Wrong Side of the Road facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wrong Side of the Road |
|
|---|---|
| Directed by | Ned Lander |
| Produced by | Jordy butler |
| Starring | No Fixed Address, Us Mob |
| Music by | Jordy Butler |
| Release date(s) | 1981 |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | 2m |
Wrong Side of the Road is a movie from 1981, made in South Australia. It was one of the first films to show modern Australian Aboriginal music to a wider audience. The movie features two all-Aboriginal rock reggae bands: No Fixed Address and Us Mob.
Contents
About "Wrong Side of the Road"
The film tells a story that mixes a road trip with music, drama, and real-life documentary style. It shows the challenges faced by Aboriginal people at the time. The movie helped more people in Australia and around the world learn about these issues.
Making the Movie
The idea for Wrong Side of the Road came from Graeme Isaac, a musician. In the late 1970s, he worked with young Aboriginal people in Adelaide, South Australia. He encouraged them to try new music styles like rock and reggae, instead of just country music. This led to several bands forming, and they became popular in Aboriginal communities in South Australia.
Graeme Isaac noticed that the musicians often faced tough situations, sometimes involving the police. He realized these real-life experiences could be turned into a powerful movie. He talked to Ned Lander, a documentary filmmaker from Sydney. Together, they wrote a script. The story was based on the real lives of two bands Graeme had helped: Us Mob (who played rock) and No Fixed Address (who played reggae).
The movie shows the bands' music mixed with scenes of them dealing with difficult situations with authorities. It ends with a big, exciting concert in an Aboriginal community. The musicians, their families, and their community were all part of the film. They mostly played themselves, using their own names, even though the story was made up.
Filming and Support
The film was made with a small budget, mostly from an Australian government film fund. A group of non-Indigenous film experts and actors also helped. The movie was filmed on 16mm film over four weeks in 1980.
Releasing the Film
Wrong Side of the Road was released in 1981. It showed audiences the unfair treatment and challenges that Indigenous Australians often experienced. Many people had not known about these issues before. The film helped to increase awareness in Australia and other countries.
Both bands in the movie became more popular. No Fixed Address especially gained attention on mainstream Australian radio stations, which was a big step for Indigenous music.
Film's Impact and Awards
Wrong Side of the Road won several awards both in Australia and internationally. At the 1981 Australian Film Institute Awards, it won the Jury Prize. It was also nominated for Best Film and Best Original Music Score.
The Film's Music (Soundtrack)
The film's soundtrack was released in 1981 on Black Australia Records. A soundtrack is an album that features the songs used in a movie. Side 1 of the album featured songs by No Fixed Address, and Side 2 featured songs by Us Mob. Philip Roberts and Graeme Isaac produced the album.
Song List
- No Fixed Address
- "We Have Survived" (Bart Willoughby)
- "Get a Grip" (Chris Jones)
- "The Vision" (Jones)
- "Black Mans Rights" (Willoughby)
- "Greenhouse Holiday" (Willoughby)
- "The Vision" (version) (Jones)
- Us Mob
- "Genocide" (Pedro Butler, Wally McArthur)
- "Wrong Side of the Road" (Butler)
- "*** Contemplation" (Butler, Ronnie Ansell)
- "Sunshine" (Butler)
- "Tough Living" (Butler)
- "Survive" (Ansell)
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 67 |
The "Peak position" shows how high the album ranked on the music charts in Australia.
Band Members
No Fixed Address
- Les Graham – lead guitar
- Chris Jones – guitar, vocals
- Veronica Rankine – saxophone, vocals
- John John Miller – bass
- Bart Willoughby – drums, vocals, percussion, didgeridoo
Us Mob
- Ronnie Ansell – bass
- Wally McArthur – drums
- Carroll Karpany – guitar
- Pedro Butler – guitar, vocals
Bringing the Film Back to Life
Digital Restoration
A special digital version of Wrong Side of the Road was shown for the first time at the 60th Sydney Film Festival (SFF) on June 14, 2013. This meant the film was cleaned up and improved using digital technology. The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) presented this restored version.
With help from experts at Efilm/Deluxe, the film was fixed frame by frame. Now, it is kept safe in both old (analogue) and new (digital) formats.
Cast Reunion and Stories
The NFSA's Indigenous Collections team worked with director Ned Lander and producer Graeme Isaac. They brought ten of the surviving Aboriginal cast members back together in Sydney. They recorded interviews to hear stories about making the film. They also talked about how the movie affected their lives and communities across Australia.
These interviews gave the band and cast members a chance to share their experiences. They discussed their involvement in the film, its important social and political messages, and how it connected with their music. They talked about many important issues, including fairness, identity, and land rights.
