With thanks to Kay
The plastic Blu-ray case is packaged within a cardboard slip case with artwork by Olivier Coulon and comes with a separate leaflet (easily lost!).
The blu-ray includes the 60 minute TV (Australian
) version and the full 90 minute movie (international
) version which was released to cinemas. This was the first colour musical movie ever to be made in Australia but it only had limited release in the Australian cinemas so an edited 60 minute version was sold to TV. Black and white TV at the time rather defeated the main plot about rainbow sheep. Source: The Age, Dec 12 1966
The 90 minute movie (international) version is of excellent quality with a very sharp picture. However, the colour for the 60 minute version has been enhanced to an unrealistic level, but the picture is sharp, so much so that at one point you can see the teenage blemishes on Ian Trupie's face. The 60 minute version is said to be a fully restored 2k Australian edition
.
The extras include an interview with Joanne Rankin's, daughter of the movie's producer Roger Mirans. A special highlight is the seven minute segment where Joanne talks about Olivia. She claims that it was only because of Ian Turpie, Olivia's boyfriend at the time, that Olivia got a part. Ian only starred in the movie because Olivia was given a part and he had convinced Roger, the producer, that Olivia could sing. Joanne says that, in retrospect, her father regretted that Olivia only had one song in the movie as she performed it so well. Joanne has an amusing story about being a passenger in Ian's car with Olivia in the front seat. Joanne also claims that at one point Olivia tried to buy the movie to prevent it from being shown.
Andrew Mercado runs through Olivia's movie history (the ones shown at the cinema not TV movies) but this is rather perfunctory.
Above: Olivia, 17 and Joanne Rankin, 15 in Funny Things Happen Down Under 1965. Joanne now (2025).
There is no information on the disc about the original date of Funny Things but it is said to be 1965 whereas press from this time points to a Christmas 1966 release, possibly after failing to find a domestic market in late 1965. It was previously released onto VHS video for the Australian rental market only in the late 80s.
Contents: Funny Things Happen Down Under international (movie) version: 90 minutes. Funny Things Happen Down Under Australian (TV) version 60 minutes.
Extras: interview with producer's daughter Joanne Rankin (35 mins); Andrew Mercado on Olivia Newton-John (6 minutes); Adventures of the Terrible Ten - Four episodes (1 hour 15 minutes); Footage taken straight from the TV version of Ian Turpie performing his solo song (2 minutes).
Label: Umbrella Entertainment Pty Ltd
Country: Australia
Blu-ray Catalog#: DAVID4962.
Released: August 6 2025
Blu-ray: Region B
Above screengrabs from the 90 minute cinema (international) version. Below screengrabs from the 60 minute TV version
