driving him, timing him, pressures? Work sequences, at home? Steve and neglect, disdain? Talking with his sons, his capacity for communication, cutting himself off? Building up the competition? Watching the two sons in the final competition? The ultimate confrontation? What was he left with?
6. Adam and the pressures from his father, training, his father's expectations and ideals, his losing? At home, working? His relationship with Steve? Affection, comparisons, understanding his brother? The dance and going off with the girlfriend? The clash, the bike, crash? His telling Steve how to win the competition? Participation in the competition, his final decision for Steve?
7. Steve and his relationship with Adam, the bond? With his mother? The clash with his father? His success in his own world: the martial arts and his grading, skill? His trainer? The encounter with the ballet, with Kerri? Attraction, meeting, sharing, the disco sequence, the clash with Adam, the affair? Her continued support? At work, the plantation, the gruelling training? The abuse from Joe? His decision about the triathlon, the help of Adam? The competitiveness, the achievement? The end and his decision and freedom?
8. Kerri and her ballet, teacher, the demands of the ballet, the disco sequence, relationship with Steve, supporting him? Her girlfriends?
9. Steve's band, the music, playing at the Roof Garden, success? Auditions? Possibilities and a future?
10. Grant Kenny playing himself as an Iron Man competitor? The target of Joe's hostility? The authentic atmosphere, locations and the ethos of the Gold-Coast? crowd, the competition? The events and the photography, editing and pace? Excitement? Achievement?
11. A popular film of the '80s? Australian themes: masculine and feminine themes, family, sport, competition, achievement?
