Kodak/Atlab Cinema Collection

A new 16mm print of the feature is now available on request - Courtesy of Bert Deling and the sponsors Kodak (Australasia) and Atlab Australia.

National Film and Sound Archive National Collection Title number 41512

Classification: R rating

Pure Shit
Pure Shit

PURE SHIT (1975 aka Pure S)

Director: Bert Deling

Year of Production: 1975

Duration: 83 minutes
Format: 16mm, Colour. Mono optical soundtrack.

Production Company: Apogee Films
Producer: Bob Weiss
Screenplay: Bert Deling and cast
Director of Photography: Tom Cowan
Production Managers: Larry Meltzer, Russell Kirby
Editor: John Scott
Sound recordists: Lloyd Carrick

Cast: Gary Waddell (Lou), Ann Heatherington (Sandy), Carol Porter (Gerry), John Laurie (John), Max Gillies (Dr Wolf), Tim Robertson (TV interviewer), Helen Garner (Jo), Phil Motherwell.

Synopsis

Traces the lives of four young heroin addicts journey through Melbourne's drug-culture of the mid-seventies. When a woman dies of a drug overdose, three other addicts steal her car, buy bad drugs, rob a chemist shop, fight a manic, wealthy addict, and one of them ends up in hospital. The others try to rescue him.

Background

The film is constructed entirely from the experiences of those appearing in the film. Overlapping dialogue, violent colours and frenetic movement within a black-comedy style, Bert Deling's aim was to capture the hysteria of the drug-taker's lifestyle and communicate the realities of the drug scene. Made on a budget of $28,000 partly provided by the Film, Radio and Television Board of the Australia Council, and partly by Buoyancy Foundation, an organisation to help drug-users.

'A 16mm production and one of the key 'underground' films of its day: a film that inspired and excited young audiences around Australia.' – Andrew Pike

Preservation

The original A & B rolls and sound negative were preserved with the National Screen and Sound Archive and only one used and faded 16mm colour print was available. The new print was process from the A & B rolls and sound negative and an interpositive will be processed to fully preserve the film.)