‘Thirst’ 4K UHD Review (Indicator)
Stars: Chantal Contouri, Shirley Cameron, Max Phipps, Henry Silva, Rod Mullinar, David Hemmings, Rosie Sturgess, Robert Thompson | Written by John Pinkney | Directed by Rod Hardy
As a fan of Australian genre cinema, I find 1979s Thirst to be a fascinating, often overlooked entry in the country’s horror canon. Directed by Rod Hardy, this film stands as an intriguing bridge between the Ozploitation movement of the 1970s and the more refined horror-thrillers that would emerge in the 1980s. While it may not have the same raw, aggressive energy as Wake in Fright (1971) or Long Weekend (1978), it carves its own niche by blending Gothic horror with the uniquely unsettling atmosphere of Australian psychological thrillers.
What immediately sets Thirst apart is its distinct take on the vampire mythos. Rather than leaning into traditional European folklore, Hardy and screenwriter John Pinkney reimagine vampirism through the lens of a shadowy cult, which feels more in line with Australian horror’s penchant for paranoia and isolation. The film follows Kate Davis (Chantal Contouri), an ordinary woman who finds herself abducted by a sinister organization known as “The Brotherhood.” Rather than being hunted by classic fanged monsters, she is subjected to medicalized blood harvesting and psychological torment, which ties into the film’s broader themes of control, submission, and the dehumanizing nature of institutions.
This reworking of vampire tropes places Thirst within the broader spectrum of Australian genre films that twist familiar conventions into something uniquely unsettling. The 1970s was a defining period for Australian cinema, with government funding initiatives encouraging filmmakers to push boundaries. Horror and exploitation films thrived in this era, often focusing on themes of societal breakdown, psychological disintegration, and the dangers of the untamed landscape. Thirst, in contrast, moves away from the outback terror that defined contemporaries like Razorback (1984) and instead embraces a clinical, almost dystopian aesthetic. The Brotherhood’s sleek, corporate facilities and eerie cultish demeanour recall the growing fears of surveillance and systemic control that were emerging in late 20th-century horror.
While Thirst isn’t as fast-paced or lurid as some of its Ozploitation counterparts, it shares their experimental spirit. The film plays with dreamlike imagery, psychological horror, and an ambiguous sense of reality that sets it apart from the more blood-soaked offerings of the era. Its thematic preoccupations feel oddly ahead of their time, foreshadowing later films like Daybreakers (2009), which similarly depicted a scientific approach to vampirism.
Although it remains somewhat underappreciated, Thirst deserves recognition for its contribution to Australian horror. It exemplifies the country’s genre filmmaking ethos – challenging norms, reinterpreting myths, and delivering eerie, atmospheric storytelling with a distinctive edge.
Special Features:
- Original mono audio
- Audio commentary with director Rod Hardy and producer Antony I Ginnane (2003)
- Thirst: A Contemporary Blend (2022): retrospective interview with Ginnane
- Archival TV interview with actor David Hemmings (1979)
- Archival audio interview with actor Chantal Contouri (1979)
- ‘Not Quite Hollywood’ Interviews (2008): extensive selection of outtakes from Mark Hartley’s acclaimed documentary on Australian cinema, featuring Hardy, Ginnane, cinematographer Vincent Monton, and actor Rod Mullinar
- Appreciation by the academic and Australian cinema specialist Stephen Morgan (2024)
- Isolated score
- Original theatrical trailer
- TV spots
- Image gallery: promotional and publicity material, and behind the scenes
- Limited edition exclusive 80-page book with a new essay by Diane A Rogers, exclusive extracts from producer Antony I Ginnane’s unpublished memoirs, archival interviews with actors Chantal Contouri, David Hemmings and Henry Silva, and film credits
Thirst is out now on Blu-ray and 4K UHD from Indicator.
