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The Surfer (1986)

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clip ‘This is getting very risky, pal’

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

Clip description

Hagan (Rod Mullinar) offers corrupt detective Calhoun (Tony Barry) a large sum of money to eliminate Sam Barlow.

Curator’s notes

Michael Edols’ moody photography and David Marsh’s hard-boiled dialogue give a contemporary film noir feel to The Surfer. This scene vividly examines the power play between crooked cop Calhoun and crime kingpin Hagan. Hagan’s thinly veiled threat to expose Calhoun gives the detective little option but to accept the cash and do the dirty work.

The Surfer was filmed a year before the Fitzgerald Inquiry (1987–89) exposed widespread corruption in Queensland’s police force. The photograph Hagan burns at the beginning of this scene is a compromising picture of a high-ranking government minister.

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australianscreen is produced by the National Film and Sound Archive. By using the website you agree to comply with the terms and conditions described elsewhere on this site. The NFSA may amend the 'Conditions of Use’ from time to time without notice.

All materials on the site, including but not limited to text, video clips, audio clips, designs, logos, illustrations and still images, are protected by the Copyright Laws of Australia and international conventions.

When you access australianscreen you agree that:

  • You may retrieve materials for information only.
  • You may download materials for your personal use or for non-commercial educational purposes, but you must not publish them elsewhere or redistribute clips in any way.
  • You may embed the clip for non-commercial educational purposes including for use on a school intranet site or a school resource catalogue.
  • The National Film and Sound Archive’s permission must be sought to amend any information in the materials, unless otherwise stated in notices throughout the Site.

All other rights reserved.

ANY UNAUTHORISED USE OF MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY RESULT IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY.

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