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MONEY
Did you know
Shot for just $1.4M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith
"The chant of the underdog"
1978 1h 53m EN
👍
6.7
SOLID
★6.7TMDB · 69
CrimeDramaHistory
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
The true story of a part Aboriginal man who finds the pressure of adapting to white culture intolerable, and as a result snaps in a violent and horrific manner.
“The chant of the underdog”
Cast
Tom E. Lewis
Jimmie Blacksmith
Freddy Reynolds
Mort Blacksmith
Ray Barrett
Farrell
Jack Thompson
Rev. Neville
Don Crosby
Jack Newby
Angela Punch McGregor
Gilda Marshall
Steve Dodd
Tabidgi
Peter Carroll
McCready
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Fred Schepisi
- Writers
- Fred Schepisi
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- Australia
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
48 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Fred Schepisi, shot by Ian Baker. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Bruce Smeaton. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Brian Kavanagh shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Tom E. Lewis and Freddy Reynolds and Ray Barrett carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "The chant of the underdog".
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0077318 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Fred Schepisi directs. Ian Baker behind the camera. Bruce Smeaton scores. Brian Kavanagh cuts. Produced in Australia. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Shot for just $1.4M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
- 248 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3Directed by Fred Schepisi, shot by Ian Baker. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Original score by Bruce Smeaton. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 5Editor Brian Kavanagh shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 6Tom E. Lewis and Freddy Reynolds and Ray Barrett carry the top of the cast.
- 7Marketing tagline: "The chant of the underdog".
- 8IMDB entry: tt0077318 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Only 69 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
- 10Classified under 11 themes, including "based on novel or book", "biography", "based on true story", "murder".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Ian Baker
- Original score
- Bruce Smeaton
- Editing
- Brian Kavanagh
- Production design
- Wendy Dickson
- Costume design
- Bruce Finlayson
- Makeup / hair
- Deryck De Niese
- Runtime
- 113 min · 1h 53m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $1,380,000
- Original language
- EN
Awards
- AACTA Award for Best Original Music Score
- AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.
Also by
Fred Schepisi
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
- VI
Victorian Film
AU
- TH
The Film House
AU
Key crew
- NovelThomas Keneally
- Makeup DesignerDeryck De Niese
- CastingRhonda Schepisi
- Production DesignWendy Dickson
- HairstylistCheryl Williams
- ProducerFred Schepisi
- Associate ProducerRoy Stevens
- Costume DesignBruce Finlayson
- EditorBrian Kavanagh
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- based on novel or book
- biography
- based on true story
- murder
- rampage
- criminal
- axe murder
- indigenous australians
- aborigine
- new south wales
- 1900s
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1980-09-03
Also known as
International titles
- Die Ballade von Jimmie BlacksmithDE
- Slik drepte de Jimmie BlacksmithNO
