Buddies

I remember watching this years ago and enjoying it. I see a lot of comments here from a few years ago saying it hasn't been released on DVD. The good news is it now does appear to be available - there are copies on ebay for sale. Might be on other sites too.

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!)

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.

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.

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.