The Last of the Knucklemen

source: The Last of the Knucklemen

The Last of the Knucklemen

I first saw this on VHS back in the early 90"s and I was lucky enough to buy a DVD copy a few years ago. Meet the rag tag bunch of Aussies outcast miners in a time long gone 70"s Australia. With an all Australian cast and some great one-liners combined with humour and drama. Highly recommended.

The Last of the Knucklemen isn't about anything and there's not much to like, but you can do worse. The film depicts Aussie's in such a bad light, the characterization and environment's almost like they're at war, haha. However the depiction in general isn't that far off. This guy called Panzy's such scum, he looks a lot like Mark Harvey. Can only assume he's cheating in the poker, being the dealer and winning all time. I mean having a straight flush vs quad kings has to be a setup, not mentioned by anyone though. What's with the music also... Not to be negative, but the film's garnering a bit too much respect here than it really deserves.

This is one of those classic Aussie movies which stands the test of time. Although possessing a somewhat flimsy story line the film's strength lies in its variety of characters, wonderfully portrayed by some of Australia's best acting talent. Gerard Kennedy is, as always, simply great in the role of Tarzan. This bloke is really a class actor and he is well supported here by the broodingly secretive Peter Hehir. Typically strong performances from Steve Bisley, Dennis Miller and Mike Preston are also a feature. And who can forget Denise Drysdale's performance as the * with a heart of gold? The Aussie trait of supporting the underdog is demonstrated in the film's ending. This is one of my all-time Aussie favourites.

Yeah, I thought it was great. I have worked in a number of isolated places where there is not much to do but drink and I thought it was a pretty accurate depiction of the personalities that make up groups like this. I was in East Timor in 2000 which seemed to lure odd characters from outback Australia and other places... Interesting times. I recall Tarz and Pansy promoting the film in Melbourne. They were standing in the middle of the mall with huge polystyrene fists which made the news. I don't think it did very well. Many Australians seem to have the idea that Australian movies are second rate and it's not until the movies or actors do well overseas that are accepted. Nicol Kidman and Hugh Jackman weren't stars in Australia until they made it in Hollywood.

This is a fantastic film, I'm surprised as an Australian that I'd never heard of it until I stumbled across it on the net. A nice combination of comedy and pathos. The plot is nothing groundbreaking, but it's the characters that make this one. They're lovable and believable and they've got some solid dialogue to work with here. This is a tale of tough men in a tough environment, what unites them, what divides them, and what matters to them. Don't really have much else to say other than check this out. I felt obliged to write a review for this because it's only got three, and this deserves more attention.