| Fat Pizza vs. Housos | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Paul Fenech |
| Written by | Paul Fenech |
| Produced by | Paul Fenech Joe Weatherstone |
| Starring | Paul Fenech Elle Dawe Kevin Taumata Tahir Bilgiç Rob Shehadie Johnny Boxer Paul Nakad Nick Giannopoulos Angry Anderson Vanessa Davis Jason "Jabba" Davis |
| Cinematography | Mike Kliem |
| Edited by | David Rudd |
| Music by | Theme song by Heaven the Axe [1] |
| Distributed by | Transmission Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $750,000 |
| Box office | $554,003 [2] |
Fat Pizza vs. Housos is an Australian film based on the combination of the stories and characters of the SBS series Pizza and the comedy series Housos , both created by Paul Fenech. The film began screening in Australian cinemas on 27 November 2014. [3] [4] [5]
After serving 15 years in jail for assaulting a health inspector with a chainsaw, pizza chef Bobo Gigliotti is released. Upon his release, he and his Mama attempt to reopen Fat Pizza, their former business in the fictional Sydney suburb of Hashfield. They soon find that due to rent increases since the time they were last in business, the only place that they can afford to reopen their pizzeria is in the infamous housing commission suburb of Sunnyvale. Employing many of their previous workers including Sleek the Elite, as well as a few locals, their re-establishment in Sunnyvale results in conflict with the local housos, notably Shazza Jones, Franky Falzoni and Kev the Kiwi. [3] [6] [7]
The movie briefly includes references to Fenech's two other television series, with Franky Falzoni stealing a van belonging to Swift and Shift Couriers early in the film and a segment from Bogan Hunters being shown on TV in a scene where Franky is watching television.
The film features a "thongarang", which is a boomerang made of two bolted-together thongs. [8] [9]
The film was written and produced in only 10 months on a modest budget of around $1 million. [10] [11] Filming occurred in western Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. [6] The film is dedicated to Alfred "Freddie" Fenech OAM. [12] [13]
The movie features almost the entire all-star cast of the TV series "Fat Pizza" and "Housos". Notable among those missing is Rebel Wilson who played Toula in "Fat Pizza". Producer Paul Fenech noted that her high profile status in Hollywood made it difficult for her to find time to return to Australia for filming. [14]
Fat Pizza vs Housos debuted at 8th place in Australian movie ticket sales, earning $280,604 in 52 theatres during its opening weekend. [15] It was the only Australian-made film to feature in the weekend's top 10. [15] [16]
Long after 1000 sensitive, lyrical mood pieces have been forgotten, there'll surely be a place in Australian film history for the unsinkable Paul Fenech – writer-director-star of Fat Pizza, Housos vs Authority, and now Fat Pizza vs Housos, in which the characters from two of his knockabout TV comedies go head to head on the big screen.
Ara Natarian, Mohammed Hammoud and Bill Etri portray Ara, Mo and Lil' Abdul, respectively, members of the Sunnyvale International Brotherhood. Gregory Tank, Alex Romano, Persia Blue, Trey Minty and Derek Boyer reprise their respective roles as Tank, Jimmy the Junkie, Brandine, Stalky, Ashley and Bubbles from Housos .
Brendan "Jonesy" Jones portrays Campbell Abbott, the premier of New South Wales. Nick Giannopoulos portrays a taxi driver. Sam Greco portrays Dino Falzoni, Franky's brother. Vince Sorrenti portrays a real estate agent who leases the Fat Pizza shop to Bobo and Mama. Kerser portrays a Sunnyvale rapper, and Kyle Sandilands cameos as a victim of one of Franky's thongings.
George Kapiniaris makes an uncredited cameo, reprising his role as Ronnie McDoggle in the post-credits scene. Mark Duncan, Mike Duncan and Joe June also make cameos, reprising their respective roles as Mark Tanner, Mike Tanner and Jackie Leungfeung from Swift and Shift Couriers . Additionally, Ian Turpie makes an uncredited cameo via voice recordings as Keith Warne from the aforementioned show.
Fat Pizza is a 2003 Australian comedy film based on the Pizza television series, both of which were created, produced, written and starred in by Paul Fenech. It features Rebel Wilson's first movie credit.
Fat Pizza is an Australian comedy television series created by Paul Fenech. The series premiered on SBS on 24 April 2000 where it aired for its first five seasons between 2000 and 2007 before moving to 7mate for its sixth and seventh seasons, in 2019 and 2021, respectively. The series has a spin-off feature length movie, Fat Pizza, released in 2003, and a best-of highlights video and DVD that featured previously unreleased footage and a schoolies exposé, released in 2004. In addition to this, a theatre show entitled "Fat Pizza", starring several characters from the show, toured the Australian east coast. In 2014, the storyline of the series was combined with that of Housos to create the motion picture Fat Pizza vs. Housos. The film was shown in Australian cinemas from 27 November 2014.
