Omari Gates
Australian cinema has produced a diverse range of films, from Hollywood blockbusters to indie darlings, and the country boasts a rich history in the film industry. From the world's first feature film, 'The Story of the Kelly Gang' in 1906, to modern classics like 'Lion' and 'The Dry', Australia has a lot to offer cinematically. With unique landscapes, rich light, and a talent for social commentary, Aussie movies have carved out a distinct niche in the global film industry. Beyond the big screen, Australia also has a vibrant short film and documentary scene, with directors like Henri Safran and Rolf de Heer showcasing the country's Gothic and indigenous stories. So, is Australia a good movie? Well, with so many acclaimed films and a thriving industry, it's definitely a major player on the world's cinematic stage.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First cinema in Australia | Salon Lumière at 237 Pitt Street, Sydney |
| First Australian-produced short film | 27 October 1896 |
| First feature-length narrative film | The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) |
| Cinematic genres | Gothic, horror, romance, science fiction, comedy, thriller, drama, adventure, crime |
| Notable Australian films | The Dry, Lion, Babyteeth, Talk to Me, The Great Gatsby, Wolf Creek 2, Crocodile Dundee, Muriel's Wedding, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Strictly Ballroom, Red Dog: True Blue, Palm Beach |
| Notable Australian actors | Eric Bana, Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara, David Wenham, Geoffrey Rush, Jai Courtney, Travis Fimmel, Frances Berry, Richard Roxburgh, Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill, Willem Dafoe, Isabel Lucas, Vince Colosimo, Yvonne Strahovski, Peter Dinklage, Brendan Cowell |
| Notable Australian directors | Robert Connolly, Garth Davis, Kriv Stenders, Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou, Baz Luhrmann, Greg McLean, John Gavin, W. J. Lincoln, Alfred Rolfe, Rachel Ward, Jennifer Kent |
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What You'll Learn
Australian Gothic films
The term 'Australian Gothic' was coined to describe the 1984 film Razorback, a smoky, heavily backlit tale of a giant pig terrorising the outback. Other films that fall under the Australian Gothic genre include Wolf Creek (2006), Picnic at Hanging Rock, and Wake in Fright (1971). The latter tells the story of a young teacher who becomes trapped in a nightmarish small mining town in the outback, where he faces alcoholism and male rape, and loses his grip on reality.
The Tasmanian Gothic sub-genre, as seen in the 2011 film The Hunter, often reveals anxieties about the colonial genocide of Aboriginal people and present-day environmental degradation. The Hunter, based on the 1999 novel by Julia Leigh, features the extinct Tasmanian Tiger haunting Tasmania's landscape. Another example of Australian Gothic moving into the urban space is Jennifer Kent's 2014 film The Babadook, which has been interpreted as an exploration of grief and the terrors of childhood and parenting.
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Australian New Wave
The Australian New Wave, also known as the Australian Film Revival, Renaissance, or New Australian Cinema, was a period of resurgence in the worldwide popularity of Australian cinema, particularly in the United States. It began in the early 1970s and lasted until the mid-to-late 1980s. The era saw a huge renaissance of the Australian film industry, with nearly 400 films produced between 1970 and 1985, more than in the entire history of Australian cinema up to that point. This period of Australian cinema attempted to "revise the traditional Australian hero and problematize that revision", with the best films of this era meant to be viewed "as films, not as pieces of Australiana".
The Australian New Wave was marked by the emergence of "Ozploitation", a film genre characterised by the exploitation of colloquial Australian culture. It also coincided with the growing feminist movement, with the role of women's films being discussed at the Women's Liberation Conference in Melbourne in 1970. Groups such as the Feminist Film Workers collective (1970s and 1980s), Sydney Women's Film Group (1972–), Melbourne Women's Film Group (1973–), Reel Women (1979 to 1983 in Melbourne), and Women's Film Unit (Sydney and Melbourne, 1984/5) were established during this time.
The New Wave era is characterised by liberal depictions of sex and violence, as well as a willingness to re-examine accepted tenets of Australian history and identity. The films of this era are often viewed as fresh and creative, with a vitality and love of open spaces, as well as a propensity for sudden violence and languorous sexuality. The "straight-ahead narrative style" of many Australian New Wave films reminded American audiences of "the Hollywood-maverick period of the late 1960s and early '70s".
The Australian New Wave gave rise to a generation of brave, unconventional new voices, with filmmakers like Peter Weir, George Miller, Gillian Armstrong, Bruce Beresford, Fred Schepisi, and Phillip Noyce emerging during this time. Many of these filmmakers went on to successful international careers. Notable films of the Australian New Wave include Picnic at Hanging Rock, My Brilliant Career, The Cars That Ate Paris, Walkabout, and The Last Wave.
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![The Three Musketeers (Burbank Films Australia, 1986) [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91zzHg7bnCL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
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Aussie comedies
Australia has a vibrant film industry, producing Hollywood directors and stars, as well as unique and masterful films. The country has a rich history of cinema, with the first cinema opening in Sydney in October 1896. The first locally produced and screened film program was a series of short films of the Victoria Derby and Melbourne Cup races, which were shown in October and November 1896.
Some of the earliest movie footage shot in Australia was of Aboriginal dancers in Central Australia, filmed by anthropologists between 1900 and 1903. The first feature-length narrative film in the world was the Australian-produced The Story of the Kelly Gang, shown in 1906.
