Malcolm

Malcolm is one of several movies produced by David Parker & Nadia Tass. It won 8 A.F.I. (Australian Film Industry) awards when first produced.

Malcolm was one of my favourite movies while growing up, particularly because of my own love of tinkering and model railroads. It and Rikky & Pete are still two of my favourite movies, light heared Australian comedies that didn't shy away from anything, which is the depressing reality of more and more modern movies.

As it goes it actually has a few stars cast (local stars though not international) in it.

While somewhat simple (in the story this is blamed at least partially on his upbringing by his mother in what is an ethnic neighbourhood) Malcolm has a flair for invention which gets him fired from his job with the Melbourne tram company after he builds a working tram out of spare parts. After being laid off he is told he needs to get a boarder in to support himself financially. Enter Frank an ex-con still upto criminal activities who brings in his girlfriend Judith to live in the other room.

It is a good fun family movie which most if not all will enjoy, provided the Australian style of comedy and pacing don't get to you (this is typical of Tass & Parker who tend to put a very Australian feel to all the movies they produced together which means the pace is laid back, the language a touch vulgar, and the whole affair is a realistic depiction of human beings [the car that split in half was actually built it's not just a prop]).

I was very happy to find this awesome film on DVD for $10 yesterday. I hadn't seen it for ages but I knew that buying it would result in many happy viewings in the future. My first viewing reinforced my view that this film is just as terrific and engaging as I saw it when I was a young fella. The whole gadgetry was what I loved back then. Now I still love the gadgets but the whole story makes it a terrific viewing experience.

The three main performances from the film are all unreal. Colin Friels is so great as the awkward and brilliant Malcolm, John Hargraves is super as the dodgy but good hearted crim and Lindy Davies is wonderful as Judith. She is sexy and straightforward in a really honest way that is rarely captured in any film (kinda reminds me of Rachel Griffiths).

Big plaudits have to go to the writing/producing/directing team of David Parker and Nadia Tass. The info contained on the DVD explains to us that the Malcolm character was based on Tass's brother John who was, like Malcolm, socially inept but had formidable intelligence and talent. The final character is so likable. The fact that they put the whole thing together speaks very highly of them as a film-making team (another terrific film they did was "The Big Steal").

They did a great job on the special effects too. Low budget but iconic really. The car, tram, rubbish bins (!) are brilliant. The film's opening with the tram also highlights the very special score of the film. Watching Malcolm cruise around Melbourne in his homemade tram with the music in the background is a really lovely way to open the movie.

It's been years since there has been a funny, innovative, big-hearted Australian film like this (or The Big Steal). Hopefully someone out there can match it.

A friend lent me this video about 10 years ago and since that day ive always loved this film. Its not a big budget or all star cast yet it manages to bring warmth and humour that could have been so over done (ie Forrest Gump). Its a simple tale of a simple man with a love for trams. I wont spoil the plot but as above writers have put the car chase after the bank job is THE best ever. To top this off is a fantastic piece of music by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. A hugely original, inventive and above all else Funny film. Buy, rent or borrow and you will have a smile on your face and a happy disposition at the end.

Like an Aussie Frank Spencer, but much less manic and brilliantly inventive, naive and slow Malcolm is an only son of an overprotective mother, who has died.

Malcolm loses his job and it's suggested that he lets out a room in his mother's house that he's inherited. Helpful neighbours make out a list of questions that he may have for any prospective lodgers and before long, Frank, fresh out of prison (this being unknown, of course, to Malcolm) and soon Frank's girlfriend, Judith move in.

They're still practising "crims" and surprisingly, find Malcolm all too eager to assist them in their thieving. Malcolm, of course, doesn't see all this as anything more than fun and an excellent outlet for his technical inventions, that include remotely controlled litter bins, that act as innocuous roving cameras that move around an intended target building and relay video footage back. Malcolm also has friends now, probably for the first time in a very long while.

The rather whimsical inventions, now, look pretty dated and whilst they're impressively inventive - a getaway car that splits in half, as it's actually two motorbikes joined together, but looks like a car...this is all rather Disney-ish, except this features adults only and I reckon will appeal to an older generation more, who might appreciate their comedy more visual and innocent than the rather more crude and broad comedy cinema of today.

It's generally a likable little film and whilst one (in theory) might find Malcolm's character irritating, initially at least, one doesn't for long and at least, unlike the Farrelly brother films of excess, 'dumb' doesn't mean overplayed moronically stupid. Malcolm is a character that we might know and it is this element that warms us and carries both us and the film through its many frankly absurd plot-lines.

Twenty-six years ago, when this film was released, I'm sure its comedy and success with the public would have been high. Now, though, it seems to have a very small but devoted following that is otherwise consigned into the realms of the unknown import, that is expensive to buy, even if you can track it down. I watched it as part of the 12 DVD boxset 'Australian Cinema Collection', which is Region 0 (region-free).

This is an absolute gem - a really original, clever and funny film. Colin Friels and John Hargreaves are brilliant, the gadgets are hilarious, and the music (from the Penguin Café Orchestra) beautifully surreal. This film has without question the most unusual bank raid sequence on film. Enjoy!