For the band, see Smash Palace (rock band)

Smash Palace (rock band)

Smash Palace are a power pop rock band currently based out of Southern New Jersey.-Pre-Smash Palace:Brothers Stephen and Brian Butler originally led a new wave-power pop band called Quincy...

.

Smash Palace is a New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 feature film, released in 1981. It was directed by Roger Donaldson

Roger Donaldson

Roger Donaldson is an Australian-born New Zealand film producer, director and writer who has made numerous successful movies. He was a co-founder of the New Zealand Film Commission.-Life and career:...

 and starred Bruno Lawrence

Bruno Lawrence

Bruno Lawrence was a New Zealand musician and actor.Initially notable as founder of 1970s musical and theatrical "Blerta", he had well-regarded roles in several major films, and starred on the 1990s Australian satirical TV series Frontline.-Biography:Born David Charles Lawrence in Worthing, West...

, Anna Jemison, Greer Robson

Greer Robson

Greer Robson-Kirk born is a New Zealand television actress well known for her role in the Television Drama, Shortland Street.-Biography:...

 and Keith Aberdein. The film has an R16

Office of Film and Literature Classification (New Zealand)

The Office of Film and Literature Classification is the government agency in New Zealand that is responsible for classification of all films, videos, publications, and some video games in New Zealand...

 rating.

Critical review

The film features a number of excellent performances, notably those of Bruno Lawrence and the ten-year-old Greer Robson. It was successful in its home land, and received good critical reviews in the United States, with Pauline Kael

Pauline Kael

Pauline Kael was an American film critic who wrote for The New Yorker magazine from 1968 to 1991. Earlier in her career, her work appeared in City Lights, McCall's and The New Republic....

 describing it as "amazingly accomplished", and the New York Times picking it as one of its ten movies of the year. Bruno Lawrence received an award for Best Actor at the 1982 Manila Film Festival for his portrayal of Al Shaw. Movie website Internet Movie Database rates the film 7.4/10.

The soundtrack was composed and performed by Sharon O'Neill

Sharon O'Neill

-Albums:*1979 - This Heart This Song*1980 - Sharon O'Neill*1980 - Words*1981 - Maybe*1983 - Foreign Affairs*1983 - Smash Palace *1984 - So Far - The Best 14...

.

Synopsis

The film centres around a car wrecking yard called Smash Palace, where Al Shaw (Lawrence), a former racing driver, lives with his unhappy French wife Jacqui (Jemison). Jacqui begins a relationship with Al's best friend, local cop Ray Foley (Aberdein). After a violent argument she leaves Al, taking daughter Georgie (Robson) with her. Al kidnaps Georgie, but is cornered in Smash Palace, and agrees to hand her over in return for Ray.

The setting for Smash Palace is a car dismantling business, Horopito Motors, which has existed on the same site since the 1940s, at Horopito

Horopito, New Zealand

Horopito is a locality in the North Island of New Zealand.It lies on State Highway 4 between the village of National Park and the town of Raetihi.Horopito was the setting for the 1981 New Zealand feature film Smash Palace...

 near Ohakune

Ohakune

Ohakune is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located at the southern end of the Tongariro National Park, close to the southwestern slopes of the active volcano Mount Ruapehu. Part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region, the town is 70 kilometres northeast of Wanganui, and 25 kilometres west...

. Scenes from Goodbye Pork Pie

Goodbye Pork Pie

Goodbye Pork Pie is a 1981 New Zealand film directed by Geoff Murphy and written by Geoff Murphy and Ian Mune. The film is considered to be one of New Zealand's most popular films, and has been described as Easy Rider meets the Keystone Kops....

were also shot there.