Centerspread (1981)

An erotic sci-fi flick from Australia set in the future where a photographer for a skin magazine wrestles with the nature of his profession and becomes attracted to a poor shopkeeper.

The film begins dramatically with a highly stylized erotic photoshoot. A man in white makeup approaches...

A nude woman (Helina Hamilton) lays on a big dome as he sneaks up with his machete.

It's all supposed to be oh-so-edgy and dangerous. 

Gerard (Paul Trahair) is the edgy and detached photographer.  His goofy assistant is Mark (Mark Watson).

This photo shoot takes place in the desert.

A female motorcyclist (Nicci Lane) in silver makeup is raped.

So, apparently in the future the all-powerful government runs the skin magazines as a sort of Roman Circus to keep the huddled masses assuaged. 

This photoshoot seems to get out of hand and Mark puts a stop to it.  However, Gerard was more than happy to see the model stab her rapist.

Gerard is getting pressure from the boss to find an exceptional model.  All his models are okay, but nothing special.  He's given an unlimited budget to scour the post-apocalypse landscape to find this special girl.

Gerard happens in an antique store where he meets the blonde shopkeeper.

Gerard is stricken. He's convinced that this humble shopkeeper named Niki (Kylie Foster) is the special model he's looking for.  Problem is, she's not interested in posing for him.

While Gerard is away, three models audition for Mark.

Mark chooses two of the models and they go to the beach for the photoshoot.  Some really nice scenery in this film.

The two models (Lyn Barron and Teresa Hamilton Small) take their clothes off and frolic in the surf.

Gerard films them getting intimate on the sand.

Niki continues to resist Gerard's offers to photographer her.

With Gerard away trying to woo Niki, Mark is once again in charge.  His two models (Julie Sims and Amber) are playing around with paints.

Gerard returns and finds this waiting for him in his studio.

Gerard photographs another woman (Sarah Collins).

Another artsy photo shoot.

One of the models (Carmen J. McCall) comes to Gerard's posh estate.

She skinny dips.

But Gerard just spends a lot of the time looking like this.  Oh-woe-is-me.

Even the model playing with herself in the sauna isn't enough to get Gerard excited.

Gerard meets Niki at a diner and is able to finally convince her to model for him.

They have sex, and Niki allows him to photograph the love making.

But brooding Gerard decides it wouldn't be right.

The boss is upset that Gerard wasn't able to get the photographs and demotes him.

Gerard is no longer rich, but Niki doesn't care.  They're happy together. THE END

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The director for this film was the editor for Mad Max, so I guess that explains the post-apocalyptic setting.  It really just seemed like the mid-eighties though... which I suppose is still technically "the future".  The film has a metric fuck ton of nudity; quite an array of full frontal nudity on display. Gerard's dark and brooding shtick wore thin, but that's easily overlooked when considering the ridiculous levels of skin. Perhaps one-too-many photo shoots which do get old, but still quite a memorable film.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆7/10