It’s wild to remember Aussie celeb Eric Bana’s career before Chopper (B.C.). At home we loved him in goofy local titles like Full Frontal and The Castle, but once he was cast as “Australia’s most feared criminal”? There was no going back, leading to Spielberg and Ridley Scott roles, and a misunderstood turn as a big angsty green lad.
Twenty years and a few months later, Chopper is still considered one of the best Australian movies (and lead performances) of all time, so it’s only right that Andrew Dominik’s crime classic gets a victory lap in cinemas. Palace Cinemas is holding a special series of screenings from August 26, celebrating Chopper on the big screen with a glorious digitally remastered cut of the film.
In the past few decades both Bana and Dominik have graduated to the big leagues of Hollywood, the latter directing complex crime subversions such as The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford and Killing Them Softly. But none of the shine on the New Zealand-born director’s debut has dulled, still holding up a dark and grimy mirror to the archetypal Aussie outlaw anti-hero.
Palace Cinema locations in Perth, Brisbane, Byron Bay and Canberra will begin screening the film from August 26, raising a complimentary tinny of Melbourne Bitter to Dominik’s true crime saga (Melbourne Bitter has historically been Mark “Chopper” Read’s beer of choice, at least until he began brewing his own). Screenings will depend on lockdowns, of course, so folk in Melbourne and Sydney should consult our this page for up-to-date information.
If it feels like ages since you last watched Chopper, or if you’ve never been able to see it at all, that’s due to the movie’s bewildering absence from any streaming services. For some reason, such a bombastic Aussie favourite has been surprisingly hard to watch, making these celebratory screenings one of your only chances to sit back and bask in its gritty glory. Happy birthday, Uncle Chop Chop.
