STRICTLY ROMPER ROOM

STRICTLY BALLROOM (1992)
dir: Baz Luhrmann

ROMPER STOMPER (1992)
dir: Geoffrey Wright


STRICTLY ROMPER ROOM
Australian MAD #319, June 1993
w: Mark Juddery
a: Peter Wikinson

Mostly Australian month ends with two Australian movies most Americans have heard of, Strictly Ballroom and Romper Stomper, here mashed up.

Strictly Ballroom is about ballroom dancing hopeful Scott Hastings (Paul Mercurio) upsetting the community by doing his own moves and upsetting the community by ruining his chances of winning the championship with his own moves. Romper Stomper stars Hando (Russell Crowe), leader of a Neo-Nazi skinhead group and profiles their downfall.

Among the skinheads are Telly Savalas and Sinead O'Connor, who caused a scandal that year by “sucker punching” Saturday Night Live, when as musical guest she ended her act by tearing up a picture of the Pope on television without telling anyone in advance.

In Ballroom, Scott abandons his original dancing partner Liz (Gia Carides) in favor of Fran (Tara Morice), who appears to be a beginner but turns out to come from a long line of flamenco dancers.

The characters in Alien³ all have shaved heads as well. It has been nicknamed Skinheads in Space.