by Maynard
In this time of streaming uber alles, where almost all movies are available at any time, Gillian Armstrong’s 1982 camp neon soaked classic Starstruck is virtually unavailable except for maybe a poor-quality YouTube version. Otherwise, it’s rarely seen on broadcast TV, not available on most streaming services, and the last DVD release was in 2005 in standard definition. Umbrella currently has the rights to the National Film and Sound Archive 4K version, but as of this writing, no plans have been announced to release anything.
So Starstruck has unintentionally earned its place as an underground film, and will be screened at the 2026 Sydney Underground Film Festival.
Starstruck will take you back to a time when you could see Leyland P76s and Holden Kingswood taxis cruising the streets of The Rocks.
The National Institute of Dramatic Art adaption in 2019 was theatrically interesting, but to get two 1-hour acts out of the script, they had to pad it with songs from The Easybeats and Tim Finn, turning it into a jukebox musical. A snappy one-hour closer to the silliness of the original movie would really float my inflatable shark.
The 1982 movie is energetic and rarely drags. The version I saw was 95 minutes. Jo Kennedy is a powerhouse as Jackie Mullens, the dreamer who seeks recognition. While her 14-year-old Lambretta riding, joint smoking, beer on waking up cousin Angus (Ross O’Donovan) is the schemer.
Gillian Armstrong and her team had a challenging job with inexperienced actors Jo and Ross, but the whole production radiates adrenaline (‘I Want to Live in a House’) and positivity (‘Body and Soul’).
Angus: “Geez people make me sick when they’ve had a root. They start creeping around all secretive and smart arse like they’ve discovered the lousy atom or something.”
Jackie: “Knowing my luck I might crack it, then some nuclear holocaust will come along and ruin my career.”
Angus: “Or worse still, your hairdo.”
That is a line worth remembering just before the end credits roll.
Starstruck was nominated for best costume design but lost to Mad Max 2. It was nominated for best production design but lost to Mad Max 2. And was nominated for best musical score but lost to, as you would expect, The Man from Snowy River, that real toe tapper of a film.
My favourite scene is the big finish production at the Sydney Opera House that includes frantic choreography from David Atkins, and even a dancing Geoffery Rush in his second film. He is cutting a rug pretty well, crawling around the floor, before throwing our Angus off stage. Angus then finishes the film rolling down the Opera House steps with the Ice Cream Girl (Kaarin Fairfax aka Mary Jo Starr).
Honourable mention has to go to ‘Tough’, with an even better pool scene than anything in Showgirls. The rooftop pool of the Koala Motor Inn (now Koala Oxford Hotel) on Oxford Street never looked so much like a very, very small Esther Williams production for three whole minutes.
Starstruck is no Monkey Grip, and I for one am very glad about that.
Starstruck hosted by Maynard is screening at the Sydney Underground Film Festival on 12 September 2026 at Factory Theatre, followed by a post screening DJ set! Tix here.
