Summer City

For the community in Tennessee, see Summer City, Tennessee.

Summer City (also known as Coast of Terror) is a 1977 Australian drama thriller film, filmed in Newcastle, Australia. It marked Mel Gibson's film debut.

Summer City
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Christopher Fraser
Written by	Phil Avalon
Produced by	Phil Avalon
Starring	Mel Gibson John Jarratt Phil Avalon Steve Bisley James Elliott Abigail Ward "Pally" Austin
Cinematography	Jerry Marek
Edited by	David Stiven
Music by	Phil Butkis
Production company	Avalon Film Corporation Studio
Distributed by	Intertropic films
Release date	22 December 1977 (1977-12-22)
Running time	83 min
Country	Australia
Language	English
Budget	A$66,000[1] or $200,000[2]

Plot

In the early 1960s, Sandy, Boo, Scollop and Robbie drive to the beaches north of Sydney for a surfing weekend. The boys plan to give Sandy a memorable 'one last fling' before his impending marriage. Tension flares between university-educated Sandy and ocker Boo when Sandy decides not to join in the fun. At a local dance, Boo seduces Caroline, the teenage daughter of a caravan park owner who discovers what has happened and finds Boo with a gun.^[1]

Cast

• Mel Gibson as Scollop
• John Jarratt as Sandy
• Phil Avalon as Robbie
• Steve Bisley as Boo
• James Elliott as Caroline's father
• Debbie Forman as Caroline
• Abigail as the woman in pub
• Ward "Pally" Austin as himself
• Judith Woodroffe as the waitress
• Carl Rorke as Giuseppe
• Ross Bailey as Nail
• Hank Tick as Caveman
• Bruce Cole as the man in car
• Vicki Hekimian as Donna
• Karen Williams as Gloria
• Gary Tidd as Rocker in Milk Bar
• Len Purdie as Rocker in Milk Bar

Production

The script was autobiographical, Avalon having been a passionate surfer for most of this life and grown up in Newcastle. He also served in the army for several years (although not in Vietnam). He says he offered the script to Brian Trenchard-Smith as director, but Trenchard-Smith suggested Avalon direct it himself because he knew the subject matter so well. Avalon eventually gave the job to Chris Fraser, a young director who had another project Avalon was going to produce.^[3]

The film was shot on 16mm and blown up to 35 mm. Shooting began in October 1976 and took place near Sydney and Newcastle, especially in the town of Catherine Hill Bay.

Avalon invested $25,000 of his own money. He had another investor provide $25,000 plus twelve friends who put in $8,000.^[3]

Release

The film proved popular and had a long run. It led to a sequel Breaking Loose (1988).