Omari Gates
Australian cinema has been an important part of film history since the release of the world's first feature film, The Story of the Kelly Gang, in 1906. Since then, Australian films have developed distinct characteristics that set them apart. While the Australian accent is a dead giveaway, other elements contribute to the ineffable Australian feel of a film. These include where it's made, where it's set, the cast and crew, and the style of its characters and setting. Australian films often feature strong and complex characters, themes of mateship, survival, and the challenges faced by marginalized communities, a dry sense of humour, and a focus on the Australian outback and its unique flora and fauna.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Place of filming | Australia |
| Setting | Australia or elsewhere |
| Cast and crew | Australian |
| Style of characters and setting | Laid-back, irreverent attitude |
| Themes | Mateship, survival, identity, family, the Australian dream, challenges faced by marginalized communities |
| Narrative | Unique focus on Australian culture, history, or landscape |
| Language | Australian slang and colloquialisms |
| Humour | Dry |
| Genre | Gothic, horror, romance, science fiction, comedy, adventure |
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What You'll Learn
Australian Gothic films
The Gothic genre in Australian film took root alongside colonisation, influencing writers from Marcus Clarke to Alexis Wright, and artists such as Albert Tucker. The vast and eerie landscapes of Australia, particularly the outback, are a key feature of Australian Gothic films. The outback is portrayed as a terrifying expanse of wilderness, where characters get lost, disappear, become trapped, or go mad. This theme is evident in films such as "Wake in Fright" (1971), where a teacher on holiday in the outback finds himself trapped in a nightmarish small mining town, and "Wolf Creek" (2006), where a group of backpackers are terrorised by a serial killer in the isolated Wolf Creek National Park.
The unique narrative of Australian Gothic films often focuses on Australian culture, history, and landscape. They frequently explore themes of identity, family, mateship, survival, and the challenges faced by marginalised communities. Australian Gothic films also often include references to Australian slang and colloquialisms.
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Australian humour
The first feature film made in Australia, The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906), set the tone for a distinct style of Australian cinema, with its unique narrative focused on Australian culture, history, and landscape. Australian Gothic films, such as Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), blend horror, romance, science fiction, and comedy, often showcasing Australian cultural values through female characters. The Screening of Australia (1987) by filmmakers Suzan Dermody and Elizabeth Jacka, is a notable example of this genre, offering a stylistic portrayal of the "ocker", a term for a white Australian savage man.
In the 1990s, a subgenre of eccentric Australian comedies, known as the "glitter cycle", emerged, celebrating Australian popular culture, camp aesthetics, colourful makeup and costumes, and musical performance pieces. Films like Strictly Ballroom (1992), Muriel's Wedding (1994), and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) exemplify this style.
Beyond these more distinct genres, Australian films are often characterised by a dry sense of humour and a laid-back, irreverent attitude. For example, The Castle (1997), a story about a working-class family from Melbourne facing eviction, is told with a uniquely Australian tone and direction, despite its universal subject matter.
Australian films frequently explore themes of mateship, survival, and the challenges faced by marginalised communities, often with a humorous twist. They also tend to feature strong and complex characters and showcase the country's unique flora and fauna, particularly the Australian outback.
While there is no single answer to what makes a film Australian, the combination of these elements often coalesces to give a film an unmistakable Australian feel.
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Aussie actors
Australia has played an important role in film history, with the world's first multi-reel feature film being the Australian-made 'The Story of the Kelly Gang' in 1906. Australian films have since developed distinct characteristics, including strong and complex characters, themes of mateship, survival, and the challenges faced by marginalised communities, and a dry sense of humour.
Some of the most famous Australian actors include Heath Ledger, who began his career in Australian films such as 'Two Hands' and 'Ned Kelly' before transitioning to Hollywood. Ledger received numerous posthumous accolades for his performance as the Joker in 'The Dark Knight', including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Another famous Australian actor is Geoffrey Rush, who rose to fame with his Oscar-winning performance in the Australian film 'Shine'. Rush has since appeared in many critically acclaimed films, showcasing his versatility as an actor. Ben Mendelsohn is also a prominent Australian actor, known for playing villains and criminals in Hollywood, while maintaining a successful career in Australian television and film.
