Dogs in Space (1986)

[7]

Writer/director Richard Lowenstein takes us inside the lives of a Melbourne punk band called Dogs in Space, living in a run-down house full of misfits, pissing off their neighbors with their late-night partying, and doing hard drugs between gigs. There’s not much by way of structured narrative here — but Lowenstein succeeds in creating a memorable, voyeuristic look into a subculture that’s equal parts liberating and frightening.

For rebels with and without causes, Dogs in Space offers some wish fulfillment. The sense of belonging inside the band’s house is palpable — everyone is welcome. At the beginning of the film, a nameless girl appears sitting on the front steps. Michael Hutchence (future lead singer of INXS making his big screen debut) comes out and simply looks at her, and she’s part of the gang, racing VW bugs, burning TVs, and sleeping well past noon. But membership has its dues, coming in the form of drug overdose and death for one character – the only thing giving the film any sense of climax and closure.

Lowenstein’s characters don’t often say what they’re thinking, so you’re left to fill in the blanks a lot of times. And at other times, there are multiple conversations going on at the same time, leaving you to focus on whichever you want. This all creates the film’s unique fly-on-the-wall perspective. I think the film could use a little more structure, and a lot of the punk music is just noise to me, but I appreciate Lowenstein’s approach. Even the overdose and death sequence is treated without judgment or aggrandizement. And Michael Hutchence (with whom Lowenstein would go on to direct many music videos) is clearly the star of the show — a mysterious, seductive, and almost feral performance.