‘Razorback’ (1984) – 35th Anniversary Retro Review

Directed by Russell Mulcahy
Starring Gregory Harrison, Arkie Whitely, Bill Kerr, and Judy Morris
Released November 16th, 1984

A dingo ate my baby! The story of Azaria Chamberlain, who was accused of murdering her child back in 1980, most likely inspired Razorback, the 1984 Ozplotation classic that made the Australian outback seem even more dangerous than it already did. The opening scene of Director Russell Mulcahy’s (Highlander 1986) film shows distraught grandfather Jake (Bill Kerr: Gallipoli 1981) watch as his 2 year-old grandson is brutally snatched by a feral pig. After being cleared of charges of murder due to lack of evidence, the man makes it his ultimate goal to destroy the creature that devastated his family. After American journalist Beth (Judy Morris: Happy Feet 2006) goes missing in the same area, her husband, Carl (Gregory Harrison: Trapper John, M.D. TV series), treks to the outback to unearth the truth of his wife’s fate. While dismissed by some as a mere Jaws cash grab, Razorback beautifully and disturbingly depicts the age-old tale of humankind fighting nature tainted by humans.

When watching Razorback again, I was mostly in awe of how great the film looks for a 1984 release, which prompted me to research it in a little more in depth.

• The amazing look of the film was not an accident: Razorback was among the first to utilize a new prototype film stock from Kodak that resulted in incredibly robust high definition shots for the time. Carl’s hallucinatory trip through the outback showcases the cinematography of Dean Semler, who was hired based on his work on Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981).

• Though Razorback does not stand with other “man vs. nature” films of the time in its legacy, it is certainly a film that should be revisited and appreciated for its accomplishments. A boar that can rip apart the house that it is chained certainly deserves massive respect. Upon seeing the vision quest sequence, Steven Spielberg called Director Russell Mulcahy to find out the secrets of his effects.
• One of the most expensive aspects of the film was a full-sized, animatronic razorback that was used for mere minutes in the final product.

• Razorback may not have been a financial success, however, Mulcahy has been a prolific director ever since. The song “New Moon On Monday” from Duran Duran can be heard in the film, a band that hired the filmmaker to direct many of their videos before and after Razorback. He was reportedly hired to direct Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) because of his “Hungry Like The Wolf” video. He would also go on to direct Highlander (1986) and 39 episodes of the MTV series, Teen Wolf.
• Carl was portrayed by Gregory Harrison while also playing heartthrob Dr. George “Gonzo” Alonzo on the extremely popular television program, Trapper John, M.D.
• Arkie Whitely, who plays the lovely boar researcher Sarah, worked on Mad Max: The Road Warrior (1981) with Cinematographer Dean Semler. She died tragically at the age of 37 from adrenal gland cancer.
• The Australian DVD and Blu-ray releases features four deleted scenes that were cut to achieve the desired rating for the theatrical version.

Are you a fan of Razorback? Did you see it in theaters? Let us know in the comments!