Australian
Screen

an NFSA website

Pure S (1975)

play
clip Friends in need

Original classification rating: R. This clip chosen to be PG

Clip description

The four addicts visit Jo (Helen Garner) to pick up tools for a break-in. Jo is high on speed, which makes her paranoid, skittish and obsessive about cleaning. The heroin-addicted Lou (Gary Waddell) warns her to be careful of amphetamines.

Curator’s notes

A funny scene that underlines the idea of how drug use affects perception. Helen Garner, before she wrote Monkey Grip – a novel set in the same milieu – gives an hilarious performance as the speedy Jo.