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Articles by Stephen Vagg
The price of glory: Screen icon Jack Thompson to reflect on his ‘flawed hero’ of the Australian outback
Australian film icon Jack Thompson has picked one of his favourite films to open the 2026 Asia Pacific Screen Forum on the Gold Coast. On October 28, Thompson will take centre stage for the forum’s special screening of the Australian classic Burke & Wills. Thompson will be on hand for a Q&A session at the Event Cinemas Pacific Fair screening, presented by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.
Grab your sword, strap on your sandals, The Odyssey is here
Few movie genres are more disdained than sword-and-sandal epics – peplum-wearing, action-filled sagas set in the Ancient World. These films are typically associated with things such as poor dubbing, wooden acting, bodybuilding stars such as Steve Reeves, plots that grossly distort history and myths, tame orgy sequences and a lot of homoeroticism.
Architect of awe: How Steven Spielberg built modern cinema
Is there a more influential filmmaker in history than Steven Spielberg? That is one of those impossible, yet fun, questions to ask. Sure, you could argue for DW Griffith, Akira Kurosawa, Martin Scorsese, George Méliès, Alice Guy-Blaché or … But I do not think anyone could deny there is a solid case to be made for Steven Allan Spielberg, Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (awarded in 2001).
Why we’re hungry for docos on the headliners of Oz rock
Famed author William Goldman once wrote that when it comes to movies, no one knows anything – and that’s certainly true when you consider the recent popularity of Australian rock documentaries. You might think in this era of YouTube, streaming and illegal downloading that there wouldn’t be any sort of market for rock documentaries – after all, can’t you just get it for free?
Bite me! Why we’re obsessed with bloody shark flicks
Last month a new shark film, The Beast of War, hit cinemas. It’s the story of Aussie troops fighting off hungry sharks in the Timor Sea. It follows two other recent local efforts, Dangerous Animals, in which a serial killer uses sharks to dispense his victims, and Fear Below, in which divers retrieving bullion from a sunken car run into shark trouble.
Turning the blowtorch around: Which NRL media members are at risk of being sacked before a coach gets the chop?
Every year one of the most clickbait-able topics in rugby league coverage are articles on what coaches might be sacked.
'Bikies, theme parks and strippers': Why it's time to relocate the Gold Coast Titans
I don’t think there’s a rugby league fan who doesn’t feel a little sorry for Gold Coast Titans supporters. And before anyone makes a crack, yes, they do exist, I’ve been to home ground games. The fan base is loud, and passionate – but most of all, long-suffering. The team can’t seem to cop a break. Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Reddit Email Share But then, you can say that about all Gold Coast-based football teams, league and Australian rules. We all know the history. We all know how grim the reading is.
Mad not to pick Maxi? Can Konstas show consistency? The biggest questions of Aussie Test squad to tour SL
The Sri Lankan Test squad has been announced, and like every Test squad in the history of Australian cricket, fans like to think they could have done better. I know I do, hence this piece. It’s not a bad squad, mind – my issues with it are mostly emotional as it seems that Glenn Maxwell’s chances of more Tests are done and dusted. I hope those 46 Tests given to Mitch Marsh were worth it. That’s a little facetious, but Maxwell fans are allowed to be after the Justin Langer/Darren Lehmann years.
India's pace attack their downfall, AI and hair transplants: 10 Border-Gavaskar Trophy observations
1. To any casual viewers who tuned in – no, it’s normally not that exciting, don’t get used to it. However book tickets for England versus Australia to see how our ageing bowling line-up and dicey batting fare against the Bazball cult. It’s also a series where the “resource gap” is a lot closer. Whenever Australia play countries other than India and England we have a massive advantage because of economic resources. 2.
Fighting back after a first Test massacre: Pat Cummins' men need to channel the 1979 World Series Cricket Australians
Australia’s first Test defeat has prompted much panic, with stats pointing to our poor record of winning series after having lost the opening match. Now, these numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt, especially considering when Australia wins a series it normally does so comprehensively. But certainly, looking back, our record after we lose the first Test isn’t that great. In recent years there were the 1968-69 and 1997 Ashes and… then you have to start going really back.