Since then, Australia has continued to produce a diverse range of films, including comedies. Here are some examples of well-known Aussie comedies:
- Muriel's Wedding: A boisterous and brilliant comedy about a wedding in the Australian outback.
- Crocodile Dundee: An Australian classic about an eccentric poacher from the outback who travels to New York City.
- The Castle: A low-budget comedy that has become synonymous with 'serenity' and is now considered an Australian classic.
- A Sunburnt Christmas: A bad-Santa comedy with a unique Australian twist.
- Wake in Fright: A creepy horror-comedy.
- Love Serenade: An Aussie dramedy.
- Dreamland/Utopia: A funny series that's been described as 'kind of like a milder The Thick of It'.
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Aussie horror films
Australia has a rich history of producing horror films, dating back to the early days of Australian cinema. The country's unique landscapes, rich light, and social commentary have contributed to the distinct style of Aussie horror films.
One notable Australian horror film is "Wake in Fright", which is considered a classic and a disturbing portrayal of a man stuck in an Outback town, descending into a blur of drunken debauchery. The film showcases the terror of encountering drunk and hopeless people in isolated settings.
Another iconic Australian horror film is "Wolf Creek", which explores the anxiety and dangers that lurk in the vast Outback. The film follows unsuspecting tourists who encounter the clearly dangerous Mick Taylor, creating a powerful sense of anticipation and dread.
Recent Australian horror films have gained international recognition, such as Jennifer Kent's "The Babadook", which focuses on real horror rather than cheap jump scares, and Natalie Erika James' "Relic", a chilling haunted house story that explores senility and the encroachment of memory loss.
Other notable mentions in the Aussie horror genre include "Road Games", "Hounds of Love", "Killing Ground", "Little Monsters", "The Loved Ones", and "Snowtown", each offering a unique blend of horror, social commentary, and dark humour.
Australian Gothic films, a genre that gained popularity in the 1970s, are known for their diversity and unique camera techniques, often drawing inspiration from Gothic literature. "The Screening of Australia" by female filmmakers Suzan Dermody and Elizabeth Jacka is a notable example of Australian Gothic cinema.
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Australian cinema's international stars
Australian cinema has produced several films that have received international recognition, and many actors and filmmakers with international reputations started their careers in Australian films. Some of the most prominent Australian stars include:
- Paul Hogan: Hogan's international film career was launched by his role in the commercially successful film "Crocodile Dundee" and its sequel, "Crocodile Dundee II".
- Nicole Kidman: Kidman began her career in Australian children's TV and film in the early 1980s, appearing in productions like "BMX Bandits" and "Bush Christmas". She went on to star in several Australian productions during the 1980s, including "Emerald City" (1988) and "Bangkok Hilton" (1989). Her role in the 1989 thriller "Dead Calm" garnered strong reviews and led to Hollywood roles.
- Russell Crowe: Crowe starred in and directed the film "The Water Diviner", in which he played an Australian man who travels to Turkey after the Battle of Gallipoli to search for his three missing sons.
- Simon Pegg: Pegg starred in the Australian film "Kill Me Three Times", playing a professional hitman who finds himself in tales of murder, blackmail, and revenge after a botched contract assignment.
- Sam Neill: Neill starred alongside Nicole Kidman in "Dead Calm", as well as in the 1976 adaptation of "Picnic at Hanging Rock", which was directed by Peter Weir.
- David Gulpilil: Gulpilil is an Aboriginal Australian actor who has starred in several Australian films, including "Walkabout" (1971), "The Last Wave" (1977), and "The Tracker" (2002).
- Eric Bana: Bana got his start in prominent film roles with the Australian comedy "The Castle", directed by Rob Sitch.
- Toni Collette: Collette starred in the Australian comedy-drama "Muriel's Wedding", which attained commercial and critical success.
- Hugh Jackman: Jackman has starred in several Australian films, including "Happy Feet", which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2006, and "Australia", which became the second-highest-grossing film in Australian cinematic history.
In addition to these stars, Australian cinema has also been a launching pad for many international careers, including those of Anthony LaPaglia, Greta Scacchi, and David Wenham.
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Frequently asked questions
Some popular Australian movies include *Crocodile* *Dundee*, *Gallipoli*, *Mad Max 2*, *Red Dog: True Blue*, *Lion*, *The Nightingale*, *Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan*, *The Dry*, *Babyteeth*, *Strictly Ballroom*, *Muriel's Wedding*, and *The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert*.
Some notable Australian directors include George Miller, Peter Weir, Rolf de Heer, Kriv Stenders, Garth Davis, Jennifer Kent, Robert Connolly, Shannon Murphy, Danny Philippou, and Michael Philippou.
Some notable Australian actors include Eric Bana, Eliza Scanlen, Toby Wallace, Del Herbert-Jane, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, David Gulpilil, Russell Crowe, and Nicole Kidman.
Australia has a rich history of film production, with the country's first cinema opening in Sydney in October 1896. The earliest feature-length narrative film in the world was the Australian-produced *The Story of the Kelly Gang* (1906). Since then, Australia has continued to produce notable films and foster a vibrant film industry. Notable film movements include the Australian New Wave of the 1970s and 1980s, and the emergence of the "'Ozploitation'" style, which exploited colloquial Australian culture. Additionally, Australian Gothic films, with their diverse camera techniques and exploration of thematic styles, have been an important genre since the 1970s.
