Suburban Mayhem
Theatrical release poster
Directed byPaul Goldman
Written byAlice Bell
Produced byJan Chapman
Leah Churchill-Brown
StarringEmily Barclay
Michael Dorman
Anthony Hayes
Steve Bastoni
Mia Wasikowska
Genevieve Lemon
CinematographyRobert Humphreys
Edited byStephen Evans
Music byMick Harvey
Distributed byIcon Film Distribution (Australia)
Release date
26 October 2006 (2006-10-26)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
BudgetA$4,000,000

Suburban Mayhem is a 2006 Australian film directed by Paul Goldman and written by Alice Bell. The film was produced by Leah Churchill-Brown, with Jan Chapman as executive producer. The ensemble cast includes Emily Barclay, Michael Dorman, Anthony Hayes, Steve Bastoni, Mia Wasikowska and Genevieve Lemon. Filming locations included Sydney and Newcastle, Australia.

Suburban Mayhem had its world premiere at Cannes Film Festival[1] and had its North American debut at the Toronto International Film Festival. It was subsequently released in Australia on October 26, 2006, , followed by releases in other countries.

Plot

Katrina (portrayed by Emily Barclay) is a 19-year-old single mother with sinister plans. She navigates a world rife with petty crime, fast cars, manicures, and casual relationships. A skilled manipulator of men, Katrina resides with her lethargic father in the suburban area of Golden Grove, Sydney. Determined to get her way, Katrina will even resort to murder. When her father contemplates reaching out to Social Services to take custody of her child, she devises a plan that will not only cause chaos in the suburb but also catapult her to a level of infamy beyond her wildest expectations.

The story is loosely inspired by the heinous crimes committed by Mark Valera, who was responsible for the deaths of Frank Arkell and David O'Hearn. Additionally, it draws parallels with his sister, Belinda van Krevel, and her then-partner Keith Schreiber, who were involved in the murder of Jack van Krevel.

Cast

Festivals

Awards

Won:

Nominated:

Reception

Box office

Suburban Mayhem grossed $342,600 at the box office in Australia.[3]

Critical reception

Suburban Mayhem has received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a "rotten" rating of 20%, based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 4/10.[4] Film scholar Bruno Starrs has critiqued the film with regard to Barbara Creed's notion of the "maternal feminine" monster.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Suburban Mayhem". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
  2. ^ Moses, Alexa (26 August 2006). "Best writing answered by awards". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2 August 2009. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  3. ^ Film Victoria – Australian Films at the Australian Box Office
  4. ^ "SUBURBAN MAYHEM (2006)". rottentomatoes.com. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  5. ^ Starrs, D. Bruno (2006) The maternal monster in 'Suburban Mayhem'. Metro Magazine (151):pp. 22–24.[1]

External links

AACTA Award for Best Original Music Score
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