For Pete's sake! The forgotten veteran staring selectors in the face - and why he could unlock Aussie batting line-up
Whenever Australia suffers a cricketing disaster, everyone’s prejudices bubble to the surface. “Fast bowlers shouldn’t captain!”… “Cricketers shouldn’t believe in climate change!”… “Too much screen time!”… “Kids these days don’t know hard work – what we need are more slums and that will produce a batter like Jaiswal!”… “Never would have happened under JL!” People suggest dropping players they don’t like and putting in players they do like. So, I thought I’d join in the fun.
Chamber music proves heavenly for Townsville
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'About more than cricket': Warner a captain again after leadership ban lifted
David Warner has vowed to be a mentor for youngsters after returning to his first leadership role in Australian cricket since 2018 at the Sydney Thunder. Less than two weeks after his leadership ban was lifted, Warner was officially unveiled as the Thunder’s new BBL captain on Wednesday. The announcement means 38-year-old Warner will take over the captaincy from Chris Green, for the first full BBL season of his career following his international retirement this year.
Umberto Clerici puts down the baton ... to take up his cello
It’s not easy conducting from behind a cello. Which is why Umberto Clerici doesn’t really do it. As an acclaimed cellist, Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s chief conductor still performs in Australia and overseas but not usually in Queensland, aside from the odd star turn at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville.
Wickety Wak brings mayhem back!
Next year is the 50th birthday of one of our most iconic music acts. No, not Air Supply, Boney M or The Boomtown Rats – or the Sex Pistols, Talking Heads or Little River Band, although they all also formed in 1975. I’m talking about a band that was bigger than any of them – north of the Tweed, anyway. Wickety Wak.
OzAsia review: Scored in Silence
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Watch these wicked witches cast their spell on La Boite's 2025 season
An early role as Lady Macbeth while touring with The Grin and Tonic Theatre Troupe laid the groundwork decades ago for Roxanne McDonald’s upcoming star turn at La Boite in 2025. One of the treats next year promises to be a production of Shakespeare classic Macbeth, co-directed by La Boite’s artistic director Courtney Stewart and Polytoxic’s Lisa Fa’alafi.
Shakespeare in the Park with Antony & Cleopatra
The jacarandas are in bloom and the weather’s getting balmy, which means it’s time for the 4MBS Brisbane Shakespeare Festival. The focal point of the festival is Shakespeare in the Park, which happens at the Roma Street Parkland Amphitheatre, a wonderful venue for keeping the works of William Shakespeare alive and breathing and on stage.
Divine intervention? The resurrection of Jesus Christ Superstar
Not all musicals deserve to be recycled but one that does is Jesus Christ Superstar. For a start, for many people it’s a beautiful way of accessing the gospels and, like it or not, the story of Jesus is foundational to western civilization and values. And, hey, the music’s pretty good too! Maybe recycled is the wrong word to use in this case. Perhaps resurrected would be better.
Thanks for the memories ... and intergalactic new beginnings for Brisbane Arts Theatre
There’s no theatrical experiences quite like the ones you have when you’re young, before the capacity for wonder gets squeezed out of your soul by critics, worthiness and hidden ticket fees. Brisbane Arts Theatre has always been a place of magic for me because so much of my formative theatre-going experience happened there.
Diary of a Book Addict: South Australia’s best books of the 21st century
Much as I love reading new books – and have literal piles of books I’m longing to read all over the house – sometimes it’s good to look back. Last month, The New York Times published a list of the best books of the 21st century, as selected by 503 authors and critics. Sadly, not one Australian book made it to the list of 100. This sparked some local action.
Let's speak about how Brisbane author Megan Williams is on her winning way
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Poems: Mute & Ms Houdini
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This is why we have to talk about Gauguin ...
It’s a continuous conversation and critique within the art and music world: can you love the art but loathe the artist? Gauguin’s World: Tōna Iho, Tōna Ao opened at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra in June. The question was exactly what I was thinking, along with: why are we still talking about this French artist?
Navigating the evolution of the 'burbs across Australia
Australia, as we are often told, is a country obsessed with real estate, therefore that topic dominates much of our daily conversation and media discourse.
