Bush Mechanics
David Batty and Francis Jupurrula Kelly | Australia 1998, 2001 | 4x 26 min
Aboriginal people always had the talent to come up with ingenious solutions to problems which could be fatal in the desert. This has not changed in modern day Australia. These four documentaries show how a group of Aboriginal men goes about resurrecting or fixing cars none of us would have thought could move another metre.
The following four episodes approach this ingenuity in a humorous way. The repairs are never the only focus but form stunning highlights in each episode.
Motorcar Ngutju (Good Motorcar)
The Bush Mechanics form a rock band and their first paying gig is a half-day's drive away - now they just have to get there. None of them owns a vehicle, so they resurrect a derelict car, load it up with band gear and hit the road. This episode follows the five Bush Mechanics as they bounce along rough bush tracks, occasionally encountering Jupurrula, the magic mechanic who helps them overcome their various car catastrophes with his bush ingenuity.
Payback
The Bush Mechanics travel to Alice Springs to collect their nephew from jail and wind up having their own brush with the law. Although their nephew Walter has done his time in jail, he still must be brought back to the community to face Aboriginal law or 'payback'. On their way home, the Bush Mechanics try to appease an eerie night-time spirit who visits Walter in his dreams. As they approach their destination, the police stop them and send half the gang back to jail for having unpaid warrants for shooting cattle.
The Chase
After an exhilarating win against the Yuendumu Magpies, four Mt Allen football players become stranded when the team bus leaves without them. To get back home, they 'borrow' the rival team coach's car. An hilarious high-octane car chase ensues as the Bush Mechanics are enlisted to catch the culprits. The episode concludes with a spectacular act of revenge when the abandoned car is found.
The Rainmakers
With the country in the grip of severe drought, the Bush Mechanics are summoned by the rainmaker Jungala to go to Broome in search of rainmaking pearl shells. In the old days, Jungala would have traded bush tobacco for the valuable shells, but this time it's an old Ford V8 he has painted with the Rain Dreaming. As Jungala sings them on their way to saltwater country, the Bush Mechanics are beset with dust storms, fires and unfamiliar landscapes.
For screenings visit www.abc.com.au or www.filmaust.com.au. (Descriptions taken from www.filmaust.com.au)
| Cast |
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release dates |
1998 - Australia, original documentary 2001 - Australia, TV series (4 episodes) | ||
| Video/DVD Release Date | 1999/2001 | ||
| Awards | 1999 AFI (Australian Film Institute) Awards: Winner Open Craft Award for Original Concept | ||
| Rating | PG - adult themes, nudity | ||
| Language level | mainly in Warlpiri with English subtitles; English parts difficult (slang) | ||
| Distributor | not available | ||
| Soundtrack | not available | ||
| Genre | Documentary/Comedy/Drama | ||
| Notes |
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| Find this movie | Indigenous film suppliers and distributors |