Perhaps the most interesting aspect common aspect apparent in films such as Strictly Ballroom' (1992), Muriel`s Wedding' (1994) and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' (1994) is the new acceptance of the ugliness, vulgarity and ignorance present in Australian society. These aspects of Australian life are embodied in characters like Muriel in Muriel`s Wedding' or Mitzi in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'. Australia is charactered as a cast of colourful, freakish characters. In this way these films take the culturally weak positon in which Australia is in the supporting cast of the world stage and turn it into a strength. 5) These film reveal that parts of Australian culture are monstrous - but no more monstrous than parts of other cultures. The difference is that Australian self-denigration is an important part of the culture, alongside its celebratory self-promotion.6) .
If the Australian films of the 90`s show tolerance and humour towards the ugly' aspects of Australian, it is interesting to trace the relationship between these films and the 70`s ocker films, which on the surface, appear quite similar in their characterization. Ocker films also had their fair share of colourful, freakish characters, but instead of the lending an air of acceptance through humour and quirkiness, these characters, for the most part, reflect the unease of the Australian identity of the time.
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2.2 The ocker cycle' of the early 1970's.
The ocker cycle' of the 1970`s oscillated between implication and denunciation. It`s freaks and monsters [.] confirmed the unflattering image of Australia as an uncultured, untutored, unsophisticated place, full of bumpkins and possibly inbred wolf-wits.7).
The Australian Ocker films' of the the early 70`s such as "The Adventures of Barry McKenzie- and "Alvin Purple- confirm this distasteful cinematic era. The whole ocker film era was not a basless celebration of non-culture, but rather a reflection of the de-dominization process occuring at the time.
