Barry McKenzie holds his own [DVD]

This sequel to “The Adventures of Barry McKenzie” begins with Barry and his Aunt Edna enroute to Australia via Paris) after their London holiday (the subject of the original film). While in Paris Aunt Edna is kidnapped by a pair of secret agents, who mistake her for the Queen of England, and transported to Transylvania where the tourist Commissioner Erich Count Plasma plans to use her to boost the country’s tourist industry. With his mates and his twin brother by his side, Barry enlists the help of Australian ambassador Sir Alec Ferguson (Ed Deveraux dressed perpetually in baggy shorts and long socks) and a daring rescue mission is launched. After the successful rescue mission, Barry and Edna are repatriated back to Australia where they are welcomed at Sydney airport by the Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and his wife Margaret (playing themselves). The film was one of the few Australian features after 1970 to be made without government money. This DVD re-release of the second Barry McKenzie film, is packaged to highlight the retro appeal of seventies ‘ocker’ comedy. Written by Barry Humphries and Bruce Beresford ; photography, Don McAlpine ; music, Peter Best. Cast includes Barry Crocker, Barry Humphries, Donald Pleasence, Dick Bentley, Ed Deveraux, Roy Kinnear, Frank Windsor, Clive James, Gough and Margaret Whitlam.