Summer City

Summer City (also known as Coast of Terror) is a 1977 Australian drama thriller film, filmed in Newcastle, Australia. The film also features Mel Gibson in his debut role. Plot In the early 1960s, Sandy, Boo, Scollop and Robbie drive to the beaches north of Sydney for a surfing weekend. The boys are planning 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 comes looking for Boo with a gun. 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.