Barry "Bazza" Crocker

Dubbed from a cassette that someone sent me a while back- this LP on the Transatlantic label was released in 1972 not long after the film The Adventures of Barry McKenzie.

"THE ADVENTURES OF BARRY MCKENZIE was based on satirical comic strip "The Wonderful World of Barry McKenzie", drawn by New Zealand artist Nicholas Garland and written by Humphries for Private Eye magazine in the 60s by. Humphries' story of the Ocker innocent abroad gave him and Beresford a chance to lampoon both the Australians and the British in the broadest and bawdiest 'Carry On' style -- but always with a laconic Aussie twist.

Aussie critics (typified by National Times' windbag P.P. McGuinness) were appalled by its gauche ockerism and they panned it. Audiences adored it and it was a runaway success, becoming the most successful and popular all-Australian film ever made up to that time. In many senses it was the first truly Australian feature film for decades, even though most of the action takes place in London. It makes an interesting counterpart to THEY'RE A WEIRD MOB, filmed in Australia with a mostly Australian cast, but made by a British director and starring an Italian actor. In the 1980 book The New Australian Cinema producer Phillip Adams remarked on the casting, saying that that few local actors had ever played a broad Australian role or could "do" the ocker accent. Australian imitations, he said, were reserved for comedians. 'Serious' performers affected a mid-Atlantic drawl (or a BBC English accent).

If you accept its limitations, and understand the time and context in which it was made, you'll find that the movie is for the most part hilarious. Crocker's outrageous performance has never been bettered -- he is perfect for the part, and Humphries too does a star turn, playing four parts, including Barry's aunty Edna Everage (pre-damehood), "Hoot", the English jesus-freak hippie musician, and "Dr Delamphrey" (a role he reprised in the sequel).

The plot is simple -- young Barry, chaperoned by his Aunty Edna, must travel to London in order to collect an inheritance. Arriving in Blighty, he meets up with his old mate Curly and proceeds through a series of misadventures at the hands of assorted "Pommy bastards", charming numerous Pommy sheilas along the way."

Some of the songs were written by Barry Humphries .

Barry went on to become a big star in his native Australia.
Barry has his own My Space page HERE.


Barry "Bazza" Crocker - A Pub With No Beer

Barry "Bazza" Crocker - Earls Court Blues

Barry "Bazza" Crocker - Bridle Hanging On The Wall

Barry "Bazza" Crocker - Where Have They Gone?

Barry "Bazza" Crocker - Washed Down The Gutter

Barry "Bazza" Crocker - Swaggie Jock


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