films Trenchard-Smith then made a film in the US called Stunt Rock (1978) which he once called "probably the worst film I have made" although it has become a cult classic. It starred Grant Page and the US band Sorcery. He followed this with Day of the Assassin (1979), where he replaced the original director just before filming began. He later said making the movie was one of his craziest directing experiences: All directors, at some point in their career trajectory, find themselves hanging on to a runaway train; despite best efforts, things turn to custard on a daily basis. More often than not, The Movie from Hell is a co-production. Foreign locale, fast money, giant egos, high pressure schedule – all make a volatile witches’ brew, even before you factor in deep rooted national resentments. 10BA era Trenchard-Smith returned to cutting trailers for various Australian films. Producer Antony I. Ginnane hired him to cut together footage of films during production to raise additional finance. These included Harlequin and The Survivor. Ginnane then hired Trenchard-Smith to direct Turkey Shoot (1982). His work on that film got him the job of rewriting and directing the children's film, BMX Bandits (1983), which starred Nicole Kidman. He was announced as director of Blowing Hot and Cold but did not make it in the end. Trenchard-Smith began directing episodes of Australian TV shows such as Five Mile Creek. He was hired by the producers of Frog Dreaming (1985) to replace the original director during the shoot. He followed it with a melodrama which he co-wrote, Jenny Kissed Me (1985), then another action film, Dead End Drive-In (1986). Neither was successful at the box office but the latter has developed a strong cult reputation. Trenchard-Smith was hired for another "rescue operation" when the decision was made to sack the director of Day of the Panther (1987) during filming. This film was shot back to back with a sequel Strike of the Panther. Trenchard-Smith did a straight-to-video thriller, Out of the Body (1988) then travelled to the Philippines to make a Vietnam War film, The Siege of Firebase Gloria (1989). Move to Hollywood In January 1990 Trenchard Smith moved to Hollywood. He has said that when he left Australia "I was possibly a medium-sized fish in one of cinema's smaller ponds" and when he arrived he "immediately became plankton." (In 2001 he wrote "I believe I