Turkey Shoot (film)
| Turkey Shoot | |
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| Directed by | Brian Trenchard-Smith |
| Produced by | William Fayman Antony I. Ginnane Executive producer: David Hemmings |
| Written by | Jon George Neill D. Hicks Story by: David Lawrence George Schenck Robert Williams |
| Starring | Steve Railsback Olivia Hussey Michael Craig Carmen Duncan |
| Music by | Brian May |
| Cinematography | John R. McLean |
| Editing by | Alan Lake |
| Release date(s) | 14 October 1982 (Australia) October 1983 (US) |
| Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Turkey Shoot is a 1982 Australian dystopian futurist exploitation film directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith notable for its extreme violence and sadistic prison sequences. The film features plot elements of The Most Dangerous Game, but rather than having human targets hunted for sport by a madman on his own island, The Establishment offers the opportunity to rich adventurers with legal immunity. The cast is a mix of international actors and Australian soap opera stars and television personalities. AskMen.com labeled it "Easily the cheapest and nastiest piece of mainstream celluloid ever stitched together by our [Australia's] mad cinematic scientists."
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[edit] Plot
In the totalitarian near future, 'social deviants' are sent to prison camps for re-education and behaviour modification. The new arrivals at Camp 47 are Chris Walters (Olivia Hussey), a shopkeeper accused of helping a rebel; Rita Daniels (Lynda Stoner), a suspected sex worker; and Paul Anders (Steve Railsback), a dissident who has escaped from several other camps. After suffering brutal treatment at the hands of Camp Master Charles Thatcher (Michael Craig) and his chief enforcer, Ritter (Roger Ward), the prisoners accept a deadly deal. They will be human prey in a 'turkey shoot' Thatcher has organised for Secretary Mallory (Noel Ferrier), and VIPs Jennifer (Carmen Duncan) and Tito (Michael Petrovich). If they can evade the heavily armed guests in the surrounding jungle until sundown, Chris, Rita and Paul will be set free. As the 'turkey shoot' progresses, the tables are turned and the prisoners become the hunters culminating in a free for all slaughter terminated by a government napalm airstrike.
[edit] Cast
- Steve Railsback as Paul Anders
- Olivia Hussey as Chris Walters
- Michael Craig as Charles Thatcher
- Carmen Duncan as Jennifer
- Noel Ferrier as Secretary Mallory
- Lynda Stoner as Rita Daniels
- Roger Ward as Chief Guard Ritter
- Michael Petrovitch as Tito
- Gus Mercurio as Red
- John Ley as Dodge
- Bill Young as Griff
- Steve Rackman as Alph
- John Godden as Andy
- Oriana Panozzo as Melinda
[edit] Production
Turkey Shoot was produced during the Australian film tax exemption scheme 10BA. Under 10BA film costs were subsidized by the Australian government, and directors tended to cast foreign leads in the hope of boosting success in Europe or the Americas.
[edit] Release
Turkey Shoot grossed $321,000 at the box office in Australia,[1] which is equivalent to $984,110 in 2009 dollars.
The film was released theatrically in the United States by New World Pictures as Escape 2000 in October 1983.[2]
The film was released in the UK under the opportunistic title Blood Camp Thatcher[3] referring to the cold camp commandant Charles Thatcher, rather than the then British Prime Minister.
The film was released on special edition DVD by Anchor Bay Entertainment.[4]
[edit] 2008 Melbourne International Film Festival
Turkey Shoot featured in a Focus on Ozploitation collection of 1970s and 1980s Australian exploitation films, including Barry McKenzie Holds His Own, Dead End Drive-In and Razorback. These over-the-top B grade films were characterized by lashings of gratuitous sex, violence and fuel-injected muscle car mayhem which pushed the boundaries of audience taste to new limits.[5]
[edit] See also
- Cinema of Australia
- Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation!, documentary that featured Turkey Shoot
[edit] References
- ^ Film Victoria - Australian Films at the Australian Box Office
- ^ "Company Credits for Escape 2000". imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082338/companycredits. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
- ^ "Release Information for Escape 2000". imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082338/releaseinfo. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
- ^ "Escape 2000". anchorbayentertainment.com. http://www.anchorbayentertainment.com/details.asp?projectId={55415204-530F-4427-BBAD-9C0800E596F5}. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
- ^ "2008 Melbourne International Film Festival". http://www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au/2008/focus_on_ozploitation.
[edit] External links
- Mayer, Geoff (1983). Cinema Papers. School of Communication, Arts and Critical Enquiry: La Trobe University. http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/08/48/turkey-shoot.html.