Susie Youssef walks the talk in her latest TV role
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Ashes to ashes: Why Shaun Micallef doesn't look back
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Film review: It Ends with Us
A beautiful, smart woman with a perfect life hides her shame from the world. It was Nicole Kidman as Celeste in Liane Moriarty’s TV series Big Little Lies. Now it’s Blake Lively as Lily Bloom in the film of Colleen Hoover’s 2016 runaway bestseller It Ends with Us. Maine is stunning as the dappled light filters through the giant oaks and gives everything a golden touch. This was Lily’s childhood home and she is back there following the death of her father.
Film review: Sleeping Dogs
Roy Freeman is a retired detective with encroaching Alzheimer’s who tapes useful information, including his name, around the house. It’s a role Russell Crowe, who is barely 60 but has for years looked somewhere between a hungover 45 to a well-earned 70, was made for. You feel for him as he sits on the couch, head bald as an egg, watching old westerns.
Shock exit: Leanne Benjamin to depart Queensland Ballet only six months after filling Li Cunxin's formidable shoes
Filling Li Cunxin’s shoes at Queensland Ballet seems to have been harder than anticipated as the company announces the shock departure of new artistic director Leanne Benjamin. After much fanfare and high hopes, Benjamin is finishing up with the company on August 2 in a move that will send shock waves through the local arts community. She was the company’s sixth artistic director. Assistant artistic director Greg Horsman will act in the role with the focus on finalising the 2025 season.
The butterfly effect: What happened when Helen Merten ran away to join THE circus ...
Helena Merten ran away to join the circus. Now the talented Queenslander is returning home … with the circus. The 29-year-old Gold Coaster, one of the stars of Cirque du Soleil – LUZIA, is revelling in the 2024-25 Australian tour and especially happy to be heading to Brisbane where the show opens on September 25.
Theatre review: The Questions
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Wake in Fright retains clarity after all these years
Few Australian films have been more misrepresented by critics than Wake in Fright. The 1971 movie was the first masterpiece of the revived Australian film industry – directed by a Canadian, from a script by a Jamaican, with a Norwegian producer and finance from an American fridge manufacturer. It was based on a novel by Lakemba boy and part-time butterfly farm operator Kenneth Cook. Umbrella Entertainment has announced a 4K restoration of the pioneering Australian New Wave movie.
How a Brisbane butcher's son became one of our greatest and most-loved thespians
Great art is specific and thus somehow universal. Which is easy to say but not so easy to do … yet that is what Gracie Otto has accomplished with her documentary, Otto By Otto, now streaming on Stan. It’s a look at the life and times of her father, legendary thespian Barry Otto (Bliss, Strictly Ballroom), focusing on recent times and living with Alzheimer’s.
Misrepresented classic gets a new lease on life
With Umbrella Entertainment announcing the restoration of Aussie film classic Wake in Fright, it’s time to reflect on the gritty drama’s place in our cinema history. Few Australian films have been more misrepresented by critics than Wake in Fright. The 1971 movie was the first masterpiece of the revived Australian film industry – directed by a Canadian, from a script by a Jamaican, with a Norwegian producer, and finance from an American fridge manufacturer.
What the dot: Performativity in Aboriginal art
I’m stepping out, don’t mess about. Don’t tell me to be patient. I’ve been wedded, enslaved, white washed, and saved. But now, I’m liberated. The words of Aunty Maureen Watson – who was fiercely Blak and fiercely clever with words of all shapes and sizes – express what Briggs (in his Reconciliation Week breakfast address in Adelaide this year) called the “invincible spirit” that makes up our cultural values. This spirit informs our values of Aboriginal culture.
Hillbilly Elegy: JD Vance’s memoir offers clues to his current politics
When JD Vance stood to accept the vice-presidential nomination for the Republican Party, what struck me was his physical resemblance to Donald Trump’s sons. This is not surprising: Donald Jr had been his most active supporter. The best way to understand Trump’s choice is as a continuation of dynastic politics, a common theme in recent US politics — think Kennedy, Bush, Clinton.
Film review: Sons
Danish actor Sidse Babett Knudsen is in completely new territory here, no longer the political darling from Borgen where she radiated integrity and niceness. As prison warden Eva Hansen, she is stripped down to a grim core as she goes about her days in a rundown prison block. Eva seems good at her job and makes an effort by asking prisoners if they slept well and doling out allotted cigarettes with a cheerful smile. We see her teaching basic maths and she sits with them in meditation class.
