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#14894 01/16/01 09:29 PM
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I saw the Australian film "The Dish" last night. It contained a perfect example of the trailing "but" as anastrophe (or substitute for however/though if you prefer to think of it like that):

"She's a lovely girl."
"Not much of a driver, but."

This usage is certainly not a recent fad, although you wouldn't want to use this film (set in New South Wales, Australia in 1969) as a source of accurate historical information, given the poetic licence apparent at times. I can date my first experience of the "terminal but" to January 1976 - on a bushwalking trip I met a guy from New South Wales whose use of it was so chronic that we nicknamed him "But".

And you've gotta see the film if you get the chance, for these reasons, amongst others:
1. Classic example of the Australian sense of humour (he says, at the risk of being accused of rash generalization).
2. Great nostalgia trip back to the Apollo 11 mission, for those who are old enough.
3. The soundtrack (mostly pop songs from the era) ain't half bad.
I just hope it travels OK - it's a bit hard for me to judge how it will be received elsewhere.


#14895 01/17/01 03:36 AM
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Posts: 3,146
Carpal Tunnel
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Saw it, loved it, forgot about it for years. Yes, worth seeing - as is "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert".



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
#14896 01/17/01 04:17 AM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
stales Offline OP
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Seeing the flick was a pilgrimage for me, having worked as a geologist out of Parkes, NSW during 1984. A girl from my grad class was working as a trainee Astrophysicist at "The Dish" and gave me the grand tour one night. (The fact that she had an Honours degree in Geology with only first year physics was, both she and I thought, a bit puzzling considering the role for which she was selected!!)

Either the film people had brilliant set builders or they saved a mint on set costs. Although it's been 16 years since I visited the facility, the interior scenes WERE filmed inside the building.

I second everybody's recommendation that y'all see the film. It's an absolute scream, factually pretty good and a good insight to Australia of the late 60's.

For those that've seen it, is your place like ours is now? - every time my wife reprimands me in front of friends or guests I reply with a quick, sotto voce, "Elbows!!"

stales


#14897 01/17/01 04:31 AM
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CapK saw it, loved it, forgot about it for years

which is no mean feat for a movie released in Australia in October 2000 and due for UK and US release this year.

Re stales' "factually pretty good" comment, I did a bit of research on it today, and found quite a lot of supporting information provided by the Parkes radiotelescope people, and a lot of rebuttal from the "rival" Honeysuckle Creek (also in Australia) mob. Fascinating reading, but I won't go further for fear of spoiling the plot for potential viewers.


#14898 01/17/01 07:25 AM
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Carpal Tunnel
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Ooops. Wrong movie, I guess. I remembered an Aussie movie about "guys in the bush" and laughed my way through it years ago. Just assumed it was the same one! After seeing Stales' eulogistic comments, it definitely wasn't!

Sorry folks.



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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