>... that David Baddiel, Germaine Greer and Francis Wheen were discussing on BBC2 on Sunday night. I think it's called "Crusher", but anyway it's based on the autobiography of notorious Australian murderer "Crusher" (can't remember his name). And it got dropped by Murdoch in Australia after protests. And now we're getting it, presumably because the UK market is considered less sophisticated.
>
>What'e the word in Sydney, or wherever you live, about this, Janet?
>

It's called Chopper and is based on the seven or eight autobiographies of notorious Aussie serial killer Mark 'Chopper' Reid. I don't know heaps about him but 'Chopper' used to go around brutally murdering loads of figures in the Sydney underworld in, I think, the 70s and 80s.

He eventually was imprisoned and then went on to write all his autobiographies, which became best sellers. He was released a few years ago to the delight of Australia's tabloid print and TV journalists.

He is most famous in recent years for being the first guest on the chat show "Elle McFeast Live", his appearance lead to the show being cancelled. Basically Chopper appeared on the show very drunk and he proceeded to tell loads of stories about how he killed people.

I watched it live and it wasn't great television, but the response from the media was a bit of an exaggeration and it seems unfair to call for the cancellation of the show on those grounds alone.

It should have been cancelled because it was rubbish, which it was.

I hope that explains things a bit.

I'm impressed he wrote 9 autobiographies. He certainly paced himself well.

Silly question:

If he killed loads of people, why did he get released?

>I'm impressed he wrote 9 autobiographies. He certainly paced himself well.
>
>Silly question:
>
>If he killed loads of people, why did he get released?

I'm don't know. Perhaps as the people he killed were nasty pieces of work they thought they'd set him free? No, that wouldn't happen.

Actually I don't think they ever proved that he did a lot of the things he did (and talks about in his autobiographies). I think they locked him up for something a bit more trivial. Or maybe I'm getting him mixed up with Al Capone or whoever that 20s/30s gangster was who was locked up for tax evasion.

He got someone in The Big House to cut his ears off so he could be transferred to another wing, after fearing retribution from the friends of someone he had stabbed to death in the wing he was on.

>>Silly question:
>>
>>If he killed loads of people, why did he get released?
>
>I'm don't know. Perhaps as the people he killed were nasty pieces of work they thought they'd set him free? No, that wouldn't happen.
>

I can't find where I got this information from (sorry), but:

He reckons he was given "the green light" from the local police department to zip about "offing" the people he did. As they were "hoods". Obviously, the Police denied this.

Not sure what he was initially imprisoned for, but he certinly killed someone whilst he was in there, and at least one after he got out, so I don't know whether he went back or not... suspect not though, as he thinks of himself as an ex-criminal.

On a lighter note, I have seen a pic of Janet somewhere, with a ray-gun.

For God's sake, give us the link to it.

Let's see who she really was all along...

>Not sure what he was initially imprisoned for, but he certinly killed someone whilst he was in there

I don't know why, but the use of the word "whilst" in that particular sentence made me laugh.

>What'e the word in Sydney, or wherever you live, about this, Janet?
>
Sydney?? Hrrmph. Melbourne, Jon, Melbourne. The city with the big comedy festival.
Sheesh.
Hang on, I don't understand - Chopper wasn't dropped off anything as far as I know. Maybe there was some TV broadcasting problem, but it was one of the top grossing films in Australian cinemas this year. Pretty good too, if a little...unsavoury at times. The lead actor, Eric Bana, was absolutely spot on in his portrayal of Mark "Chopper" Read. Keep an eye on late night TV when/if they show 'Full Frontal' - Bana stars in it.

Ah yes, Sam D, the ray gun shot. You've obviously found The Planet website.
Jon, to put you out of your misery, go to www.back.to/theplanet and feel free to grafitti the message board. (I may regret this)

>What'e the word in Sydney, or wherever you live, about this, Janet?
>
Sydney?? Hrrmph. Melbourne, Jon, Melbourne. The city with the big comedy festival.
Sheesh.
Hang on, I don't understand - Chopper wasn't dropped off anything as far as I know. Maybe there was some TV broadcasting problem, but it was one of the top grossing films in Australian cinemas this year. Pretty good too, if a little...unsavoury at times. The lead actor, Eric Bana, was absolutely spot on in his portrayal of Mark "Chopper" Read. Keep an eye on late night TV when/if they show 'Full Frontal' - Bana stars in it.

Ah yes, Sam D, the ray gun shot. You've obviously found The Planet website.
Jon, to put you out of your misery, go to www.back.to/theplanet and feel free to grafitti the message board. (I may regret this)

No, they definitely claimed that Fox dropped the distribution because of adverse publicity.

Funnily enough, I was going to put Melbourne, but then thought "Oh no, hang on, she said Sydney, didn't she".

But it's all the same anyway, except one of them has an Opera House, the other has the set of Neighbours.

Well whoever is distributing it is laughing all the way to the bank (and no doubt hoping Chopper doesn't hold it up)

I take it the picture of him wearing sun-glasses was taken afore the ear incident.

I don't think anyone in the film industry is worried about being held up by a Chopper. It's normal day to day business. Bu-bum.

Re: What Chopper was put away for.

Chopper was imprisoned for the bungled abduction of a judge and then, because he felt the crime wasn't hard enough to garner him respect inside, he stabbed the jail "daddy" a few times.

That's what it said in the article I read, anyway. He might be talking balls.

Re: another quality Australian film - go and see The Dish when it's released there.
Quirky, endearing, funny, moving.
The Dish is set at the huge satellite dish in Parkes, NSW, which transmitted the TV images from the moon landing to the rest of the world.
Great 60s fashions and house fittings, plus Sam Neill in a cardigan like the one my grandad wore.

>Re: another quality Australian film - go and see The Dish when it's released there.
>Quirky, endearing, funny, moving.
>The Dish is set at the huge satellite dish in Parkes, NSW, which transmitted the TV images from the moon landing to the rest of the world.
>Great 60s fashions and house fittings, plus Sam Neill in a cardigan like the one my grandad wore.

It is FAB! I saw it at the London Film Festival last week and the mostly Aussie audience loved it. I hope it gets general release here as it certainly deserves it.

I was surprised - Rob Sitch is a much better director than I previously thought. Helps having good editors doesn't it?