| Erskineville Kings | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Alan White |
| Written by | Marty Denniss |
| Starring | Hugh Jackman |
| Music by | Soundtrack includes Louis Tillett |
| Release date(s) | 1 January 1999 |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Erskineville Kings is a Radical Media production made for Palace Films on a minimal budget and directed by newcomer Alan White. It was released on 1 January 1999.[1] The lead actor, Hugh Jackman won the FCCA award for Best Actor By Vincent S George - Male[2], for his performance as the brother of 25-year-old Barky, played by Marty Denniss, who comes back home after he hears about his father's death.
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The film deals with the story of two brothers. Barky, played by Marty Denniss, is 25 years old and returning home after two years of living in the northern sugar cane growing areas. He has returned home to attend the funeral of his father. The film begins with Barky's arrival at Central station at dawn, seeking the whereabouts of his brother, Wace. We learn from flashbacks that he left home two years ago to escape the clutches of his father’s violent rages. Wace, the older brother, is not too happy about Barky’s prolonged absence, having been left to manage looking after the father in his last years of life. After walking through the streets he finds an old mate of his, Wayne (Joel Edgerton), who assures him of the location of his brother. He succeeds in finding his brother through the help of Wayne and friends, who all end up a pub where it is revealed that Barky and Waces's mother left the family fifteen years earlier and that Wace hastened his father's death after he was struck down by a stroke. Barky also crosses paths with his ex-girlfriend, Lanny, and manages to rekindle the relationship. The film was filmed in the streets of Newtown and Erskineville, including inside Gould's Bookstore in Newtown. The title of the movie refers to the King's Hotel, a fictional hotel in which most of the movie takes place.
Erskineville Kings grossed $183,691 at the box office in Australia.[3]