The Castle (1997)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Rob Sitch

Writers:

Santo Cilauro (written by)
Tom Gleisner (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

7 May 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Ordinary Family. Extraordinary Story.

Plot:

A Melbourne family is very happy living where they do, near the Melbourne airport (according to Jane Kennedy...

Plot Keywords:

Airport | Honeymoon | Aviation | Australia | Australian Life

Awards:

2 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Michael Caton	...	Darryl Kerrigan
Anne Tenney	...	Sal Kerrigan
Stephen Curry	...	Dale Kerrigan
Anthony Simcoe	...	Steve Kerrigan
Sophie Lee	...	Tracy Kerrigan
Wayne Hope	...	Wayne Kerrigan
Tiriel Mora	...	Dennis Denuto
Eric Bana	...	Con Petropoulous
Charles 'Bud' Tingwell	...	Lawrence Hammill
Robyn Nevin	...	Federal Court Judge
Costas Kilias	...	Farouk
Bryan Dawe	...	Ron Graham
Monty Maizels	...	Jack
Lynda Gibson	...	Evonne
John Benton	...	Mr. Lyle
Laurie Dobson	...	John Clifton
John Lee	...	Chairman
Stephanie Daniel	...	Council Officer
John Flaus	...	Sgt. Kennedy
Les Toth	...	Heavy at Door
Erik Donnison	...	Barlow Representative
Roger Neave	...	High Court Judge
Tony Evans	...	High Court Judge
Robin Miller	...	High Court Judge
Julie Kulpinski	...	Kerry
Sam Gleisner	...	Steve and Kerry's Child
Sebastiano Liotta	...	Mr. Petropoulos
Josie Noviello	...	Mrs. Petropoulos
Lynda Keane	...	Federal Court Lawyer
Marilyn Chestnut	...	High Court Stenographer
Julian Scarff	...	High Court Clerk of Courts
Marie-Therese Byrne	...	Assistant to Chairman
Clare O'Sullivan	...	High Court Lawyer
Warwick Begg	...	High Court Lawyer
Maria Theodorakis	...	Federal Court Stenographer
John Evans	...	Federal Court Clerk of Courts
Michael Roland	...	High Court Lawyer
Matthew Giordanella	...	Con & Tracey's Son
Larry Emdur	...	Himself - Host of Price is Right
Ian Ross	...	Himself - TV News Reader
Tony Martin	...	Adam Hammill
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chris Hilton-Wood	...	News Cameraman (uncredited)

Directed by
Rob Sitch

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Santo Cilauro		written by
Tom Gleisner		written by
Jane Kennedy		written by
Rob Sitch		written by

Produced by
Debra Choate	....	producer
Michael Hirsh	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Edmund Choi		(US version)
Craig Harnath

Cinematography by
Miriana Marusic

Film Editing by
Wayne Hyett

Casting by
Jane Kennedy

Production Design by
Carrie Kennedy

Art Direction by
Ben Morieson

Costume Design by
Kitty Stuckey

Makeup Department
Steven Clode	....	hair stylist
Steven Clode	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Melissa Zaroff	....	post-production supervisor (US version)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Annie Maver	....	first assistant director
Susannah Mott	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Josh Morieson	....	art department assistant

Sound Department
Jim Dunwoodie	....	boom operator
Peter Graham	....	sound editor
Tracey Grimshaw	....	foley artist (as Tracy Grimshaw)
Chris Izzard	....	sound recordist
Ian MacWilliams	....	sound supervisor
Steve Murphy	....	sound consultant: Dolby
George Parton	....	foley editor
Steve Witherow	....	dialogue editor (as Stephen Witherow)

Special Effects by
Aaron Beaucaire	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Ian Sheath	....	optical effects
Tim Trumble	....	film recording technician

Camera and Electrical Department
Darryl Byrne	....	clapper loader dailies
Danny Christie	....	lighting assistant
Santo Cilauro	....	camera operator
Freddo Dierck	....	rigging grip
Joanne Donahoe	....	camera operator
Johnny Earthmover	....	gaffer
Brett Hull	....	gaffer: second unit
Matthew James	....	video split operator
Warik Lawrance	....	assistant camera: second unit
Joshua Litle	....	electrician
Miriana Marusic	....	camera operator
Robin Plunkett	....	camera operator: second unit
Emmanuel Santos	....	still photographer
Gary Scott	....	clapper loader

Casting Department
Susannah Mott	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charlz Chan	....	wardrobe assistant
Michael Davies	....	wardrobe: second unit

Editorial Department
Dan Edelstein	....	editorial supervisor
Tim Morgan	....	color grader
Rohan Wilson	....	negative matcher

Music Department
Edmund Choi	....	conductor
Ross Cockle	....	music score engineer: Australian
Jane Kennedy	....	music supervisor
Martin Lubran	....	musician
Lawrence Manchester	....	score mixer
Lawrence Manchester	....	score recordist
Shari Schwartz	....	music editor

Other crew
Aaron Beaucaire	....	armorer
Ann Beresford	....	continuity
Jenny Davies	....	production assistant
Pauline Hirsh	....	production assistant
Greg Sitch	....	legal
Annabel Wang	....	accounting assistant

Production Companies

• Working Dog

Distributors

• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (Switzerland)
• Budapest Film (Hungary)
• Miramax Films (1999) (USA)
• RCV Film Distribution (Belgium)
• RCV Film Distribution (Luxembourg)
• RCV Film Distribution (Netherlands)
• Roadshow Entertainment Video
• Village Roadshow Entertainment (Australia)

Other Companies

• Cameraquip Australia  camera equipment provided by
• Complete Post  telecine transfers (as Complete Post)
• Labsonics  sound post-production
• Optical & Graphics  titles

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:PG (TV rating) (censored) | Malaysia:U | UK:15 | Italy:T | Australia:M | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Company:

Working Dog

Trivia:

The family was named Kerrigan so the filmmakers could borrow trucks from an actual tow-truck company, Kerrigan's Towing.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the background, either side of viewing Sal's lampshade, a packet of Smith’s chips is visible. Before we see the lampshade, the chip packet is facing backwards, after the scene, the packet is facing forwards.

Quotes:

Federal Court Judge: And what Law are you basing this argument on?
Darryl Kerrigan: The Law of bloody common sense!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Beyond Tomorrow: (#2.19)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Make It With You

Brilliant Australian film

Of all the excellent comedies the vastly underrated Australian film industry makes, this is the only one which I insist that every single friend I make from overseas must watch.

This is the quintessential Aussie film - a simple story about a family trying to keep things the way they are, not afraid to have a go at those in power who think they would like to "develop" these people. It's brilliant.

Basic plot: The Kerrigan household is a happy one, but a knock on the door one day changes that. Faced with a compulsory acquisition notice, the family's patriarch decides to take on the system, and to prove for once and for all that a man's home is his castle.

The jokes are funny, but are very Aussie-centric. I'm really surprised at the amount of positive feedback in these reviews from non Aussies, I've always felt that this is one movie which requires a 'native speakin' translator' if you are to get all the jokes! (And tend to recommend overseas folk watch The Dish, made by the same film team but is far more accessible and wider in scope than the very narrowly aimed Castle, which is really just driven by Australian humour, language and colloquialisms).

A true gem, very vibrant movie. For anyone who grew up in a similar location (not next to an airport, but in a 'bogan', working class suburb or small town) it will remind you of so many things you saw as a child. Profanity? Get over it, that's how we talk!