Young miners Mike and Johnny (Colin Friels and Harold Hopkins) work in the gem fields of central Queensland around Emerald. Conflict arises when their pick-and-shovel operation is threatened... Read allYoung miners Mike and Johnny (Colin Friels and Harold Hopkins) work in the gem fields of central Queensland around Emerald. Conflict arises when their pick-and-shovel operation is threatened by a large scale bulldozer operator.Young miners Mike and Johnny (Colin Friels and Harold Hopkins) work in the gem fields of central Queensland around Emerald. Conflict arises when their pick-and-shovel operation is threatened by a large scale bulldozer operator.
- Awards
- 1 win & 4 nominations total
Hermino De Guzman
- Thai Buyer
- (as Hermie de Guzman)
Michael J. Anderson
- Thai Buyer
- (as Michael Anderson)
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- Writer
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I am surprised and very disappointed to find out from the remarks of previous IMDb reviewers, particularly my fellow Australians, that they cannot obtain a commercially published copy of this movie.
Well I have one and for good reason, because I played a minor role in the making of this film and was given a copy by my late Uncle, Jack McCafferty, whose bus company which I worked for at the time, was featured in several cameo shots. My Uncle was overseas at the time and, left in charge as a Company Executive, was approached by the Producer on a tightly fixed budget,for a deal where we would provide free transport of equipment and personnel to the filming sites at Emerald and Rubyvale where we ran regular bus services. In exchange we would get a small featured role in the film as set off advertising. My Uncle who I contacted approved the deal and we went ahead. Anyway, apart from all this, and the business association involved, it is really a great film of two "Buddies", played superbly by Colin Friels (Mike) and Harold Hopkins (Johnny), (ex my home town Toowoomba), just trying to make a living and seeking to strike it rich, fossicking for gemstones in their humble outback habitats of central Queensland.
Despite the intervention of their nemesis Andy a menacing identity, who tries to dominate the local scene and cook the market on the real worth of sapphires he is outwitted by the two buddies in the end.
Joined by a host of other great supporting cast members like Kris Mc Quade, Bruce Spence as co-fossickers, and city slicker tourist caravan folk from down South, - George, Merle, Jennifer and Pete they combine to make this a great adventurous movie.
Simon Chilvers as the personable dapper chappy aircraft salesman, and great aerobatic stunts by Barry Hempel, who I knew personally, and died only recently in a light plane crash off the Queensland Coast, gives extra blood pumping spirit to this great Aussie classic.
The final clashing scene between Mike and Andy on their respective big mechanical earthmoving machines brings this film to a great conclusion.
See it for yourself and decide - if you can get a copy.
P.S. I was invited to attend the premiere of this film, which screened in Rockhampton in 1983, and met all the cast, including late local Mayor Rex Pilbeam who played the part of the chap riding his horse into the bar of the hotel in the latter part of the movie. The film did make viewing on Channel 10 several years ago courtesy of movie host Bill Collins, and I was fortunate to dub a second copy.I have not seen it since.
Well I have one and for good reason, because I played a minor role in the making of this film and was given a copy by my late Uncle, Jack McCafferty, whose bus company which I worked for at the time, was featured in several cameo shots. My Uncle was overseas at the time and, left in charge as a Company Executive, was approached by the Producer on a tightly fixed budget,for a deal where we would provide free transport of equipment and personnel to the filming sites at Emerald and Rubyvale where we ran regular bus services. In exchange we would get a small featured role in the film as set off advertising. My Uncle who I contacted approved the deal and we went ahead. Anyway, apart from all this, and the business association involved, it is really a great film of two "Buddies", played superbly by Colin Friels (Mike) and Harold Hopkins (Johnny), (ex my home town Toowoomba), just trying to make a living and seeking to strike it rich, fossicking for gemstones in their humble outback habitats of central Queensland.
Despite the intervention of their nemesis Andy a menacing identity, who tries to dominate the local scene and cook the market on the real worth of sapphires he is outwitted by the two buddies in the end.
Joined by a host of other great supporting cast members like Kris Mc Quade, Bruce Spence as co-fossickers, and city slicker tourist caravan folk from down South, - George, Merle, Jennifer and Pete they combine to make this a great adventurous movie.
Simon Chilvers as the personable dapper chappy aircraft salesman, and great aerobatic stunts by Barry Hempel, who I knew personally, and died only recently in a light plane crash off the Queensland Coast, gives extra blood pumping spirit to this great Aussie classic.
The final clashing scene between Mike and Andy on their respective big mechanical earthmoving machines brings this film to a great conclusion.
See it for yourself and decide - if you can get a copy.
P.S. I was invited to attend the premiere of this film, which screened in Rockhampton in 1983, and met all the cast, including late local Mayor Rex Pilbeam who played the part of the chap riding his horse into the bar of the hotel in the latter part of the movie. The film did make viewing on Channel 10 several years ago courtesy of movie host Bill Collins, and I was fortunate to dub a second copy.I have not seen it since.
10stevo19
This film has been a favorite of mine for over 20 years. I have been to the area this film was made in many times and fossicked for sapphire's, getting a few nice gems. I have tried relentlessly to get a copy of this on DVD or VHS. The national archives for Australian Film in Canberra have told me that the original owner of the rights to this film had not originally released it for sale on these formats. This person has since passed on , and now his family who retain the rights have declined to allow reproduction of this truly Aussie Icon Film. I believe that their doing this is a complete insult to us all, by denying us the opportunity to see this film again. Something should be done about this, as it is a must see film, not to mention the good it could have done for our tourism industry.
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
Bring this movie out on DVD or at least re show it on TV. Tim
I too have seen the movie many years ago and my husband has actually said that it was a great inspiration to him and has created the man he is today. I have been searching for a copy for many years as well and have been severely disappointed that the archives won't copy the one that they have and sell copies of it. Wouldn't you think that if you were part of a movie and people were specifically asking for that movie to re-released then something could be done.There were other movies of equal Australian bloke etiquette value like The Odd Angry Shot and The Last of The Knucklemen and it's a shame that one of the mighty lot is missing.
If anyone does get a copy I'd like one too so please contact me.
If anyone does get a copy I'd like one too so please contact me.
I, too, have been looking for it for my father and my tracking has lead me to discover that an American company now owns the rights to Buddies and it is up to them if they re-release it or not. Try contacting the Australian Film Archives and see what details they can give you. The other way is to track down the director, producer and the company that originally released it, JD Productions. The Australian Archives is a good source as well. I am writing to the production company and hopefully get some answers. When I get the answers I will get back and let you know.
Phoenix
Phoenix
Did you know
- TriviaThis film has been said to be a follow up to Sunday Too Far Away (1975). John Dingwall is the writer of both films and both movies deal with male mateship within industry in the Australian outback: sheep shearing in Sunday Too Far Away (1975) and sapphire mining in Buddies (1983).
- ConnectionsFeatured in Buddies: A Gem of a Time (2009)
- SoundtracksBuddies
Written and performed by John Williamson
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- Buddies - Zwei knallharte Typen
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