The Odd Angry Shot

Infobox_Film
name = The Odd Angry Shot


imdb_id = 0079652
writer = Tom Jeffrey
starring = Graham Kennedy,
Bryan Brown,
John Hargreaves,
John Jarratt,
Graeme Blundell,
Ian Gilmour,
Richard Moir
director = Tom Jeffrey
producer = Sue Milliken,
Tom Jeffrey
distributor = Village Roadshow Limited
released = 1979
runtime = 92 mins
language = English
music = Michael Carlos
awards =
budget =

"The Odd Angry Shot" is an Australian movie based on Australian soldiers and their experiences during the Vietnam War. It follows the departure and tour of duty of an Australian Special Air Service Regiment reconnaissance team and avoids much of the political comment on Australia’s involvement in Vietnam; a theme that became more popular in the 1980’s when Hollywood began to explore the rights and wrongs of the Vietnam War.

The movie centres on the experiences of the soldiers away from the battle field, spending the bulk of their time playing cards, drinking beer, nursing their tinea, making jokes about masturbation and having some friendly competition with the American forces. When the men return to Australia, they reflect on how both they and the general Australian society have changed.

The movie was filmed at the Australian Army's notoriously adverse Jungle Warfare Training Centre in Canungra, Queensland. During the Vietnam War, all Australian soldiers - including draftees - who were to be deployed to Vietnam went through four weeks' specialized training in Canungra.

The Iroquois ('Huey') helicopters used in this movie are those of 9 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, on loan from the Australian Defence Force. This squadron - and indeed, the very helicopters seen in the film - served in combat during the Vietnam War.

Although the capbadges and berets worn in the film are correct for SASR, the missions and training are not representative of the SASR role in Vietnam, but match more closely those of the conventional light infantry of the Royal Australian Regiment, several battalions of whom also served in Vietnam.

Cast

*Graham Kennedy .... Harry
*John Hargreaves .... Bung
*John Jarratt .... Bill
*Bryan Brown .... Rogers
*Graeme Blundell .... Dawson
*Richard Moir .... Medic
*Ian Gilmour .... Scott
*Graham Rouse .... Cook
*John Allen .... Lt. Golonka
*Tony Barry .... Black Ronnie
*Brandon Burke .... Isaacs
*John Fitzgerald .... Intelligence corporal
*Mike Harris .... Sergeant Major
*Johnny Garfield .... Padre
*Ray Meagher .... Range corporal
*Frankie J. Holden .... Spotted soldier
*Roger Newcombe .... Clifford
*Brian Evis .... Mayberry
*Rose Ricketts .... Nurse
*Chuck McKinney .... First Marine
*Freddie Paris .... Second Marine
*Sharon Higgins .... Bill's girl
*Joy Westmore .... Bill's mum
*Brian Wenzel .... Bill's dad
*Brian Anderson .... Barman
*Sarah Lee .... Bar girl
*Max Cullen .... Warrant Officer
*Tim Page .... P.O. Corporal
*Tim Burns .... Guest at Party

External links

* [http://colsearch.nfsa.afc.gov.au/nfsa/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;group=;groupequals=;holdingType=;page=0;parentid=;query=Number%3A8715;querytype=;rec=0;resCount=10 The Odd Angry Shot at the National Film and Sound Archive]