''Initiation'' is a 1987 Australian
adventure
An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme spo ...
drama
Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
thriller film
Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...
directed by Michael Pearce based on his idea and starring
Bruno Lawrence and
Rodney Harvey.
[David Stratton, ''The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry'', Pan MacMillan, 1990 pp. 90–91]
Plot
After the death of his mother, teenager Danny Molloy leaves New York to find his father Nat, who lives on an isolated farm in South Australia with Sal and her teenage daughter Stevie. Because income from the farm isn't sufficient, Nat uses his aeroplane to smuggle marijuana for the mafia and on a flight with Danny the plane crashes among empty mountains. Since his father is wounded, Danny has to set off alone through the jungle to find help: this is his initiation to manhood.
Cast
*
Rodney Harvey as Danny Molloy
*
Bruno Lawrence as Nat Molloy
*
Miranda Otto
Miranda Otto (born 16 December 1967) is an Australian actress. She is the daughter of actors Barry Otto, Barry and Lindsay Otto and the paternal half-sister of actress Gracie Otto. Otto began her acting career in 1986 at age 18 and appeared in a ...
as Stevie
*
Arna-Maria Winchester
Arna-Maria Winchester was an Australian actress, appearing on film, TV and in the theatre.
Career
Winchester played the main role in the 1980 film '' The Chain Reaction'' and the 1983 TV series ''Kings''. Other featured screen roles include ...
as Sal
*Bobby Smith as Kulu
*
Tony Barry
Tony Barry (28 August 1941 – 21 December 2022) was an Australian actor and activist best known for his television and film roles.
Personal life
Barry was born in Ipswich, Queensland, on 28 August 1941. He had one son. Barry was an environmen ...
as Pat
*
Luciano Catenacci
Luciano Catenacci (13 April 1933 – 4 October 1990) was an Italian actor and Unit production manager, production manager who worked on mainly Italian produced films during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
Life and career
Born in Rome, Catenac ...
as Carlo
Production
The film was shot in Adelaide and the Blue Mountains. It was completed in January 1987.
Release
The film was pre-sold to US distributor Goldfarb for $850,000 but Goldfarb later backed out of this commitment claiming they did not have the money.
[GOLDFARB RENEGES ON PRE-SALE DEBT By MARK LAWSON ''Australian Financial Review'' 28 April 1988 p 36][TAX CONCESSIONS ARE GOOD, BUT FILMS CARRY RISK AS WELL by Anne Lampe ''Sydney Morning Herald'' 15 July 1987 p 26]
Accolades
Bobby Smith was nominated for
Best Supporting Actor at the 1987
AFI Awards.
References
External links
*
''Initiation''at Oz Movies
Australian adventure drama films
1980s English-language films
1980s Australian films
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