The Cars that ate Paris. The Plumber [DVD]

The Plumber: There is an unexpected knock on the door and Jilly (Judy Morris) an anthropologist, opens it to a strange man who says he is the plumber (Ivor Kants). Weir deftly crafts a tense thriller, as the man is not all he seems and Jilly is tormented by the man’s presence and mind games over the next five days as he totally disrupts her life. Her husband, a university doctor (Robert Coleby), seems oblivious to her anguish and just wants the shower fixed. Disturbing and unsettling in mood, set in a high-rise apartment block with large balconies that feel lifeless and unconducive to a happy life, Jilly plots to play the plumber at his own game and foils his plans. Written and directed by Peter Weir. Production company: SAFC/Channel 9/AFC, copyright by Salt Pan Films 1978/2004, produced by Matt Carroll. Also available on VHS [301733]. The Cars that ate Paris: Peter Weir’s directorial feature film debut is an offbeat horror story/fantasy about a small Australian country town called Paris. Giving the term ‘road kill’ a whole new meaning, the townsfolk of Paris make a living out of the victims of road accidents by allowing a crazy psychiatrist to conduct experiments on them. They also prosper from the cars that cause the accidents but death, destruction and mayhem ensue as the cars turn against the town. John Meillon is wonderful as the chipper Town Mayor and Terry Camilleri portrays the disbelief in his character’s predicament very well. Production Company was AFDC and Royce Smeal Film Productions with copyright by Salt Pan Films 1974/2001. Produced by Hal and Jim McElroy and written and directed by Peter Weir. Cast includes: Chris Haywood, Bruce Spence, Kevin Miles, Max Gillies, Melissa Jaffer, Max Phipps. Released on DVD by ScreenSound Australia. Also available on VHS [016312].