Mullet is an Australian film released in 2001, written and directed by David Caesar, and starring Ben Mendelsohn, Susie Porter and Andrew Gilbert.
In the film, Eddie (Ben Mendelsohn) returns to his home town on the south coast of New South Wales. Having left for the city without explanation 3 years ago, he tries to pick up the pieces of his life and fit back in to the lives of those he left, including his ex-girlfriend Tully (Susie Porter) and brother Pete (Andrew Gilbert). The title of the film comes from Eddie's nickname and from his attempts to make a living poaching mullet.
The film succeeds in a very human portrayal of the difficulties in living on the fringe of a close-knit community. The drama of the developing relationships is supported by very dry comedy (archetypical Australian humour) and detailed but understated design.
The film was based on a short story written by writer-director David Caesar. Caesar and Producer Vincent Sheehan stated that the budget for the film was approximately A$1 million. The film was shot in its entirety in the town of Kiama over four weeks in June 2000. Originally, Sheehan had intended to shoot interiors in Sydney, but found the cost of doing so was prohibitive within the film's budget. Production benefitted from the involvement of the local residents and the community, including the Kiama Knights rugby league club and cameo performances by Mick Cronin and Steve Starling, both well known Australian television personalities. While shooting was undertaken on a tight schedule, in it was eight years from first concept to completion.
It was the (beatboxing) that got me (beatboxing)
It was the (beatboxing) break (beatboxing)
Deflate cuz I was gassed
Head over heals in love with the electric drums
And spoken vocals which was the joke of locals
And laughing stock of my rock and roll ass town
But the rhythmic acupuncture pierced my skin
Pinning the butterflies to my stomach
Which would flutter everytime I heard the (beatboxing)
More than the (beatboxing)
I WAS NO DEVIL WORSHIPER
Higher level interpreter
I refuse to lose focus and recite satanic verses
With manic curses
Drug induced words I know they were saying
Kill your mother cuz it paid them well
Yet in my flashback I see the foreshadow
Ironic twist my first purchase was a hip hop record
Called raising hell
I should have run when I had the chance but DMC's
Made be wanna breakdance, made me wanna spin vinyl,
Made me wanna graff right, made me want to not act white
And not to perpetuate any stereotype but
I was not about the mullet icehockey haircut
You know the mullet, short on top for the fellas
Long in back for the ladies, yea!
I was not about stonewash nuthuggers with the french
Rolls on the bottom so tight that it turned my toes purple
Nor was I about the ripped jean jacket with the Megadeath,
Metallica, and Slayer patch
I had an internal itch for the (beatboxing) and never
Could I get with () guitar riff, () guitar riff, ()
I had wild style wars, I rented BEAT street every week
As I rocked steady wearing out the play rewind and slow mo
Buttons on my VCR
I did the pause-play, pause-play, pause-play, pause-play
All day forcing my way into comprehension of inner city invention for me it
Was in the expression which would eventually win me acceptance
(One exception) those around me couldnt give me affection
But I played and paid that video attention till I eventually I
Completely bit the (beatboxing)
And found my new religion, born again B-boy, born to destroy
Decoys and be the real mccoy, YEA boy!
I wore the clock so you could know the time
Chuck d told me to keep a sober mind, and even though his
Sidekick liked the flavor of BASE, I swear to god
Hip hop was about being drug free
I swear to god hip hop is about the upliftment of humanity
And I swear to god hip hop was what rock was not was what Bach
Was not was not pop, (pop! pshhhh)
Guess I was gassed!, see I remember when dr dre use to expressss
Himself about hating the chronic, a few years later he's
Endorsing it while drinking gin and tonic
Suburbanites that blast Mace learn their mad face from onyx
It was a rat race the first to properly use ebonics
Dynomite like JJ, but it was a fad like super sonic
Hip hop flipped from being artistic to a pop hit
Mainstream took control and we cannot stop it
It's a black art, being manipulated by white controllers
Just like rock and roll is... we took the (beatboxing)