Celebrating 40 years of New Zealand film: Goodbye Pork Pie (1981)

Goodbye Pork Pie.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Screen brings us the stories behind some of our most notable local films.

Released in 1981, Goodbye Pork Pie was our first local blockbuster, taking over $1 million at the box office, and going on to be sold to more than 20 international territories.

Directed by Geoff Murphy, the tale of two men on the run in a yellow mini has earned a rightful place in Kiwi pop culture history, embedding its catchphrase "We're takin' this bloody car to Invercargill boy" along the way. In 2017, a remake of the film – Pork Pie – was released, directed by Murphy's son Matt.

Here Goodbye Pork Pie lead actor Kelly Johnson remembers struggling with the film's initial success and coming to terms with its legacy.

Embed Kelly Johnson ScreenTalk excerpt:

You can watch the original trailer for Goodbye Pork Pie here:

See more great New Zealand film moments here, in NZ On Screen's Film Commission Collection.