Ozploitation is Australian exploitation cinema from the 1970s and ’80s, filled with brutal action, insane car stunts, sex, violence, and horror. Thanks to the rugged Australian landscapes and a lack of censorship, these films had a unique, unfiltered energy.
Thanks to Quentin Tarantino’s documentary Not Quite Hollywood (2008), Ozploitation finally gained the cult status it deserves. Here are the 10 best Ozploitation films ever made.
1. Mad Max (1979) – The film that put Ozploitation on the global map
Mad Max is the most famous Ozploitation film and the blueprint for post-apocalyptic cinema.
Mel Gibson plays Max Rockatansky, a cop who vows revenge on murderous biker gangs in a dystopian Australia.
The brutal car stunts, nihilistic tone, and extreme violence made the film legendary.
2. Wake in Fright (1971) – The ultimate Outback nightmare
This psychological horror film is one of the most harrowing and realistic Ozploitation movies ever made.
A schoolteacher gets stranded in a remote Australian town where alcoholism, violence, and moral decay reign.
The film features a notorious and disturbing kangaroo hunting scene, which led to it being banned for years.
3. Long Weekend (1978) – Nature strikes back
This eco-horror film shows how the Australian wilderness can be deadlier than humans.
A couple on vacation disrespects nature and is confronted by an inexplicable and deadly force.
With a haunting atmosphere and surreal horror, this is a unique and unsettling Ozploitation classic.
4. Razorback (1984) – Jaws with a giant wild boar
A monstrous killer boar terrorizes the Australian Outback in this cult monster movie.
With stylish cinematography and intense suspense, it’s one of the best Australian horror films ever made.
The film is often called the Jaws of the Outback.
5. Turkey Shoot (1982) – Pure Ozploitation chaos
This film is a brutal mix of dystopian sci-fi, gladiator-style violence, and sadistic torture.
In the future, prisoners are released into a jungle, where they’re hunted as human prey by the rich.
With absurd gore, mutants, and explosions, this is pure exploitation cinema at its finest.
6. Patrick (1978) – The Australian Carrie
This horror film about a comatose killer with telekinetic powers is as bizarre as it is scary.
Patrick can kill with his mind while doctors try to control him.
The film became so popular it inspired remakes and Italian knock-offs.
7. Dead End Drive-In (1986) – Post-apocalyptic punk chaos
This Mad Max-style cult film takes place in a post-apocalyptic drive-in cinema where youths are detained by the government.
Think punk, neon colors, extreme car stunts, and anarchy, all wrapped in a pure 80s explosion.
8. The Man from Hong Kong (1975) – Australian kung fu meets James Bond
This Australian kung fu film starring George Lazenby (ex-James Bond) is an explosive mix of martial arts and Ozploitation action.
The film is packed with stunts, kung fu fights, helicopter chases, and car explosions.
A bizarre, unique, and super cool cult classic.
9. Fair Game (1986) – The female Mad Max
A female wildlife ranger is hunted and assaulted by a group of violent hunters in the Outback, but takes gruesome revenge.
With brutal action scenes and a feminist undertone, this is one of the best female revenge films ever made.
10. Stone (1974) – Australian biker gang exploitation
This gritty biker film follows a detective who goes undercover in an outlaw motorcycle gang to solve a string of murders.
With real biker gangs, hard-hitting action, and raw Outback vibes, this is one of the most influential Australian cult films ever made.
Ozploitation is pure, raw, and unique
These films went further than Hollywood dared, with extreme action, boundless horror, and post-apocalyptic chaos.
