The History of Australian Cinema

Australian Voices & Identity

Seeing your own country on the big screen is important. Hearing your own language and accent. Seeing your own landmarks Your own stories.

A matter of national pride and identity.

General types of films

Bushranger Bush culture War and military culture Larrikin culture Young and Urban Action and Horror

These types went in and out of fashion and reflect different stages of Australian identity.

Other classifications

Many based on novels Some based on real events Some are period pieces.

Soldiers of the Cross (1900)

The Salvation army presented this lecture.

It was shown in the Melbourne Town Hall.

It consisted of 13 short films, spoken material and songs.

It is sometimes considered the first feature film ever made.

1901: History on Film

Inauguration of the Australian Commonwealth

Filmed in Sydney on January 1, 1901 Sponsored by the New South Wales

Government Ran for 30 minutes – five times

longer than any previous production.

1906: The Beginning of Features

Possibly the first feature film made in the world was called The Story of the Kelly Gang.

It was made in 1906. It was made by the Tait Brothers in

Australia.

The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906)

Early censorship

Unfortunately authorities did not approve of bushranger stories.

They were banned in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales within five years.

Questions

Why do you think bushrangers were a popular choice for silent films?

Why do you think the authorities banned these bushranger films?

Australian Film Pioneers

Ken Hall (On Our Selection, 1932) Charles Chauvel Raymond Longford (The Sentimental

Bloke, 1919)

On Our Selection (1932)

Sentimental Bloke (1919)

1911: The Double Bill

1911: Australia pioneers the double bill

The Glacarium Cinema in Melbourne played the Australian film The Lost Chord.

It was supported by the Italian film The Fall of Troy (1910).

1911: Peak Production

In 1911 there were 52 Australian narrative fiction titles released. Many were bushranger flicks.

This was the highest level of production until 1975.

In 1911 Australia produced more feature films than any other country.

Trouble in the 1920s

Film was becoming big business. American and British companies

were taking over distribution. Often they would not show local films. In 1922 – 23 ninety-four percent of films

shown in Australia were from America. There was a Royal Commission into

the industry’s decline in 1928. This did little to slow the decline.

1928: The Sound Era

The first talkie was an American film called “The Jazz Singer”.

It set a new record. Showed for 46 weeks in 1928 – 1929 at

Sydney's Lyceum Theatre.

The Jazz Singer (1928)

1928: Audiences hit a all-time high

Audiences went up when talking pictures arrived.

187 million tickets were sold that year.

29 cinema admission for every person in Australia.

Questions

How many films did you see in the cinema in the last twelve months?

How many of these were Australian films?

1930: The first Australian talkie

Showgirl’s Luck began production in June 1930. There were many technical problems

and it was released in 1931. Two films with sound segments were

also completed by this time. Fellers The Cheaters

1933: Errol Flynn arrives

In The Wake of the Bounty (1933) Directed by Charles Chauvel. Paid £30 for three weeks work. Became of the world’s biggest movie

stars within two years.

In the Wake of the Bounty (1933)

1939: Resources needed for the war.

Available film used for newsreels and propaganda films.

Films sent to troops in New Guinea and remote parts of Australia.

1950s: The Death of Australian Film

A government rule in 1951 about raising capital for companies all but destroyed the industry.

Between 1952 and 1966 there were an average of two films made in Australia including co-productions.

1950s: Exodus of Actors

Many actors left Australia in these years. Some did very well.

Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell (Murder She Said, 1961) Rod Taylor (The Time Machine, 1960) Diane Cilento (Tom Jones, 1963) Ray Barrett (The Reptile, 1966) Leo McKern (The Day the Earth Caught Fire,

1961) Peter Finch (The Trials of Oscar Wilde, 1961).

1954: The First Drive-In in Australia

The Skyline drive-in opens in Burwood.

The first of 330 drive-ins. Numbers fall dramatically when

home video was introduced in the 1980s.

There are fewer than 20 drive-ins in Australia today.

Jedda (1955)

The first Australian film shot in colour.

Directed by Charles Chauvel. To first to have serious Aboriginal

characters.

1956: Television is introduced

Channel 9 in Sydney began regular transmissions.

The first show was called “This is television”.

