The Real Macaw Review

The Real Macaw

Release Date: 26th September 1998 - Australia

Production Companies

Adelaide Motion Picture Company

Becker Entertainment (presents)

Australian Film Finance Corporation Limited

Bellwether Films

The South Australian Film Corporation

New South Wales Film and Television Office

Film Queensland

Genre: Family

Rating: G

Runtime: 92 minutes

Budget: $5,000,000 (estimated)

Box Office Gross: $741,876 (Australia)

Plot Summary

In 1870, a pirate in the
Amazon captured a macaw
parrot and took it aboard
his ship, along with
priceless temple treasures.
The pirate, the bird and
the treasure drift

somewhere in the South
Pacific after a fallen lamp
sets fire to the ship. The
parrot watches the wounded
pirate bury it on a deserted

island, then dies.

The year is 1997 in Sydney,

and the parrot is the same!
Mac lives with his old pal,
the loveable Grandpa, and
is now 149. His 15-year-old
grandson, Sam, also

adores Grandpa. But their

fun-filled world is shattered

when Sam's father

discovers Grandpa is in

heavy debt and organises

the sale of Grandpa's

lifelong home and his move

to a "pet-free" retirement

centre.

The prospect of being

separated from his

grandfather is too much for

Mac to bear, and he reveals

to a stunned Sam that he

can talk. Talk for real! Plus,

he knows where the buried

treasure lies! So Sam and

the eccentric Mac set off

to find the treasure.

Cast

Jamie Croft - Sam Girdis

Daniel Murphy - Mac (Voice)/Pet Store Owner

Jason Robards - Grandpa Girdis

Joe Petruzzi - Rick Girdis

John Waters - Dr. Lance Hogan

Deborra-Lee Furness - Beth Girdis

Gerry Connolly - Lou Rickets

Robert Coleby - Mr. St. John

Petra Yared - Kathy Girdis

Nathan Kotzur - Scarlatta

Kevin Hudes - Businessman on Plane

Penny Everingham - Nurse Gimlet

Murray Shoring - Dr. Thompson

Anna-Maria La Spina - Museum Receptionist

Simon Chan - Phillip

Tango - Mac

Crew

Director - Mario Andreacchio

Based on an Original Story/Screenplay/
Co-Producer - Bruce Hancock

Based on an Original Story/Screenplay -
Matthew Perry

Executive Producer - Richard Becker

Producer - Margot McDonald

Co-Producers - Tim Prescott and
Rocky Bester

Casting Director - Ann Fay

Macaw Trainer - Peter Gregg

Production Designer - Ross Major

Art Director - Michael Rumpf

Set Decorator - Lisa Brennan

Director of Photography - David Foreman

Stunt Coordinator - Danny Baldwin

Editor - Edward McQueen Mason

Supervising Sound Editor - Wayne Pashley

Production Sound Mixer - Paul 'Salty' Brincat

Re-Recording Mixer - Pete Smith

Music - Bill Conti

Review

Greetings, everyone. Here's another review, a family movie this time! When we think about family movies with live animals that take up the spotlight from human actors, Babe is a worthy example of a film that is a rising success both worldwide and in Australia, where most of the filming took place. However, few of its competitors filmed in Australia did not achieve that same recognition, and each was left out financially at the box office. South Australian filmmaker Mario Andreacchio has a tough time because his all-animal kid movie Napoleon wasn't the success he hoped for. He nevertheless got tapped in to direct the feature as another bird-centric film named Paulie is about to make its way in theatres for that same year. THE REAL MACAW didn't do so well with its low box office receipts and got shipped into direct-to-video packaging for American audiences. Nothing in the film got altered and re-edited except for the macaw's voice, which was re-dubbed by John Goodman.

THE REAL MACAW is too predictable for a family movie. It addresses some themes that were all tried and true, especially the inner turmoil of family, which is one of its main issues. Fortunately, the film directs the viewers' attention to its delightful comedy and its feathered star, a wisecracking bird full of personality and spunk and voiced by the ad-libs of the original actor, Daniel Murphy. This actor is much better at giving the parrot its squawk than John Goodman did for the American version.

All the cast was spearheaded by some unrecognisable film talent in Australia, except for Jason Robards, the only American actor in the movie, and, to a lesser extent, Jamie Croft. The late actor is so out of place in this movie that even his role as the grandfather couldn't save him in a forgettable film forcibly marketed to international audiences. Croft provides a solid performance as the young boy desperate to save his grandfather from being sent into a retirement community and having financial problems.

THE REAL MACAW is just too average. It's much harder to find in a bargain bin in a second-hand retail store as if it were a rare bird (no pun intended). All of you will understand this critique that this movie isn't good enough for the entire family audience.

Star rating: (5/10) Average

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