Centrespread

Agreed, the acting in this film is truly awful. But there's enough nudity and some lovely images (I particularly enjoyed the early scene where there is paint smeared over naked bodies during a weird photo shoot) to hold the interest. And, as a former resident of Adelaide, I was pleased to see a film which used the famous Maslin Beach (first legal nude beach in Aus) as a location.

The tone is surreal throughout, and the awful acting and weak story seem only to add to that effect. Worth a look, especially if you can lay your hands on the video version which includes a "the making of" special, which includes some extra nude scenes.

If this review were rating Centrespread on softcore nudity alone, it would be a 10/10 all the way. We have many gorgeous Australian girl shedding their togs for the camera, and besides a bit of unwelcome male flesh much later on, it's a barbecue of babes all the way! Yee-ha!

Alas, in terms of being an actually watchable motion picture, it's shortcomings are much more apparent, Whilst watching models rub their breasts whilst covered in body paint or engaging in faux-lesbian scenes together might be diverting for a while, the surrounding story... something about a photographer trying to find the 'next big discovery' or risk losing his job is so tedious, it would be better if it didn't exist at all.

Eventually, even the T&A becomes repetitive regardless of how many different setting and backdrops they decide to throw at us, and the end result is a pretty worthless thing who's only redeeming features you can find freely on the Internet today anyway.

P.S What exactly was the point in setting it in the future? Who knows? Who cares. 2/10

When I was younger I read a book about the history of cinematic Sci-Fi by the late John Brosnan. He spent some time discerning between "classical sci-fi" which deals with the implications of future technology or circumstances (such as 2001, Mad Max II or Bladerunner); "space opera" fare (which are "universal myth"-type films adapted to a sci-fi setting; Star Wars is the obvious example); and finally - films/story lines which could just as easily be set in the current day and have nothing to do at all with sci-fi beyond using its trappings as a marketing hook (Outland might be an example). Naturally an aficionado of sci-fi like Brosnan was contemptuous of the last category.

Some time later I saw Centrespread on late-night TV and I immediately thought "Wow! This is exactly what he was talking about in his book!" The premise of the plot as I understand it (from memory; this was about 1994) is that in the dystopian future, the powers-that-be published a porn mag to keep the rebellious masses docile; the protagonist is a photographer working for that publication. Beyond the costumes, sets and occasional references to the "badlands of Sector G", it's a soap opera about the photographer, his model and his boss. Other than that, it looks and sounds like it's set in late-'70s Adelaide and the surrounding environs like Maslin Beach (conveniently clothing-optional for the location shots); which as a native of the locale is fascinating to me. The only thing dystopian about it is the grim and shocking vision of cameras that were apparently going to get encumberingly larger rather than smart-phone sized. We dodged a bullet there, kids!

The stilted acting, uninspired dialogue and crummy effects are naturally awesome, but I'll second everybody else and suggest that it could have used more nudity. I'll also assume that the budget could have stretched further if they'd just set it in the Adelaide of the day rather than the vaguely Mad Max-ian future - the story wouldn't have suffered.

One of those fascinating films which purport to say something about the future they're set in but end up saying more about the past they were produced in. I'd watch it again - hopefully next time accompanied.

A must see Australian film. This film has been a landmark for all other Australian (and otherwise) films to follow. Films written by, starring, or directed by Australian greats derive from this title. Note that films such as Gladiator and the Truman Show (both having Australian connections) have direct references to and draw artistic talents from this film. .. AL

Big strapping Sheilas cavort on sun-kissed beaches (and that's not all that get's kissed) in bright red lipstick & nails, body paint and little else in this garrulous Aussie exercise in Orwellian soft porn, eighties style (a scary prospect!) in which even the waitress in the local cafe looks as if she's auditioning for Derek Jarman. It's all played very straight and hard to figure out whether any of it's actually intended to be taken seriously or not; but you keep watching.