Panic Mechanic

Story

Synopsis

When Hanky Pranky (alias Schucks), star of a candid camera TV show, loses his job to affirmative action, he applies for a job at a stress academy. It´s not long before Schucks discovers his new boss, Jack Paddaman, is as crooked as they come, but it´s too late: the employment contract is signed and sealed.A year passes, and Schucks is no better off. However, his candid camera videos, which poke fun at all sectors of post-1994 South Africa, prove a big hit with stressed-out government ministers. When the president asks Paddaman to make a movie to benefit street children, Schucks and his pals do all the hard work while Paddaman plans how he can get hold of the profits from the video sales. Add a scatterbrained secretary, a lovelorn traffic cop and a cunning street child and you have a roll-in-the aisles comedy with a distinctly South African flavour.

Director

David Lister

Writers

Andre Scholtz, Leon Schuster

Language

English

Country

South Africa

Release date

29 November 1996

Budget

$262,987

Box office

$949,678

Ensemble

Cast

• 

  Leon Schuster

  Schuks

• 

  Tolla Van Der Merwe

  Jakob

• Frantz Dobrowsky

  Jack Paddaman

• 

  Nana Stapelberg

  Gloria Haasbroek

• 

  Themba Ndaba

  Billy

• 

  Taryn Sudding

  Annie / Various characters

• 

  John Robbie

  Himself

• 

  Dorette Nel

  Saartjie

• 

  Sello Sebotsane

  Hijacker

• 

  Desmond Dube

  SABC man

• 

  Lieb Bester

  Gys

• 

  Ernest Ndhlovu

  SABC boss