The Dirtwater Dynasty (1988) User Reviews (13)

A Stiring Epic

[rruckley-1 · 8/10 · 4 July 2005]

Awesome epic. Now available on DVD. Grew up watching this time and time again and now have the pleasure of re-watching it on DVD. Not a lot of features but who needs them. You have 7.5hrs of viewing pleasure. I have found an unnatural ability to quote every inch of this saga. I can only say it's left an impression on me. It was my first introduction to Hugo Weaving, way before the Matrix.

The music is what I remember most about this story. Very emotive. You can't help but feel sad at each turn of fate. Very different kind of story to movies such as LOTR, no special effects, just good story.

I recommend watching this if you love epics, Australia or a good sob story!

One of the finest dramas ever produced

[messysg1 · 9/10 · 25 May 2007]

I watched this epic when it was first released on Aussie TV. I was 18. I watched it again this week and enjoyed it even more. THis drama is well written, the cinematography is simply stunning and the talent is fabulous.

Hugo Weaving plays a magnificent portrayal of a man who's life long quest to build an empire in the Australia Outback.

Living in the Central West and well not really that far from Nevertire where the story is based, I understand the trials and tribulations of life in the bush.

Steve Jacobs by far is my favourite in this film.

I could watch this over and over. There are no special features, no fan fare or special effects. The film relies sole on a wonderful story and fantastic actors.

I highly recommend this to anyone!

Goofs

[Seahorse66 · 8/10 · 5 December 2005]

There were some goofs which spoiled the greatest Mini series ever. The most significant was the calculation of age as opposed to time. In 1897, David Eastwick was born, yet in 1902 he was nine years old, five years after being born. Nancy Eastwick was born around that time, yet her fake gravestone read 1906. Josh would have been around ten years older than Eastwick, yet they appeared to be the same age when they got old. Accuracy of age, particularly where children are involved is paramount when making films. Josh's narration states Eastwick was born around 1878, yet it appears his actual age is unknown due to him being raised on the streets.

Full of anguish and heartbreak

[Lesliepoealexan · 10/10 · 5 November 2004]

I was in Australia when this miniseries premiered, and raced home each night to watch it. My host, on the last night, handed me and his wife a box of tissues and told us we were going to need it. He wasn't kidding!!

The Eastwick family struggles through a century of world wars,famine, drought, and boon times but is cursed. Whatever Richard Eastwick loves, he loses. Whether it is bad timing or missed chances or just the normal "gotcha" of life, he has plenty of things, but no someone with which to share it. Beautiful cinematography, strong characterization and acting, haunting music, and Australia itself makes this miniseries unforgettable.

I, too, would like to own this on video or DVD. My host had taped the whole production, but I was unsure if the VCRs were compatible, so I left the videos there. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Please let us know if it ever becomes available for sale - even in Australia!

Best Aussie Mini-Series I have seen!

[Celesilme · 10/10 · 23 July 2004]

'This is the land of my childhood. The oldest land on earth. The place of endless summer and soaring skies. This is Australia. The Outback. A harsh and unforgiving land. I can look back on it now across the track of 80 years and still remember what it was like. Standing on the very edge of a new frontier. Nature seemed much grander then, the stars are closer, the sun is hotter, the rivers wider and in my minds eye I can see all of us, moving through this giant landscape like a strange nomadic tribe. We were the drovers, the prospectors, squatters, and shearers. We were bushmen, simple men. The shape of our lives hammered out by drought and fire. All except for one. The outback could never forge him. He forged the outback. Tonight I want to tell you about the only man who ever tamed this land. Richard Eastwick. From out of nowhere he built an empire, yet like any man who tries to write his will across the sky, he paid the price'

Wish it would be repeated!

[bloowood · 10/10 · 2 December 2001]

A very compelling saga spanning three generations of one family on both sides of the world. All characters were portrayed well adding to the emotional value. It also explained some of the usually unmentioned treatment of prisoners of war at the hands of the Japanese.

Dirtwater Dynasty- I got it on DVD

[trevwilliams63 · 10/10 · 7 April 2006]

Just read the last post on here and the person who posted it was saying how much they would love to own the DVD. Well, I got it,3 disc boxset,off ebay and it came from Australia,costing me a mere £21. So I just thought I would share this info with you as I had previously tried for years to get hold of this fantastic little known miniseries without success.Remembered watching it when it originally aired on BBC in 88/89 and since then it has always stuck in the back of my mind as aone of those "Must own" series. But now you know from someone who physically has it, it IS available on DVD. If ebay don't have it for sale,a trawl through the net may be in order but to be honest I would have paid twice as much to get hold of this. If I had any gripe with the series it was probably the absolute bad luck that befalls Mr Eastwick throughout his life seems to be never-ending.As smart as the ending is,I couldn't help but feel gutted for him at the way events had panned out and hoped it would give a happy ending.You will just have to watch all 8 hours of it if you have never seen it before to find out what happens. Like the previous entry said,have a box of hankies ready.I hope this helps any prospective owners out.

