Malcolm's getaway car splits into two to avoid the police
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/collection/hero_image09-2016/malcolm_film_still_2.jpg

Malcolm

Malcolm

Malcolm is a beloved Australian comedy from 1986 about a mechanical genius played by Colin Friels. Directed by first-time director Nadia Tass, the central character of Malcolm was inspired by her brother.

Screenwriter David Parker designed and helped build many of the inventive gadgets used by Malcolm in the film. The most memorable of these is incidentally the largest item in the NFSA collection - the yellow getaway car that memorably splits in two during the film.

Malcolm: 'I just want a room'
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
34859
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

Frank (John Hargreaves) comes to rent the spare room at Malcolm’s house. He has seen a notice in the milk bar up the street, but he’s surprised to hear that Mrs T (Beverley Phillips) and the neighbour Jenny (Judith Stratford) are following his progress. Malcolm (Colin Friels) runs through the questions Mrs T has told him to ask, without waiting for Frank to answer. Once inside, Frank is amazed to see Malcolm’s tram set-up.

Summary Paul Byrnes

Malcolm: the getaway cars
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
34859
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

Malcolm (Colin Friels) shows Frank (John Hargreaves) his version of a getaway car, gleaned from watching television shows. Frank takes the opportunity to make an unofficial withdrawal at a bank, but is completely taken aback when Malcolm shows him what the car can do.

Summary by Paul Byrnes

Malcolm: 'The oldest trick in the book'
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
34859
Courtesy:
c
Year:
Year

Judith (Lindy Davies) coaxes Frank (John Hargreaves) and Malcolm (Colin Friels) to go for a walk. Malcolm wants Frank to explain how he gets the money in a stick-up, but the demonstration goes wrong. In the pub later, Frank’s friend Willy (Chris Haywood) can’t stop laughing. The barmaid (Heather Mitchell) tries not to join in.

Summary by Paul Byrnes

WARNING: This clip contains coarse language
Poster for the film Malcolm
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/09-2016/460062_0006-resized.jpg
Poster for Malcolm
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
460062
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

Poster for the film Malcolm (1986) showing Colin Friels as Malcolm sending his remote control car to the corner shop for milk.

Part 1: Nadia Tass and David Parker interviewed by David Stratton
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
368368
Courtesy:
David Stratton
Year:
Year

Frustrated by the types of films Australia was making in the 1980s, David Parker says he was encouraged by actor Colin Friels to write his own script – something he had never previously attempted.

Film crew on the set of the movie Malcolm 1986
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/09-2016/355726-resized.jpg
Crew on the set of Malcolm
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
355726
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

Film crew on the set of the movie Malcolm.

The crew film Malcolm, Judith and Frank riding in Malcolm's DIY mini tram
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/09-2016/594457-resized.jpg
Crew filming Malcolm's DIY mini tram
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
594457
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

After the heist the three criminals escape in a more completed version of the min tram that Malcolm built and use for joyride at the start of the film.

The crew are using a street registered car as a camera dolly. A dolly is a device used in filming to create smooth horizontal camera movements, often tracking moving action. The camera is mounted to the dolly and the camera operator and focus puller usually ride on the dolly to push the dolly back and forth. 

Portait of John Hargreaves as the criminal, Frank.
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/09-2016/594407-resized.jpg
John Hargreaves as the criminal, Frank, in Malcolm
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
594407
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

Actor John Hargreaves as the small time criminal, Frank. Frank meets Malcolm when he answers an advertisement in the corner shop window saying that Malcolm has a room to rent.

Lobby card for the film, Malcolm.

Part 2: Nadia Tass and David Parker interviewed by David Stratton
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
368368
Courtesy:
David Stratton
Year:
Year

Nadia Tass and David Parker talk about the involvement of actor Colin Friels in the film and casting Friels as the central character, Malcolm.

Malcolm demonstrates his getaway car
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/09-2016/594409-resized.jpg
Malcolm demonstrates his getaway car
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
594409
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

Malcolm (Colin Friels) and Frank (John Hargreaves) demonstrate the getaway car's unique features to an unsuspecting Judith (Lindy Davies).

Lobby card for the film, Malcolm.

Part 3: Nadia Tass and David Parker interviewed by David Stratton
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
368368
Courtesy:
David Stratton
Year:
Year

First time director, Nadia Tass, had to convince the crew she knew what she was doing while learning on the job.

One half of the getaway car surprises two shop assistants
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/09-2016/594453-resized.jpg
One half of Malcolm's getaway car surprises two shop assistants
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
594453
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

The stunt driver is clearly visible in this film still from the movie. Apparently the two halves of the car were notoriously difficult to control. Actor Chris Haywood took one for a spin and crashed.

Malcolm's getaway car splits into two
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/09-2016/361153-resized.jpg
Malcolm's getaway car splits into two
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
361153
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

Malcolm's getaway car splits into two halves so it can travel up narrow alleyways and avoid the police. The filmmakers had to have three cars, two of which we cut right down the middle with an angle grinder and a hacksaw.

Lobby card for the movie, Malcolm.

Three remote controlled garbage bins stage a hold up
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/09-2016/594467-resized.jpg
Malcolm's three remote controlled garbage bins stage a hold up
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
594467
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

Looking like members of the Kelly Gang, Malcolm's three remote controlled office garbage bins stage a hold up.

All three bins were built over a six-wheel drive, radio controlled toy and the ash-tray sections on top flipped up to reveal a gun, a fire extinguisher and the third bin has a clown's head which could blow ping pong sized smoke bombs.

Part 4: Nadia Tass and David Parker interviewed by David Stratton
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
368368
Courtesy:
David Stratton
Year:
Year

Raising the budget to make Malcolm involved some sacrifices as well as an inventive approach worthy of Malcolm himself.

The two halves of Malcolm's getaway car plunge into a river
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/09-2016/594473-resized.jpg
The two halves of Malcolm's getaway car plunge into a river
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
594473
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

Malcolm's getaway car comes to an untimely end, plunging into a river.

The filmmakers used a Honda Z as the getaway car. They had a complete car which split in two on a rig to film the actors and they had one that had wheels and ran along with stunt drivers in it.  They had a third car as well. Two cars were cut right down the middle with an angle grinder and a hacksaw.

Lobby card from the film, Malcolm.

Malcolm sits on the curb sending his remote controlled car to the corner shop for milk
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/09-2016/594475-resized.jpg
Malcolm sends his toy car to the shop for milk
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
594475
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

Malcolm sits on the curb sending his remote controlled car to the corner shop for milk.

Lobby card for the film, Malcolm.

The cast Colin Friels, Lindy Davies and John Hargreaves
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/09-2016/594483-resized.jpg
Colin Friels (Malcolm), Lindy Davies (Judith) and John Hargreaves (Frank)
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
594483
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

The cast of Malcolm, Colin Friels (Malcolm), Lindy Davies (Judith) and John Hargreaves (Frank).

Lobby card for the film, Malcolm.

Poster for the Yugoslavian release of Malcolm
https://www.nfsa.gov.au/sites/default/files/09-2016/1014860_0003.jpg
Poster for the Yugoslavian release of Malcolm
NFSA-ID:
NFSA ID
1014860
Courtesy:
Cascade Films
Year:
Year

Malcolm was a critical and box office success, winning eight AFI awards and being released in 22 countries.

The Yugoslavian title for the film on this poster is, 'Incredible Malcolm'.