Phillip Adams
As Australian cinema broke through to international audiences in the 1970s through respected art house films like Peter Weir's "Picnic At Hanging Rock," a new underground of low-budget exploitation filmmakers were turning out considerably less highbrow fare. Documentary filmmaker Mark Hartley explores this unbridled era of sex and violence, complete with clips from some of the scene's most outrageous flicks and interviews with the renegade filmmakers themselves.
Dr Cadabra, an eccentric magician, lives in outer space with his son Abra and their pets - Stella the star cat and Zodiac the space dog. When all four are busy elsewhere, two villains, B.L. Z'Bub and Klaw the Rat King, take off with the Cosmic pipe.
This is an animated story covering the ancient legend of Beowulf, as narrated by Grendel himself, the "monster" in the legend.
Made for ten thousand dollars over 5 years this film shows both the signs of lack or resources and inventiveness in attempting to overcome the low budget. The script is largely made up of nursery rhymes used as and a kindergarten teacher. The episodic narrative mixes staged with actuality footage. It won two major awards in 1969.
