Hacker Cinema
The Castle
1997 · Film · 85 min
Directed by Rob Sitch
The quirky Kerrigan family lives together in a makeshift home they built themselves – with great pride and a bizarre attention to detail – a few yards from the edge of Melbourne, Australia's busy Tullamarine Airport. When a building inspector condemns the building and reveals that the government plans to use their land for an airport expansion, Darryl Kerrigan and his brood recruit hack attorney Dennis Denuto and prepare themselves for the fight of their lives.
9 positive2 neutralfrom 11 commenters
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11 comments on Hacker News
I’ve spent some time down under myself, and I would hope if you were to ever find me lacking, to the degree that you needed to take care of me, that you have the foresight to have that moment on camera, because such a photograph ought to go straight to the pool room.[0]
[0] (For those who haven't seen The Castle (1997), you really owe it to the Australians in your life to make an appointment with yourself to do so at your earliest convenience. Here's the scene from the film in question which originated one of my favorite bits of Aussie slang:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCtMTbKX6_I
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Castle_(1997_Australian_film) )
"Tell 'em, they're dreamin'" *
Rupert Murdoch always has to have his cut. Still a leech.
* The Castle (1997 movie)
If one film about people living near an airport isn't enough, I can recommend an Australian film The Castle (1997). It's a comedy, total classic.
I’ve followed a few of your posts on this and I’m sorry that things have worked out this way.
I think there were always some nay-sayers around in replies, but I appreciated what you were trying to do and despite the negative outcome am glad you at least gave it a shot.
Thanks for sharing your story on hn, I feel like I got to learn a lot vicariously.
There is a fantastic Australian film called “The Castle” (that you won’t regret watching!), but there’s a line from it where the main character is facing failure (and about to lose his entire neighbourhood)
“I don’t know what the opposite of letting someone down is. But you’ve done the opposite.” T Thanks for fighting to do the right thing. The world needs more people like you.
> What should I watch to learn more about kiwis in Australia
Watch “Housos” (TV series or movie): from an Ocker POV it is partially about trailertrash kiwis in Ozzie. If visiting Australia, “The Castle” is important cultural background, and I personally love “A Moody Christmas” which is on Netflix here.
> kiwi land, what comedy culture should I familiarize myself with?
Kiwis tend make serious productions. If you are approximately middle aged, you could try watching Billy T James (TV series or movie). Here’s some funny history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTFEZiKItLs although I’m unsure it would be wise for new foreigners to apply that humour locally here. There’s some very unfunny historical stuff here https://www.nzonscreen.com/collection/kiwi-comedy-on-tv if it isn’t blocked overseas, it probably should be.
I have always suspected there is some sort of derper connection between Canadian’s and Kiwi’s. . . poor bastards.
I'm hesitant to declare anything "the best", but The Castle is certainly guaranteed a spot in the top 10 Aussie films ever made. Unfortunately I live overseas these days and can't find it to stream anywhere. Might have to get someone to send me a DVD with some Tim Tams.
The Castle is honestly required viewing if you're Australian. Amazing movie
If anyone would like to watch a comedy film about a similar topic, 1997's "The Castle" [0] is a beloved* and oft-quoted classic in Australia, that follows a family fighting the compulsory acquisition of their home for an airport expansion.
It is _very_ dense with its cultural references, so many jokes might slip by unnoticed if you aren't from Australia, but I would still recommend it for its good-natured charm.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Castle_(1997_Australian_film)
* especially by legal professionals
Eh, all movies get tech wrong, then there is Castle with it's spinning cubes cybernuke hacking scene.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7Hn1rPQouU
It only bothers me when it's a documentary, but if it's fiction, well, computers and networks are mystical to most people, you don't want to disappoint them with the mundane reality. The same goes for investors too, they also like things dressed up because people like things dressed up. Half of the tech industry is mundane, trivial stuff dressed up, made mystical.
I was talking about the latter - using section 51 of the constitution to acquire the intellectual property (the Australian Government can make a law to compulsorily acquire property from citizens "for any purpose" but only "on just terms").
My reasoning is that they're a lot more likely to have another "The Castle" episode (great movie, by the way) while he's alive rather than when the copyright is assigned or inherited to somebody else after his death.
Easily said if you’re not one of the latter category, I suppose.
I am all for the compulsory purchase of property for very large infrastructure projects like this. Protection of worker safety is less negotiable.
Pertinent to this discussion, if you haven’t seen the wonderful Aussie film ‘The Castle’, you should.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpqT_l7QcBM