Mu Meson Film Nights: Midnite Spares + Ozploitation

Strap in for a slice of early-1980s Australian action cinema. Arriving in the slipstream of Mad Max and Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, Quentin Masters’ Midnite Spares throws sprint-car racing, stolen vehicles and suburban crime into one fast-moving, grease-stained adventure. Set deep in the world of speedway racing, smash repairs and the motor trade, the film taps into the same rough-edged car culture that helped define a new wave of Australian action cinema. The cast includes James Laurie, Gia Carides, Max Cullen and Mad Max 2 favourite Bruce Spence, swapping the wasteland for another distinctly Australian world of engines, outsiders and trouble. Following the screening, film critic, curator and historian Richard Kuipers will present a brief history of Ozploitation, exploring the unruly wave of Australian genre filmmaking that produced cult action, horror and exploitation favourites during the 1970s and 1980s. Richard has been a film critic for Variety since 2004, has curated and presented the Freak Me Out program at Sydney Film Festival since 2011, and produced The Movie Show with David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz on SBS from 1992 to 2000. The evening is presented and hosted by Jay Katz and Miss Death of Mu Meson, Sydney cult-film curators known for uncovering forgotten, overlooked and unconventional cinema and bringing it back to audiences in new contexts. Join us for a night of cars, cult cinema and Australian film history - and a celebration of the wild energy of Ozploitation. Australian Classification: M - the content is moderate in impact We aim to present inclusive and accessible events. If you have any particular access or communication needs please contact please contact Pine Street Creative Arts Centre on 02 9245 9333 or pinestreet@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au