By 1959 28% of cinema’s in Sydney had closed and 33% of Melbourne’s indoor cinemas.

Between 1960 and 1966 only seven feature films were made in Australia.

1968: Australian Film Development Corporation

Prime Minister Gorton created the Australian Film Development Corporation

Creates the Experimental Film Fund with $100,000

Creates the Australian Film and Television School (AFTS), which opened in 1973.

The New Wave

Australia produced nearly 400 feature films between 1970 and 1985.

More than had ever been made before.

New talent emerged.

The New Talent

Directors Gillian Armstrong (My Brilliant Career) Peter Weir (Picnic at Hanging Rock) Phil Noyce (Backroads) Bruce Beresford Fred Schepisi (The Devil’s Playground)

Actors Judy Davis Sam Neill Mel Gibson

The Adventures of Barry McKenzie (1972)

Alvin Purple (1973)

Stars Graeme Blundell

Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)

Based on a famous book and real incident.

Directed by Peter Weir Did very well overseas.

1975: Colour television hits hard

Admission went from 68.4 million in 1974 to 28.9 million in 1976.

Australian box-office admissions did not exceed 60 million again until 1994 (68.1 million).

Sunday Too Far Away (1976)

Starring Jack Thompson

Storm Boy (1976)

Don’s Party (1976)

Dot and the Kangaroo (1977)

Animated and live action. Kids film.

Breaker Morant (1979)

Set in the Boer War Stars Bryan Brown

Mad Max (1979)

Directed by George Miller. Starred Mel Gibson

My Brilliant Career (1979)

Directed by Gillian Armstrong

Starred Judy Davis and Sam Neill

1980s: Tax Breaks increased production

Changes to Australian taxation law saw an explosion of films in the 1980s.

Some revisited war and bush culture Increasingly these films were

confident and urban. Includes more crime films.

The Club (1980)

Based on the famous David Williamson play.

Starred Jack Thompson

Fatty Finn (1980)

Period kids’ film.

Gallipoli (1981)

Directed by Peter Weir

Mad Max II/The Road Warrior (1981)

Puberty Blues (1981)

We of the Never Never (1982)

Starstruck (1982)

The Man from Snowy River (1982)

Did better than Star Wars in Australia.

BMX Bandits (1983)

Starring Nicole Kidman Urban kids films

'Crocodile' Dundee (1985)

Does very well in Australia and America.

Malcolm (1986)

Directed by Nardia Tass Starring Colin Friels

The Year My Voice Broke (1987)

Directed by John Duigan

Starring Noah Taylor and Ben Mendelsoh.

Rikky and Pete (1988)

Young Einstein (1988)

The Big Steal (1990)

Death in Brunswick (1991)

Romper Stomper (1992)

Urban crime flick Stars Russell Crowe

Spotswood (1992)

Urban period piece Anthony Hopkins Ben Mendelson

Strictly Ballroom (1992)

Directed by Baz Luhrmann

Reckless Kelly (1993)

Muriel’s Wedding (1994)

Bill Hunter and Toni Collette

The Sum of Us (1994)

Russell Crowe Jack Thompson

Sirens (1994)

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

Babe (1995)

The Castle (1997)

Shine (1997)

Geoffrey Rush wins an Academy Award for his performance.

Looking for Alibrandi (1999)

Two Hands (1999)

Urban crime film. Heath Ledger

The Dish (2000)

Bootmen (2000)

Chopper (2000)

Urban crime. Based on a book.

Lantana (2001)

Anthony LaPaglia Geoffrey Rush Kerry Armstrong

Moulin Rouge (2001)

A Baz Luhrmann film. Ewan McGregor Nicole Kidman

Crackerjack (2002)

Rabbit Proof Fence (2002)

Central Aboriginal characters

Based on a true story

Period drama

Ned Kelly (2003)

Bushranger period film. Heath Ledger

Thunderstruck (2004)

Little Fish (2005)

Stars Cate Blanchette and Sam Neill Urban and bleak

Look Both Ways (2005)

Urban realism.

Wolf Creek (2005)

Horror

Ten Canoes (2006)

First Aboriginal language feature produced.

Happy Feet (2006)

Kenny (2006)

Candy (2006)

Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish Urban