Oh No!! So close and yet so far away....

[Lesliepoealexan-1 · 10/10 · 29 January 2007]

I am so glad to see that The Dirtwater Dynasty has been released on DVD. This is the sad part - it is only out in PAL format, and I have NTSC. I don't suppose someone has been so nice as to dub it into the NTSC format? This is such a great mini-series, and a terrible loss to folks in the U.S. who won't get to watch it. It would be so nice if one of the independent networks would pick it up. After all, we can purchase "A Town Like Alice", which is another good one. Hugo Weaving is strong in his portrayal, that it is a shame it isn't better known outside of Australia. Oh well, I have waited a long time to purchase this mini-series. I guess a few more years won't make that big a difference. Something this powerful never leaves your mind, and the music you can never forget.

Great mini-series -

[ronyat · 10/10 · 18 February 2005]

I first watched "The Dirtwater Dynasty" on Channel 7 with my father. We were both glued to the TV. I was really upset for the fact that I didn't tape it. However, my cousin had taped it and I remember one time watching it over and over again. My dad and I LOVED IT so much. After my dad had a stroke he lost a lot of his speech, but I remember my dad saying to me "Eastwick" and I knew he was talking about this mini-series... I so much want to buy a copy of "The Dirtwater Dynasty" on VHS or DVD for my father. I have called the Australian Television Association and requested numerous times to play it on TV so that I could record it, but I've had no luck.

I wish it was for sale!!! A must see mini-series.

Richard Eastwick has to be the unluckiest man alive

[steve_logan · 10/10 · 2 August 2002]

This story follows Richard Eastwick through 3 generations of trying to better himself, and his family. Children, and wives depart many times before his life comes to an end, he seems to blame god for all his misfortune, and god does win in the end.

We see drama through drought, famine, 2 wars, there is rivalry unsurpassed, and he has a poem, I only wish I could remember it to put on here that sums his whole life.

I really do want to buy this film, so please if you have it contact me.

It's out on DVD now

[the_pope · 30 June 2005]

To everyone (including my Mum) who SO desperately wanted to see this released on DVD: the 3-disc box set came out on 16th June 2005.

Dirtwater Dynasty" is the story of embittered rivalry, triumph and despair. The life of Richard Eastwick is told in a story spanning three generations and eight decades. Born in the London slums in 1878, he comes to Australia at age 20, with nothing but a handful of courage and a dream. He acquires land, marries and raises a family, wins loyal friends and makes bitter enemies, and builds a land and cattle ranching empire. Both world wars and the economic depression take their toll on his family. But his dream to create a dynasty gives him a reason to continue. Released: Friday, 17 June 2005 Actors: Hugo Weaving Ernie Dingo Peter Phelps Bruce Spence Aust/Foreign: Australian Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 16:9 Enhanced Transfer Format: Widescreen Category: TV Series Region: 4 Year: 1988 Distributor: Roadshow Rating: M15+ Languages: English Subtitles: English - HI Running Time: 450 mins

It's PAL, so US fans might have trouble. The RRP is AUS$44.95 and should be available from anywhere you'd normally buy DVDs.

Available to buy on Prime Video

[skipjacktunafish08 · 9/10 · 19 February 2022]

Watched this back when it first aired and I've never forgotten it. Absolutely ecstatic to find this available to purchase (only on SD) for a very good price! I know there are a lot of folk in the UK looking for this without the dvd restrictions.

Excellent Mini-Series

[rfodchuk · 10/10 · 2 September 2010]

Wonderful, sprawling saga about the life of Richard Eastwick (Hugo Weaving), from the late 1800s to the post-war 1940s. Eastwick is born into poverty in the London slums and emigrates to Australia as an illiterate and naive young man, based on nothing more than falling in love with some paintings of Australia he chances upon in a museum. The one thing that propels him through all of the hardships he faces is his incredible drive to succeed and make something of himself, and pass on an enduring legacy on to the family he desperately wants to have.

All of the cast are very good in this, but in particular I'd single out Weaving's engrossing portrayal of Eastwick. I also really enjoyed Bruce Spence as "Lonely Logan", Steve Jacobs as the ever-loyal "Josh McCall", and their chemistry with Weaving.

I agree with another commenter who mentioned being "gutted" by the ending. I would have loved to have seen it end differently! I understood why the writers ended it that way, but I still found it frustrating.

In short, this is an excellent mini-series and well worth watching!