Buddies

Set in the sapphire fields of outback Australia, A great story of mate-ship, with a David & Goliath battle, "Trading Places" style, & heavy machinery.

I Love this film. I remember going to see the premier in Sydney as a child, 3 or 4 of the actors were in attendance, was a great night. Nobody new what to expect, but at the end of the film, I don't think there was a member of the audience that didn't love it!

It did screen on Australian TV once in the mid to L8 '80s, & I was lucky enough to have taped it to VHS. :)

I've enjoyed watching it many times in the years since, & it remains one of my many coveted irreplaceable VHS tapes. Hopefully someone like Force entertainment may someday release this Australian Gem to DVD.

I loved this film immensely, and even recorded it from TV way back in the 1980's ... but sadly lost the film on a trip back to Africa. I could kick myself many times over.

For me, the attraction of the film was two-fold; primarily for the adventure, fun and humour, but also for the factual elements surrounding the sometimes profitable art of fossicking.

I doubt very much that it would every be released again, but I live in hope that the BBC or one of the Movie Channels will show it again (though usually of course, this happens at some obscure hour of the morning!)

I too have seen this movie a couple of time and yes I agree with you all that it SHOULD be released or at least re-shown on TV. Then at least the ones of us who have been trying to find this movie (I have been trying to find it since I saw it on TV) on VHS or DVD. Could at least own our own copy of it. And not be bound by the narrow mindedness of the copyright owners and we could watch it till we wore out our VCR's or DVD players. Yes I agree that it could do a lot for our tourism industry if it was re-released. Just look at what Crocodile Dundee 1 and 2. Mad Max 1, 2 and 3, did for the tourism industry when they were released. Now those movies are classics and sort after by everyone who sees them on TV. Surely if we put enough pressure on the Australian Archives / Australian Film Industry we could get this movie back on TV. Letter writing to the cast, producers, and shows like Media Watch (channel 2 Australia), At the movies (SBS Australia) we can sway their thoughts.

Bring this movie out on DVD or at least re show it on TV. Tim

Boisterous and funny, Buddies is (yet another) widescreen spectacular of larrikin behaviour set in outback Australia. Looking like MAD MAX or Sunday TOO FAR AWAY and in mining territory, this is a blokey comedy with excellent leading pals (Colin Friels and Harold Hopkins). However, like most films released in 1983, it died the death of a brown dog at the box office. Nobody went to the cinemas in Australia in this period as the video boom took away all but the very biggest of releases. So many good films crashed and burned in 83/84. I have never seen it on video, or TVand a DVD release would be good looking for all the intended original reasons. On a big cinema screen it works well and looks great. It is dusty outback buffoonery and well made. If you have seen SIAM SUNSET or PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT you might get an idea of how well BUDDIES looks in cinemascope. Same territory and equally as enjoyable.

This film is an excellent Aussie comedy, loosely hung on the frame of an outback romance. I hadn't seen it for years, but it was (finally) released on DVD in June of 2009 so I raced out and got a copy. I'm pleased to say that viewing it again it is as good as I remember it. If you have a friend with a big screen, watch it on that, the scenery is to die for .

I am so glad that this film is finally available on DVD: http://www.umbrellaent.com.au/products/show/3/1188 Harold Hopkins and Colin Freils are great in this, a real showcase of Australia, anyone is bound to enjoy it. There are 3 clips available in the national archives here: http://aso.gov.au/titles/features/buddies/