Hostage (also known as Savage Attraction) is a 1983 Australian exploitation crime drama directed by Frank Shields, starring Kerry Mack and Ralph Schicha. The film is based on the true story of Christine Lewis (Mack), a 16 year old runaway living in Woollongong, NSW who meets and falls in love with a young German carnival worker named Walter Maresch (Schicha), only to effectively become his hostage when he turns out to be an abusive and sadistic criminal and neo-Nazi on the run from the authorities.
Not to be confused with the 2005 film of the same name starring Bruce Willis.
This film provides examples of the following tropes:
- All Germans Are Nazis: Walter, in addition to being a wanted criminal, is a member of a neo-Nazi organization, and attempts to indoctrinate Christine into his ranks. Averted by the German police who are actively trying to put him and his neo-Nazi colleagues behind bars.
- Break the Cutie: Christine is a very cute and innocent young woman who is slowly broken down by Walter's sadistic and controlling demeanor.
- The Dog Bites Back: Christine eventually gets fed up with her mistreatment by Walter and unsuccessfully attempts to gun him down.
- Domestic Abuse: Walter is very abusive and controlling to Christine, expecting her to do exactly as he demands (sexually or otherwise) and threatening to kill himself and their child if she leaves him.
- Face of an Angel, Mind of a Demon: Walter's boyish good looks hide an unstable and sadistic personality.
- Fan Disservice: The film includes several fully or partially nude sex scenes between the two leads, but the traumatic context they're presented in, to say nothing of the real-life circumstances behind them, makes them rather uncomfortable to watch. This also extends to the film's DVD cover art
◊, which depicts Christine nude with her breasts covered by a crossbow wielded by Walter and clearly in fear for her life. - Forced into Evil: Christine is beaten and drugged by her abusive boyfriend (and later husband) into taking part in various crimes and terrorist activities against her will.
- Large Ham: Ralph Schicha portrays Walter in this manner. Though in the actor's defense, Walter isn't the most stable individual on the planet.
- Lifetime Movie of the Week: It has the overall feel of one, focusing on a young woman in dire straits and dealing with a controlling and abusive boyfriend (and later husband) whom she eventually attempts to fight back against.
- Recycled Soundtrack: The film's main theme may be familiar to Greek viewers as the Background Music in the Hellas Kosmos Video Vanity Plate.note
- "Where Are They Now?" Epilogue: At the end of the film, an on-screen text reveals that Walter was eventually arrested in Australia and sentenced to fourteen years in prison for his crimes, while Christine was found guilty of being an accessory after the fact.
