Ray Argall introduced this showing of his personal collection of films from the 80s that he has been restoring.

Beginning with a 1987 promotional film for community radio, we see gorgeously freshfaced young 80s music lovers with eyeliner and big hair talking about the importance for young people of radio like 3PBS and 3RRR. Then quietly cued one after the other are 15 or so 80s music video clips, beautifully restored.

It’s a nostalgia trip but also an opportunity to appreciate music video artistry on a big screen. There’s the Black Sorrows on Bourke Street Mall with shots of Coles and Billy Guyatts behind them, Celibate Rifles in someone’s lounge room, Renée Geyer rubbing Michael Gudinski’s head and force-feeding music studio bigwigs.

Some of the cell animation feels innovative even today, particularly the Flotsam and Jetsam clip directed by Lucinda Clutterbuck (I think). Argall spoke afterwards with great warmth for his experiences and admiration for today’s young people, making music videos on zero budget, streaming straight to YouTube.

MIFF is where you see content like this. You’ll never see it elsewhere because of the nightmare of rights and egos. I left with Sharon O’Neill’s Maxine echoing around my head.