Midnite Spares

Midnite Spares is a 1983 Australian action film starring Gia Carides, James Laurie, Max Cullen, Graeme Blundell, Bruce Spence, David Argue and Jonathan Coleman.

Midnite Spares
VHS cover
Directed byQuentin Masters
Screenplay byTerry Larsen
Story byJohn Fitzpatrick
Produced byTom Burstall
StarringGia Carides
James Laurie
John Clayton
Max Cullen
Graeme Blundell
Tony Barry
Bruce Spence
David Argue
Jonathan Coleman
CinematographyGeoff Burton
Edited byAndrew Prowse
Music byCameron Allan
Production
company
Distributed byRoadshow Films
Release date
1983
Running time
87 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
BudgetA$2.6 million[1]
Box officeA$417,000 (Australia)[2]

Plot

Steve Hall (James Laurie) is a young sprintcar driver from Toowoomba who has returned home to Sydney to team up with his dad Ted and his business partner Tomas (Max Cullen) in their towing and panel beating business "T&T Towing", as well as to team up with his dad who is also a Sprintcar driver at the local speedway. He arrives to find his dad has mysteriously disappeared and Tomas is being pressured to be part of an illegal "chop shop" ring.

After continuing to resist joining the ring, Tomas is set up and painfully discovers (having his arm broken by a tyre iron) the group of car thieves involved in "midnite spares" (the stealing and chopping of cars to send interstate) were responsible for Ted's untimely death. The thieves are headed by bent Police Detective Howard (Tony Barry) and dodgy businessmen Vincent (John Clayton) and Sidebottom (Graeme Blundell). Steve and Tomas' tow truck drivers Wimpy (Bruce Spence), Rabbit (David Argue), and their friends pursue the criminals and attempt to capture them, following Tomas' advice to Steve "Don't get angry son, get even."

Steve also meets and falls in love with Ruth Mintos (Gia Carides) and the pair have to convince her old fashioned mother Maria (Tessa Mallos) as well as her Uncle Harry (Terry Camilleri) that they want to be together and get married. Steve also tries to prove his prowess at the wheel of a sprintcar at Sydney's Parramatta City Raceway against Sydney and Australia's leading drivers including Garry Rush, George Tatnell, Rob Worthington (who also doubled as Steve when racing), Terry Becker, Bob Blacklaw and Steve Brazier.

Cast

Production

During shooting, camera operator David Brostoff was killed in an accident at the Parramatta City Raceway.[3]

References
  1. Adrian Martin, "Midnite Spares", Australian Film 1978-1992, Oxford Uni Press, 1992 p132
  2. "Australian Films at the Australian Box Office", Film Victoria Archived 9 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine accessed 24 October 2012
  3. David Stratton, The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry, Pan MacMillan, 1990 p275-276


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