REMEMBERING ALBIE THOMS

Underground filmmaking pioneer Albie Thoms was given a boisterous farewell in the inner-city suburb of Paddington, honouring a talent whose commitment to freedom of artistic expression helped shape 1970’s Australian film culture.

The event had been planned as a book launch for his dense autobiographical work, My Generation. But the radical auteur succumbed to the frailties of disease on November 28 at the age of 71, thereby turning a publish-date party into a much more vast celebration of a man whose creativity and drive to push the boundaries of our national cinema left an indelible impact upon the direction taken by the Australian film sector. The measure of industry pride in Thoms’ achievements was reflected in a lengthy address by producer Jan Chapman, though her words were effectively drowned out by the partying throng.

Works of his, most often produced under the legendary Ubu Films banner or whilst Thoms was a central figure in the free-spirited Sydney Filmmakers Co-op,  include such avant-garde classics as Poem 25, Blunderball or from Dr. Nofinger with Hate, A Sketch on Abigayl's Belly, Bluto, Bolero, In Key and Australia’s first feature-length underground film, Marinetti. Ubu screenings, first at the Greek Community Theatre opposite St Vincent's Hospital on Oxford Street then at a townhouse in Ann Street, Surry Hills, were pivotal events that brought together artists, authors and filmmakers in the bohemian inner-city.

Thoms love of surfing led to his involvement in the iconic beach-magazine ‘Tracks’ and the revered book, Surfmovies (he would use the name for a 1981 film profiling the sport). He also spent time as an integral cog in the industry machine when he developed projects for the Australian Film Commission. And he wasn’t above earning a quid on the side in true Aussie fashion, directing episodes of the TV series, Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. He also authored what many consider the definitive dissection of Australia’s film sub-culture in his book, Polemics for a New Cinema.   

The farewell at the historic Paddington Town Hall was an evening during which old friends (among them Bruce Beresford, Richard Neville and David Elfick) and new admirers (Claudia Karvan) gathered to remember a man who was as an Australian film industry trailblazer, an individual of unique social vision and, most importantly, a warm and committed family man.  

Lara Thoms, daughter: “Dad had us in his 40s, which allowed him to move from avant-garde filmmaker to radical suburban parent without too many people noticing. He unconditionally supported us, from driving 20 kilometres so as I could attend drama classes where I played Snugglepot in Snugglepot and Cuddlepie to supporting me when I wanted to lead rich young high schools out of the school in protest against Pauline Hanson. He always promoted himself as an anarchist, which drew opposing opinions in leafy Mosman. Dad was still working on his book at his computer on the day that he died.”

Gillian Armstrong, director: “When I first came to Sydney, I heard about The Filmmakers Co-op. I’d heard that on Sunday nights they would run your film, so I took my little film up these little stairs and I was incredibly nervous; I didn’t know anyone. After the film finished, two people turned around and said...something wonderful. The two people who turned around were Albie Thoms and Jane Oehr. It was the start of my screenings here in Sydney and Albie and I became very close friends.”

Bryan Brown, star of Thom’s 1981 film Palm Beach (pictured, right): “I got back from living in London in the late 70s and I wanted to be an actor. I was also writing so I submitted a script to the Australian Film Commission and I went to see three people about it. One was Albie Thoms, one was Jane Oehr; I can’t remember who the other one was. Albie said it was a piece of shit. Jane liked it, said I had a lot going for me. I’ve always like Jane.”

(Above: ABC news interview with Thoms and Martin Sharp, 1971.)
My Generation is available through Media 21 Publishing.