Alright, settle back into that worn spot on the couch, maybe adjust the tracking just so on your mental VCR, because we're diving headfirst into a film that practically defines "quirky 80s rental discovery." I'm talking about Yahoo Serious's utterly bonkers, undeniably ambitious 1988 creation, Young Einstein. Forget E=mc² for a second; this movie posits that Albert Einstein was actually a wild-haired Tasmanian apple farmer who invented rock and roll, surfing, and, crucially, how to put bubbles in beer. Yes, really.
### Seriously, Though?
You can't talk about Young Einstein without talking about Yahoo Serious himself (born Greg Pead, he legally changed his name in 1980). He wasn't just the star with that iconic, gravity-defying red hair; he was the writer, director, and driving force behind this cinematic oddball. It’s a singular vision, for better or worse, radiating a kind of relentless, almost manic optimism and silliness that feels distinctly late-80s. There’s an infectious energy here, a feeling that Serious threw every idea he had at the screen, logic and historical accuracy be delightfully damned. You get the sense he truly believed in this bizarre concoction, and that earnestness somehow makes the absurdity... work?
### From Tassie Apples to Global Phenomenon (Sort Of)
The premise alone is enough to make you pause at the video store shelf: young Albert Einstein (Serious), son of an apple farmer in Tasmania, dreams of scientific breakthroughs. He accidentally discovers how to split the beer atom (resulting in famously frothy brew), romances the visiting Marie Curie (Odile Le Clezio, bringing a necessary touch of charm and sanity), invents an electric violin/guitar hybrid, pioneers surfing, and foils the dastardly plans of patent thief Preston Preston (John Howard, chewing the scenery with aplomb). It's history thrown in a blender with slapstick, adventure, and a rock soundtrack.
What many outside Australia might not remember is just how massive this film was Down Under. Shot largely around Newcastle, New South Wales on a relatively modest budget (reports vary, but likely around $2.5 - $5 million AUD), Young Einstein became a box office juggernaut in its home country, pulling in over $13 million AUD – a colossal figure for an Australian film at the time. It tapped into a national sense of humour and larrikin spirit. Its international release, heavily promoted by Warner Bros., was less explosive but still respectable (around $11.5 million USD in the States), turning it into a certified cult classic on VHS worldwide. Finding this tape felt like unearthing a strange, brightly coloured secret.
### The Physics of Comedy
Forget complex scientific theory; the comedy here relies on broad visual gags, deliberate anachronisms, and sheer physical absurdity. The inventions are wonderfully Rube Goldberg-esque contraptions, built with a tangible, pre-digital charm. Remember the sequence where Einstein figures out rock and roll by applying his theories to music, resulting in that electrified violin performance? It’s completely ludicrous, but played with such conviction. The climactic sequence involving harnessing atomic energy (from beer!) to save the day is pure cartoon logic brought to life. There are no sleek CGI effects here – it’s all practical gags, goofy props, and Yahoo Serious mugging directly into the camera. It’s the kind of filmmaking that feels handmade, driven by imagination rather than processing power. Did every joke land? Maybe not. But the sheer attempt was often funny in itself.
The film’s look is pure late 80s saturation – bright colours, big hair, a general sense of hyper-reality that mirrored the era's pop music videos. The soundtrack, featuring Aussie rock acts like Mental As Anything, The Saints, and Icehouse, perfectly complements the high-energy visuals. It wasn't just a movie; it felt like an event, a statement of eccentric creativity.
### A Formula That Couldn't Be Replicated?
Yahoo Serious tried to capture lightning in a bottle again with Reckless Kelly (1993) and Mr. Accident (2000), but neither achieved the same cultural resonance or commercial success as his debut. Young Einstein remains his defining work, a film intrinsically linked to its time and its creator's unique persona. Critics were famously divided – some charmed by its innocence and energy, others utterly bewildered or annoyed by its relentless goofiness. But audiences, particularly those discovering it on fuzzy videotape late at night, often found something endearing in its unashamed weirdness.
It’s easy to pick apart the historical inaccuracies (that's the point!) or find the humour grating now. But watching it again evokes a specific feeling – the memory of a time when mainstream cinema could still produce something this profoundly strange and personal, and somehow find an audience. It’s a film fuelled by imagination, apple cider, and possibly, atomic beer.
VHS Heaven Rating: 7/10
Justification: The film scores points for its sheer originality, boundless energy, and status as a genuine Australian phenomenon and international cult favourite. Yahoo Serious's singular vision, while divisive, is undeniably committed. The practical gags and vibrant 80s aesthetic hold nostalgic charm. It loses a few points for humour that can feel repetitive or overly broad, and a plot that's essentially a string of comedic set pieces. But its infectious optimism and unique place in film history make it a worthwhile trip back.
Final Thought: Young Einstein is like finding that weird, brightly coloured cassette tape at the bottom of a box – maybe not high art, but a fizzy, unforgettable pop-culture artifact brewed with pure, unadulterated 80s eccentricity. Splitting the beer atom never felt so... serious.