Dark Age Blu-ray Review

Ozploitation (a portmanteau of Australia and exploitation) films are exploitation films – a category of low-budget horror, comedy, and action films – made in Australia after the introduction of the R rating in 1971.

I for one enjoy these types of films. Mad Max, Cars That Ate Paris, Turkey Shoot, and others. One of the ones I always wanted to see Dark Age, a little seen film about a giant crocodile. But due to studio closings, and distribution changes the film became almost a legend.

Directed by Arch Nicholson, Dark Ages tells the story of a crocodile nicknamed "The Dreaming Crocodile" who the Aboriginal people hold in God like fashion. The only problem is that this gigantic animal has gone and swam into a little local town and begins to eat a few people.

That's where heroic park ranger Steve (John Jarrett) steps in and with the help of the local Aboriginal tribe, and his ex girlfriend decides to capture the crocodile and move it to a remote location to live.

Unfortunately a group of drunk poaching locals aren't so nice, seemingly as the crock has killed a small boy in there town so they decide to hunt it down and kill it. That leads to some really great scenes of the crocodile defending himself to say the least.

The film, is a bit dated but still fun none the less. In fact it would make a great double feature with Razorback, another title to check out.

Dark Ages is now available on Blu-ray for the first time from the good folks at Umbrella Entertainment. A superb transfer to say the least and packed with special features

Audio Commentary with Actor John Jarratt and Executive Producer Antony I. Ginnane

A Bicentenary with Bite: Revisiting “Dark Age”- Panel discussion with film historians Lee Gambin, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Emma Westwood and Sally Christie

Uncut Not Quite Hollywood Interviews with John Jarratt and Antony I. Ginnane

-Living With Crocodiles: 1986 documentary with Grahame Webb, author of 'Numunwari', the book which inspired DARK AGE

Trailer and original US release Home Video trailers

-Image Gallery including rare press and promotional material

Needless to say a great film especially if you dig creature films like I do.

Overall 3 out of 5 Stars