Does spelling matter? Damn right it does!
About two years ago I walked into a complementary health clinic in South Brisbane – not to get complementary health treatment, but to inform them that the word “Acupuncture” on their sign was misspelt. This wasn’t some insignificant, handwritten sign, but a large, prominent, professionally designed one. “Remedial massage” was spelt correctly (as was “Therapeutic massage”, the acupuncturist’s additional specialisation). “Visceral manipulation” was spelt correctly.
New horizons: Clancestry celebrates First Nations
The premiere of First Nations contemporary music concert Warriors leads a list of ground-breaking acts at this year’s Clancestry. At QPAC, Warriors will deliver audiences the music of four exceptional First Nations acts – the Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, J-Milla, Jungaji and Radical Son – with each act drawing on personal and powerful messages about mental health. Jungaji is a multitalented performer – a Gu Gu Yalanji song man, visual artist, playwright and activist – also known as Troy Brady.
There's clarity to Waking in Fright - after all these years
Few Australian films have been more misrepresented by critics than Wake in Fright. The 1971 movie was the first masterpiece of the revived Australian film industry – directed by a Canadian, from a script by a Jamaican, with a Norwegian producer and finance from an American fridge manufacturer. It was based on a novel by Lakemba boy and part-time butterfly farm operator Kenneth Cook. Umbrella Entertainment has announced a 4K restoration of the pioneering Australian New Wave movie.
Eyes wide open and on the prize that's the pride of Brisbane
Having looked at each one of the 450 entries in the main competition for this year’s Brisbane Portrait Prize, I’m left amazed at the skill, creativity and thoughtfulness of every one of the entries. It’s hard not to be moved by the stories of love, hope, resilience and triumph. It’s clear that the prize prompts artworks of all sorts.
Austin grapples with autism stereotypes - with mixed success
ABC’s new comedy series Austin follows its 28-year-old namesake (played by autistic actor Michael Theo, from the reality dating series Love on the Spectrum), an autistic man connecting for the first time with his biological father, Julian (Ben Miller). Julian is married with his own family in London, while Austin lives in Canberra.
The mysteries continue on Rock Island
There are plenty of mysteries to be solved on the exotic sounding Rock Island. Hence the popular series Rock Island Mysteries. Avid young viewers of this made in Queensland series will be looking forward to season 3, currently filming on the Gold Coast and due to wrap by the end of June.
Streaming picks: Carriage romps, comedy and crime
June is set to be a month of holding up the mirror to reality, with The Conversation’s experts recommending three new non-fiction watches. No streaming list is complete without some true crime, so there’s the long-awaited second season of The Jinx (which comes nearly a decade after the first). We also look at Netflix’s scandalous Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal, a three-part docuseries that dissects the infamous site designed for people seeking affairs.
Film review: Upon Open Sky
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Presley's voice permeates an exhibition about the legacy of colonialism
In his latest exhibition Queensland First Nations artist Ryan Presley wrestles with the violence inherent in the histories of Indigenous peoples since colonisation. Presley (Marri Ngarr) offers us accomplished paintings, watercolours and drawings and they are pertinent at a time when racism has, once again, been a public focus of discussion in the mainstream media in Australia.
The Eighties called - they want their movie back!
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the release of perhaps the most 1980s Queensland film ever made. Few Aussie movies have copped it more than The Coolangatta Gold. Ever since it hit cinemas in 1984, the film has been a by-word for the excesses of the 10BA era with its glitz, unabashed commercialism, pointless expenditure, box-office fizzle and leg warmers. I would, however, argue that The Coolangatta Gold is much better than its reputation suggests.
Top Ten Corman – Part Ten: Corman Films I Love to Rewatch | FilmInk
Thanks to anyone who has read this far in this series – I wrote it, as you might guess, to get over feeling sad at Corman’s death, but also to pass on various thoughts, theories and observations I had about the man and his work. To wind it up, I thought I’d jot down the ten Corman films I like to rewatch the most – not the best, mind, just the ones I like to put on as comfort food. Four of these he directed, the other six he produced.
Top Ten Corman – Part Nine: Corman and Women | FilmInk
Female-heavy production staff Women were crucial to the behind-the-scenes success of Corman’s operation over the years.
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