If you missed the Mental As Anything documentary when it hit cinemas earlier this year, you’ll soon have another chance to catch it.
Live It Up: The Mental As Anything Story, which charts the beloved Australian band’s journey from Sydney art students to international pop stars, will make its Australian television premiere on Seven and 7plus on Tuesday, November 24th.
The feature-length film, celebrating the band’s irreverent humour, enduring hits and place in Australian music history, will premiere on Seven and 7plus on Tuesday, November 24th at 9.10pm.
The documentary traces the band’s unlikely journey from five counterculture art students who formed a cover band in Sydney in 1977 to one of Australia’s most successful and distinctive musical acts.
Combining infectious pop melodies, irreverent humour and a unique visual identity, Mental As Anything became known for capturing and satirising Australian suburban life without ever taking themselves too seriously.
The band achieved 22 Australian Top 40 singles, including “The Nips Are Getting Bigger”, “If You Leave Me Can I Come Too?”, “Too Many Times” and “Live It Up”. The latter became an international success after appearing in the 1986 film Crocodile Dundee, introducing the band’s music to audiences around the world.
Featuring previously unseen archival footage and exclusive interviews with original members Reg Mombassa, Peter O’Doherty, Martin Plaza and David Twohill, the documentary explores the personalities, creative relationships and experiences that shaped the band throughout its career.
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It also revisits the legacy of the late Andrew “Greedy” Smith, who died in December 2019, and examines how to group navigated fame, creative differences and the pressures of the music industry while maintaining the humour and individuality that defined its appeal.
Announced earlier this year as part of the band’s 50th anniversary celebrations, the film coincided with Mental As Anything reuniting for a national tour featuring original members Mombassa and O’Doherty.
Originally released in Australian cinemas on March 5th, Live It Up: The Mental As Anything Story offers a look at the band’s lasting cultural influence, from their early days on Sydney’s local pub circuit to their international breakthrough and the music that continues to resonate with generations of Australians.
Live It Up: The Mental As Anything Story premieres Tuesday, November 24th at 9.10pm on Seven and 7plus.
