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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
'A body found in the freezer of the Meatworks in Murray's boss Agnelli's electorate causes panic in the ranks. Agnelli sees it as a Machiavellian plot by his political rivals to stir up trouble with the unions and precipitate his demise.'
Source: Screen Australia. (Sighted: 5/4/2013)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Generic Outlier : John Clarke and ‘the shabby suit crime comedy’
2019
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Comedy Studies , vol. 10 no. 1 2019; (p. 88-101)'From 1999 to 2005, Australian cinema produced several crime comedies beginning with Gregor Jordan’s Two Hands (1999) which served as a ‘prototype’ (Grindon 2012) for the variations that followed, including two farcical satires adapted for the screen by John Clarke. Clarke adapted for television two crime novels by Australian author Shane Maloney, Stiff (2004) and The Brush-Off (Neil, 2004). For Stiff, Clarke directed as well as wrote the screenplay. Production for both was by Huntaway films, a company owned by him, The Brush-Off director, Sam Neill, and co-producer, Jay Cassells. While these two films do not match the famed Clarke and Dawe sketches (Australian Broadcasting Company TV) for satirical bite and artistry, they are an interesting subset of this crime comedy ‘cluster’ (Grindon 2012) within what might be called ‘the shabby suit crime comedy’ genre. Clarke’s crumpled protagonist stands apart as an educated little man up against the forces of political corruption and vice. It is argued here that the films identified from this short time-span share thematic concerns and iconography as well as neglectful male tailoring: the group of Australian crime comedies possesses similar syntactic and semantic generic qualities (Altman, 1984). This article discusses the outlier status of Clarke’s pieces within that group as farcical satires in a political rather than criminal milieu, as well as their distinctive techniques and artistic success.'
Source: Abstract.
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Fun and Folly
2005
single work
review
— Appears in: Limelight , December 2005; (p. 43)
— Review of Stiff 2004 single work film/TV ; The Brush-Off 2004 single work film/TV -
Stiff by Name, Not by Nature
2004
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 19 June 2004; (p. 18)
— Review of Stiff 2004 single work film/TV -
You Can Telemovie by the Company It Keeps
2004
single work
column
— Appears in: The Age , 19 June 2004; (p. 10) -
Murder Most Amusing
2004
single work
review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 19-20 June 2004; (p. 24-25)
— Review of Stiff 2004 single work film/TV
-
Murder Most Amusing
2004
single work
review
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 19-20 June 2004; (p. 24-25)
— Review of Stiff 2004 single work film/TV -
Stiff by Name, Not by Nature
2004
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 19 June 2004; (p. 18)
— Review of Stiff 2004 single work film/TV -
Fun and Folly
2005
single work
review
— Appears in: Limelight , December 2005; (p. 43)
— Review of Stiff 2004 single work film/TV ; The Brush-Off 2004 single work film/TV -
It's a Mug's Game in the Writing Business
2004
single work
column
— Appears in: The Sunday Age , 13 June 2004; (p. 19) -
You Can Telemovie by the Company It Keeps
2004
single work
column
— Appears in: The Age , 19 June 2004; (p. 10) -
Generic Outlier : John Clarke and ‘the shabby suit crime comedy’
2019
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Comedy Studies , vol. 10 no. 1 2019; (p. 88-101)'From 1999 to 2005, Australian cinema produced several crime comedies beginning with Gregor Jordan’s Two Hands (1999) which served as a ‘prototype’ (Grindon 2012) for the variations that followed, including two farcical satires adapted for the screen by John Clarke. Clarke adapted for television two crime novels by Australian author Shane Maloney, Stiff (2004) and The Brush-Off (Neil, 2004). For Stiff, Clarke directed as well as wrote the screenplay. Production for both was by Huntaway films, a company owned by him, The Brush-Off director, Sam Neill, and co-producer, Jay Cassells. While these two films do not match the famed Clarke and Dawe sketches (Australian Broadcasting Company TV) for satirical bite and artistry, they are an interesting subset of this crime comedy ‘cluster’ (Grindon 2012) within what might be called ‘the shabby suit crime comedy’ genre. Clarke’s crumpled protagonist stands apart as an educated little man up against the forces of political corruption and vice. It is argued here that the films identified from this short time-span share thematic concerns and iconography as well as neglectful male tailoring: the group of Australian crime comedies possesses similar syntactic and semantic generic qualities (Altman, 1984). This article discusses the outlier status of Clarke’s pieces within that group as farcical satires in a political rather than criminal milieu, as well as their distinctive techniques and artistic success.'
Source: Abstract.
- Melbourne - North, Melbourne, Victoria,