Phar Lap (film)
Phar Lap (also released as Phar Lap: Heart of a Nation) is a 1983 Australian biographical drama film about the racehorse Phar Lap. The film stars Tom Burlinson and was written by David Williamson.
Phar Lap
- Tom Burlinson
- Martin Vaughan
- Judy Morris
- Celia De Burgh
- Ron Leibman
Tony Paterson
- Hoyts Distribution (Australia)
- 20th Century Fox (United States)
- 11 August 1983 (Australia)
- 13 April 1984 (United States)
107 minutes
Australia
English
A$5 million[1]
A$9,258,884 (Australia)
Production[edit]
Producer John Sexton bought the rights to Phar Lap, a 1980 book by Michael Wilkinson. Extensive research was undertaken by David Williamson and Sexton, then Simon Wincer became involved.[3]
The Thoroughbred gelding who played Phar Lap was Towering Inferno. He was bred by Shirley Pye-Macmillan at Walcha, New South Wales and later owned by Heath Harris. Towering Inferno was killed by lightning on 15 April 1999. The real Tommy Woodcock played a trainer in the movie.[4][1]
Differences from country to country[edit]
The United States' version of the film plays out differently. 20th Century Fox, who bought the rights to release the film in the US, edited the movie to play out in a more traditional way. Instead of starting with his death as seen in the Australian version, the film opens with Phar Lap getting off the boat in Australia. The film continues like the original version and ends with his death. This was done to make the ending more dramatic, since residents of the United States were unfamiliar with the story of Phar Lap.
Box office[edit]
Phar Lap grossed $9,258,884 at the box office in Australia,[5] which is equivalent to $24,443,454 in 2009 dollars.
Wincer later admitted he was disappointed the film did not attract the 14- to 22-year-old audience, and thought it might have been due to the movie's relative lack of romance. However, it remains one of the most popular Australian films.[3]
Disney Studios wanted to release the film in the US but John Sexton and Wincer decided to go with 20th Century-Fox because they had done The Man from Snowy River (1982). Fox spent $300,000 on changes to the film, and released it in summer. "We got killed in the rush," says Wincer. "It got nice reviews, but didn't go much business."[6]
DVD release[edit]
The "2 Disc Collector's Edition" released in Australia as Phar Lap: Hero to a Nation by Roadshow Entertainment includes among the "extras" on the second disc a long audio recording of a conversation between Aaron Treve "Tommy" Woodcock and director Simon Wincer on 4 July 1984, and a short newsreel documentary The Mighty Conqueror, which would have been first screened c. December 1931.