Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #174196 in DVD
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Running time: 94 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
The burning intensity of Russell Crowe (L.A. Confidential) first lit up screens as a hate-filled, Mein Kampf-spouting skinhead in this brutal Australian drama. Crowe glowers from under his deep-set eyes as Hando, the creepy but charismatic leader of a racist gang who declares war on the Asian immigrants pouring into Melbourne. His rage erupts in violent attacks on the local Vietnamese community, but when his victims fight back his gang breaks up, and Hando flees the city with his best buddy Davey (Daniel Pollock) and redheaded hellion Gabe (Jacqueline McKenzie), a rich girl runaway who turns the dynamic duo into a splintered love triangle. Writer-director Geoffrey Wright's matter-of-fact treatment of this subculture eschews social commentary for visceral immediacy. His portrait of white supremacist punks living like squatters on the fringes of Australian society is powered by coiled anger and simmering frustration, which finds its outlet in brutal fights and murderous rampages (the intense violence earned the film an NC-17 rating). The lack of moral position may bother some people, especially in light of Wright's sympathetic treatment of particular members of Hando's racist army, and the cold, hate-driven violence is sometimes hard to watch, but his vivid characters and richly drawn world create a compelling drama for adventurous filmgoers. --Sean Axmaker

From The New Yorker
As a couple of immigrants are waylaid in a dank underpass and kicked into unconsciousness, you start to suspect that "Romper Stomper'' may not have been produced by Merchant-Ivory, and this is confirmed when one of the heroes turns to the camera and yells, "Fuck! Off!'' This is in fact the first movie to tackle the topic of Australian neo-Nazi skinheads. Written and directed by Geoffrey Wright, it tells the story of Hando (Russell Crowe), Davey (Daniel Pollock), and their band of merry maniacs. They prowl the streets of Melbourne, looking for trouble; when there isn't any, they make it up for themselves, waging a small war against the local Vietnamese. Wright follows much the same course; his frenetic camerawork-punching, dancing, and furious sex all edited together, for example-seems to egg the rebels on, as if they knew they were being watched and wanted to put on a good show. The plot revolves around a dropout called Gabe (Jacqueline McKenzie), who joins up with Hando but slowly gravitates toward Davey. Neither sounds very sympathetic, but both actors find more in their roles than you expect-even more, possibly, than Wright intended. There is something intense-a kind of dumb delicacy-within their thuggish instincts, and by the end the movie has transformed itself into a desperate fight for love. Wright's disturbing subject never gets the cool look it deserves, but he is rarely crass, and sheer nervous energy carries the film forward and pins you down. -Anthony Lane
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Powerful
An extremly intense film, Romper Stomper pulls no punches. Shot in a kind of artsy blue haze, the movie revolves around a group of Neo-Nazi skinheads who are attempting to fight off a flood of Vietnamese immigration into Melbourne, Australia. The group is lead by 'Hando' - A strong and charismatic leader played by Russell Crowe. Crowe is amazing as he manages to convey a sence vulnerability beneath his uncompromising anger. A scene in which Crowe qoutes parts of Adolf Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' is mesmerizing. Things begin to disolve, however, when a love triangle begins between Hando, his girlfriend Gabe (Jaqueline McKenzie) and Hando's best friend Davey who is portrayed very low-key by Daniel Pollock. The situation is compounded when an attack on some Vietnamese immigrants back fires and the Skins are forced to defend themselves against a raging mob of immigrants resulting in the loss of their home.

Writer/Director Geoffry Wright came under attack by Leftist critics for not hitting everyone over the head, like American History X, with an anti-racist civics lesson - His position comes across as neutral. Indeed, one can almost sympathize with the group as they are convinced Australia's future depends on its racial and cultural purity.

Without a doubt, this movie is worth owning.

Deceptive Advertising!!!
While I loved the digital widescreen transfer of this film (so much better than VHS), I do have a bone to pick with this DVDs' producers.

This "Special Edition" DVD advertises on it's back cover a pair of documentaries...one about Skinheads and the other (it would seem) regarding the making of the film. On the surface this sounds like a great deal - something unexpected for such a small film. But after you've cracked the case - watched the feature you bought it for - you'll come to find out that the two "documetaries" that are listed to be on Disc 2 are actually interview topics with director Geoffery Wright. No documentaries. No lie.

Well, that's unless you're talking about Fox, it's producer.

It's sad when a sale closing device, like the DVD special feature is either abused or badly mishandled. While the movie is well-worth the price of the disc, it is a letdown when the cool stuff you've been looking forward to actually turns out to be bogus.

GOD SENT US...
ROMPER STOMPER, the debut film of former film critic Geoffrey Wringht, stars Russell Crowe, in his break-out role, Daniel Pollock, who died in post-production in a heroin induced train "accident", and Jacqueline McKenzie, in her feature film debut. ROMPER STOMPER is the story of Hando (Crowe) and his gang of Mein Kamf spouting, violent, thug, neo-nazi skinheads, including his best mate Davey (Pollock). The gang lives in deep poverty in an abandoned warehouse, eating pathetic meals and drinking like sailors (not to mention swearing like them as well). Hando soon becomes involved with a young drug addicted ecliptic girl, Gabe (McKenzie). When the gangs secondary hangout, a local bar, is purchased by a Vietnamese immigrant and his sons, the gang starts an intense turf war resulting in the most violent, realistic 20 minutes fight scene in cinematic history. Once the cops come onto the gangs tail Hando leads them in a quest for money and guns, to get revenge on the Vietnamese community. During this sequence of events, Davey and Gabe become friends and soon more then friends resulting in a distorted love triangle. Rated NC-17 when first released this is one of the most provocative, intense, powerful films of the 90's. A stunning directional debut from Wright and an equally stunning acting job by Crowe.

The DVD's bonus feature's were so myriad that it took 2 discs to hold them all. Included is a talking track by Geoffrey Wright, in which he discusses about the filming of ROMPER STOMPER and interesting tid-bits about particular scenes as they appear on screen. Also included on the first disc is a music track where the nazi punk rock songs, excellently composed by Clifford White, can be heard alone.

On the second disc their is the theatrical trailer for the film, which is in my humblest oppinion the best trailer I've seen (it actually made me want to see the film again that night). There are the written reviews of major publications promoting the film and discussing how amazing and powerful it is. Biographies of all involved with project are included as well as over 60 minutes of interviews from 1992 when the film was first released and over 30 minutes of interviews with Geoffrey Wright from 2000, reflecting on the film and it's impact on society. As well as all those features a demonstration of how the film was restored from the first American edition of the film, which had 1/4 of the film cut of from sight and had the look of a 1940's television program. Finally there is a track of photographs from the film displayed accompanied by interesting facts about the film, it's battle with censorship, and about the stars of the film.

All in all a fabulous film, and a fabulous assortment of extras make this DVD a 5 star (if not 6 star) hit.