The film Cool Change maybe one of those forgotten Australian 80's made movies, that's been stored away in a box, probable marked R.I.P gathering dust like so many of our Australian made greats that may never see the light of day again. But those who have watched Cool Change will not have forgotten the performance made by Jon Blake in this politically based saga.
The Producers for Cool Change seemed to have a real message that they thought needed to be heard and seen, because the events in the High Country regions of the Australian Alps at the time of the making of the movie in 1986 had a truth to it that most of the country weren't aware of happening.
Unfortutately Cool Change suffered at the box office due to the similarities it drew to another Australian made movie " The Man from Snowy River" made in 1982 inspired by the poem written by "Banjo Paterson" that linked Cool Change to its other big flaw, its location which identifies similar to again, "The Man from Snowy River".
I don't think the viewers can be blamed to draw similar comparisons of both films, given that Geoff Burrows was the Producer for The Man from Snowy River and executive Producer for Cool Change, George Miller was the Director for both films and the music score was by Bruce Rowland for both movies and not to mention the location for both movies and many of the extras used in both movies were the same.
It's hard to be critical of Cool Change because it had the right formula's to make a good movie, spectacular scenery, a good plot, a message, family dramas, a political scenario, action, climax to a big finally show down when good triumphs over the bad guys and humour.
But added to all of these elements of making a good film, the most important is the acting and the actors used for the film and l don't think anyone making a film in the 80's could have gone wrong casting a talent like Jon Blake. The inspiration that man brings to life on screen is a talent that only very few have, another is of course Mel Gibson and even though you cannot compare the two talents, they both possess the same qualities and that is you just want to keep watching them act.
