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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1980s
    Movies - 1980s Movies - C 2 Mins Read

    Contagion (1987)

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    Mark Clifton (John Doyle, who would go on to become Rampaging Roy Slaven of the Roy and H.G. team) is an estate agent in Australia who is on his way to close a new deal when he witnesses a young hitch-hiker (Donna Jan Newby) being assaulted by two backwoods hermits on a dark remote road at night.

    His rescue attempt fails and he is captured and viciously raped in the woods by the crossbow-wielding ferals before he manages to escape and ends up at a luxurious secluded homestead.

    Here, he’s warmly welcomed by a beautiful blonde girl called Helen (Pamela Hawkesford), her bitchy sister, Cleo (Nathy Gaffney), and a mysterious older man called Roderick Bael (Ray Barrett) – a successful financier and trader who rambles endlessly about money and power.

    Falling under the trio’s spell (the offer of sex with beautiful women and lots of money often helps), Mark is told he can share in their success if he proves himself worthy by displaying courage, determination and ruthlessness (the “three fold path”) – and killing anyone who stands in his way, including his boss, his friend and his fiancée Cheryl (Nicola Bartlett).

    Only when it is too late does our hero realise that these three are ghosts (or delusions) and that the beautiful home is a ruined and abandoned house.

    The film – which certainly owes a debt to The Shining – was shot around Brisbane, Queensland, in just 35 days.

    Although intended as a telemovie or straight to video film, it was shot on 35mm with the hope of picking up a theatrical release, but it failed to attract interest.

    Mark Clifton
    John Doyle
    Cheryl
    Nicola Bartlett
    Roderick Bael
    Ray Barrett
    Cleo
    Nathy Gaffney
    Helen
    Pamela Hawkesford
    Trish
    Jacqueline Brennan
    Alec
    Chris Betts
    Frank
    Michael Simpson
    Henry
    Reg Cameron
    Psycho
    Michael McCaffrey
    Dero
    Tracy Nugent
    Weirdo Woman
    Deirdree Wallace
    Hitch Hiker
    Donna Jan Newby
    Doctor
    Allen Harvey
    Police Sergeant
    Michael Stanford
    Nursing Nun
    Rosemary Traynor
    Truckie
    Maurice Hughes

    Director
    Karl Zwicky

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