Director Mark Hartley is doing for Oz Rock what he did for ‘Ozploitation’ with his award-winning and very entertaining documentary Not Quite Hollywood (2008). That is, creating a celebratory and nostalgic cultural history that stitches together more than 100 interviews with classic and unseen footage from the period.
Produced by Cathy Rodda and Craig Griffin, Sweat It Out! is story of the rise and fall of the iconic and entirely unique Australian music scene, affectionately dubbed ‘Oz Rock’. It was loud, it was live and it was often dirty and masculine, with strong roots in pub culture.
This was a movement that spawned countless bands and artists, some of whom went on to conquer the world, many of them still high on radio rotation.
Sweat It Out! has been acquired for distribution in Australia and New Zealand by Umbrella Entertainment and will release in 2025. (In North America, the film will be released by Hannover House and known as Play it Loud!.)
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Director Mark Hartley says: ‘For 110 dynamic minutes Sweat It Out! will catapult audiences right into the heart of Oz Rock to witness firsthand a celebration of homegrown talent, passion and ambition. Trust me – the music will be loud – an immersive front row experience in cinemas across Australia, New Zealand and around the world.’
According to Umbrella’s media release, ‘Hartley and his team have conducted more than 100 insider interviews with Australian rock legends across Australia and the US, from Crowded House in New York to Rick Springfield in Malibu – with a stop-over at Kirribilli House to chat to our Nation’s biggest Oz rock fan.’
By which, of course, they mean Australia’s PM, Anthony Albanese.
The bands celebrated in Sweat It Out! include:
- AC/DC
- Air Supply
- The Angels
- Australian Crawl
- Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs
- Col Joye
- Cold Chisel
- Crowded House
- The Cruel Sea
- Daddy Cool
- Divinyls
- Do Re Mi
- Dragon
- The Easybeats
- Hoodoo Gurus
- Hunters & Collectors
- Hush
- Icehouse
- I’m Talking
- Jenny Morris
- Jimmy Little
- Johnny O’Keefe
- Little Pattie
- The Little River Band
- Marcia Hines
- Men At Work
- Mental As Anything
- Midnight Oil
- Models
- Mondo Rock
- Normie Rowe
- Paul Kelly
- Powderfinger
- Rose Tattoo
- Russell Morris
- Sherbet
- Silverchair
- Skyhooks
- Split Enz
- The Sports
- You Am I
- Zoot
Hartley says, ‘Whilst the film is nostalgic at heart, the theme of cultural identity and the influence this era and its music still has on Australia today is significant.
‘Sweat It Out! is a tale of oversized, colourful characters who risked it all – and the legions of fans who joined them on their journey, sweating it out in the tiny inner urban pubs, massive outer suburban beer barns and jam-packed provincial hotels.
‘It’s about the undeniable energy and direct attack of Australian bands and their tribal fans, knowing that yes, it was a long way to the top – and most wouldn’t get there – but giving it their all anyway.’
Hartley’s other films include documentaries Electric Boogaloo: the wild, untold story of Canon Films (2014) and Machete Maidens Unleashed (2010), about Filipino genre filmmaking. His features include Patrick: Evil Awakens (2013) and slasher horror feature Girl at the Window (2022).
Umbrella Entertainment’s recent theatrical releases include box office hits Talk To Me, Late Night With The Devil, Birdeater and surf documentary You Should Have Been Here Yesterday.
Production credit: Sweat It Out! is a City Films Worldwide and Cathartic Pictures production. Producers are Cathy Rodda and Craig Griffin, with Amanda Pelman (Firm Hand Management) as Executive Producer, along with Ari Harrison, Jeff Harrison, Richard Bach, Bob Hesse, Eric Parkinson, Steve Cooper, Mark S. Berry and Duane Farley. Produced in association with VicScreen. International Sales by Hannover House who will release the film in North America under the title Play it Loud!
For updates on the bands, interviews and production, see the Facebook page for Sweat It Out!.
