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Clip description
Jimmy (Ned Manning) arrives at a car crash scene with his brother Frank (Ollie Hall), a tow-truck driver. Frank and a rival driver both claim rights to the wreckage. During their argument with police a gang of ‘car boys’ arrives. Frank gives Jimmy a gun.
Curator’s notes
This early sequence gives a strong picture of Jimmy and the world he lives in. Violence is endemic, law and order barely function, and gangs roam the streets. Played by ex-Australian Rules Football star Ollie Hall, Jimmy’s big brother Frank is a tough guy who knows how to handle things. Physically much smaller, Jimmy wants to prove himself and join Frank in the dangerous tow truck business. The state of society in Dead-end Drive-in is similar to that of Mad Max (1979). The world is teetering on the brink of total chaos, with cars and petrol the major currency. Morality has crumbled away. As passengers lie dead and dying, all that matters is claiming the wreckage.
