The Adventures of Barry McKenzie

Fans will be delighted to learned that 'The Adventures of Barry McKenzie' is now available on DVD. I bought my copy at JB HiFi at the bargain price of $11. It is a PAL Region 4 disk. However, like the VHS version, the print quality is appalling. It must have been taken from a well-worn cinema release. It is dark, horrendously scratchy at the reel changes and has frames missing. The source must have been broken and repaired. Oh for a digitally remastered version of an unreleased print. Still, it's a heck of a lot better than nothing. One delightful small part is the first appearance on film of John Clarke. He is an effete ex-patriate Australian, wearing a tight paisley shirt and in a wig (or at least a hilarious comb-over), podgily overweight, and speaking in a pseud's accent. Delightful.

This film is probably one of the most grotesque I have ever had to watch. But it is also a masterpiece of writing and comic genius. Barry Crocker is brilliant as the naive Barry McKenzie, whilst Barry Humphries is superb as Edna Everidge.

There is also excellent support from the likes of Peter Cook, Dick Bentley, Dennis Price and William Rushton- actors and comedians who did what they did well.

An all-round classic: should be made compulsary viewing!

Yes, this is a movie, I would think, that only Australians can fully understand and probably only Australians that have been to England. But even Australians might not fully appreciate the depths of Humphrey's genius that is on display here. To make off with the idea that it is just a coarse movie about a drunken Australian virgin, albeit with some considerable charm, armed with a bookcase full of Australianisms to stick it up the Poms is to miss the gold that is really on offer. Look deeply enough and you can see what Barry Humphries was really thinking about Australia and England at the time, as well as a lot of other matters such as the entertainment industry, the police and Asian immigrants. It is very dated now, so people not born til the 80s will be struggling to understand the subtle references. Look past the obvious if you can. This is a rare gem, made for the few. Enjoy!

A hit at the time but now better categorised as an Australian cult film. The humour is broad, unsubtle and, in the final scene where a BBC studio fire is extinguished by urinating on it, crude. Contains just about every cliche about the traditional Australian pilgrimage to 'the old country', and every cliche about those rapacious, stuck up, whinging, Tory Brits. Would be acceptable to the British because of its strong cast of well known actors, and to Australians of that generation, who can 'get' the humour. Americans -- forget it. The language and jokes are in the Australian dialect of English and as such will be unintelligible.

I have fond memories of this gloriously non-PC comedy from my teenage years and while its power to shock has long since diminished, it's still an enjoyable fish out of water romp. As long as sexual and national stereotypes don't upset you! Some beautiful turns of phrase from the pen of Barry Humphries still bring a smile - "dry as a dead dingo's donger" is a particular favourite. Now streaming for UK viewers on Amazon Prime in a clean, if soft SD 1.166:1 transfer.