Paul Fenech is an Australian filmmaker, film and television actor, director, producer and writer. He is best known for writing, directing, producing and starring in the television series Pizza, Swift and Shift Couriers, Housos,Bogan Hunters, Fat Pizza: Back in Business and Housos Vs. Virus: The Lockdown, as well as the motion pictures Fat Pizza (2003), Housos vs. Authority (2012), Fat Pizza vs. Housos (2014) and Dumb Criminals: The Movie (2015).
Jason Davis, known professionally as Jabba, is an Australian actor, media personality, video jockey, television and radio host, who first made a name for himself as part of the launch of subscription television in Australia in 1995. He was a host for music television station "Red" on the now-defunct Galaxy subscription television network, before the channel changed its name to Channel V. Jason the jabba was part of a famous Incubus live performance at a secret gig in Bondi 2002.
Alex Romano is an Argentine-Australian actor. He has starred in all of Paul Fenech's TV series; as DJ BJ in Pizza, "Alex" in Swift and Shift Couriers, and "Jimmy the Junkie" in Housos. He grew up in the Western Suburbs of Sydney, Australia, after he migrated there with his family in 1981.
Tahir Bilgiç is an Australian comedian, film and television actor, of Turkish descent. He is primarily an actor and comedian. He has written, directed and starred in live shows including "Lord of The Kebabs", "From Lebanon With Love" and "Straight Outta Compo" to name a few. He has appeared in 5 different Australian sit-coms and 3 feature films. He co-created and starred in "StreetSmart" (ch10) as well as coming with the initial idea and then co-creating "Here Come The Habibs" (ch9).
Paul Nakad is an Australian actor and rapper, best known by the name Sleek the Elite. He began performing music as Sleek the Elite in 1991, then appeared in the SBS television series Pizza as a character by that same name. He appeared on the first two seasons of Pizza from 2000 to 2001, and in the show's two spinoff films, Fat Pizza (2003) and Fat Pizza vs. Housos (2014).
Rob Shehadie is an Australian actor, writer and stand-up comedian, who has featured in television series such as "Pizza", "Swift and Shift Couriers" and "Housos". He has performed numerous stage show comedies across Australia and has made many appearances at schools and charity events. His filmography includes "Fat Pizza", a feature film that broke Australian box office records and "Fat Pizza vs. Housos". Shehadie and Tahir Bilgic created the TV comedy series Here Come the Habibs
Swift and Shift Couriers is an Australian comedy television series that first screened on SBS TV in October 2008. The series is produced, directed and written by Paul Fenech, who was also responsible for the comedy series Pizza. It is set around the staff of the fictional 'Swift and Shift' Courier Company, in the central business district of Sydney. Episodes have been partly filmed in Egypt, India, Thailand and the United States.
Brendan Jones is an Australian radio presenter, actor, media personality and motorcycling enthusiast.
John "Johnny" Boxer is an Australian television and film actor and commercial voice-over best known for his role as Bobo Gigliotti in Pizza.
Housos is an Australian comedy television series created by Paul Fenech for SBS, that screened on SBS One. The series is a satirical parody of low income Australian residents of fictional suburb Sunnyvale, New South Wales, who are living in Housing Commission public housing. In 2014, the series won the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Light Entertainment Program.
Housos vs. Authority is an Australian film, based upon the stories and characters of the Housos television series, created by Paul Fenech.
Bogan Hunters is an Australian comedy reality television series created by Paul Fenech for Seven Network's 7mate. The series provides an in-depth look into Australia's bogan subculture, as the Bogan Hunters traverse the nation looking for Australia's greatest bogan. The show first aired on Australia's 7mate on 13 May 2014 and on New Zealand's TV2 on 14 October 2014. The finale of season 1 aired on 15 July 2014 in Australia and on 9 December 2014 in New Zealand.
Trent from Punchy is a fictional YouTube celebrity. Trent first appeared in a YouTube video entitled Trent from Punchy, in a reference to the Western Sydney suburb of Punchbowl on 1 February 2008. The video purported Trent to be a real character, who was found by filmmakers at Punchbowl railway station and offered $20 in order to be interviewed on camera. Trent's antics and language gained notoriety, enabling the video to become a viral sensation.
Elle Dawe is an Australian film and television actress, comedian and model.
Kevin James Taumata is a Māori New Zealander Australian film and television actor.
Deadly Down Under is an Australian comedy reality television series on the Seven Network's 7mate. The series follows host Paul Fenech and presenters Jacquie Rodriquez and Elle Cooper in search of the deadly of the deadliest creatures and places in Australia. They dive with great white sharks, handle venomous snakes and wrestle crocodiles, meet with the survivors of deadly attacks and trawl the history books for the deadliest events on record.
Vanessa Davis is an Australian actress known for her roles in the Housos television series and movies. She studied for a degree in musical theatre at the Australian Institute of Music.