Other notable Australian actors include Rose Byrne, who began her career in Australian television and film before appearing in international productions, and Joel Edgerton, who has starred in various Aussie movies and continues to pursue Hollywood success.
Australian films often showcase the country's unique landscape, flora, and fauna, and explore themes of identity, family, and the Australian dream. The country's film industry has a strong tradition of supporting independent and experimental filmmakers, and has produced both critically acclaimed and commercially successful films.
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Aussie subject matter
The subject matter of a film is an important factor in what makes it Australian. The story and themes of an Australian film are often uniquely Australian, even if the film is not set in Australia.
Australian films frequently explore themes of mateship, survival, and the challenges faced by marginalised communities. They often showcase a dry sense of humour and a laid-back, irreverent attitude. For example, the film "The Castle" is about a working-class family from Melbourne facing eviction, a universal story made unique by the Australian context and characterisation.
Australian Gothic films, a genre that has been popular since the 1970s, often incorporate horror, romance, science fiction, or comedy elements. These films use camera techniques and stylistic choices to question what the audience perceives. The 1987 film "The Screening of Australia", by female filmmakers Suzan Dermody and Elizabeth Jacka, showcases what is known as the "ocker", a term for a white Australian savage man.
The Australian film industry has a history of supporting independent and experimental filmmakers and has produced both critically acclaimed and commercially successful films. The Australian New Wave, also known as the Australian Film Renaissance, was a period of resurgence for Australian cinema worldwide, particularly in the United States, beginning in the early 1970s and lasting until the mid-to-late 1980s. This era also marked the emergence of "Ozploitation", a genre that exploited and celebrated colloquial Australian culture.
The subject matter of Australian films often reflects the country's unique culture, history, and landscape, including its diverse and spectacular locations, and the flora and fauna found there. Australian films often explore themes of identity, family, and the Australian dream.
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Australian dream themes
Australian films often explore themes of the Australian dream, which can be understood as a unique narrative focus on Australian culture, history, and landscape. This includes strong and complex characters and themes of mateship, survival, and the challenges faced by marginalised communities.
The Australian dream in cinema often involves a strong focus on the Australian outback and the country's unique flora and fauna. Films like Man Thing, Predestination, and Upgrade are not set in Australia but have Australian teams behind them and are therefore considered to feel distinctly Australian.
The Australian dream in cinema also often explores themes of identity and family. The film The Castle, for example, is a story about a working-class family from Melbourne facing eviction, and it is told in a uniquely Australian way. Australian Gothic films, a genre that has been popular since the 1970s, often explore Australian cultural values through their characters and actions.
The Australian dream in cinema can also be understood through the lens of the country's history. The first multi-reel feature film was the Australian-made The Story of the Kelly Gang, released in 1906. Since then, Australian cinema has experienced a boom-and-bust cycle, with periods of productivity and success interspersed with deep troughs where few films were made. The Australian New Wave, also known as the Australian Film Renaissance, was an era of resurgence in the worldwide popularity of Australian cinema, particularly in the United States, beginning in the early 1970s and lasting until the mid-to-late 1980s.
Finally, the Australian dream in cinema is often characterised by a dry sense of humour and a laid-back, irreverent attitude. Australian films are known for their celebration of Australian popular culture, colourful makeup and costuming, and musical performance pieces.
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Frequently asked questions
Australian films often feature strong and complex characters, themes of mateship, survival, and the challenges faced by marginalized communities, and a dry sense of humour. They also often explore themes of identity, family, and the Australian dream, and showcase the Australian outback and the country's unique flora and fauna.
Some commercially successful Australian films include *Crocodile Dundee*, *Mad Max*, *Moulin Rouge!*, and *Babe*. Award-winning Australian productions include *Picnic at Hanging Rock*, *Gallipoli*, *The Tracker*, *Shine*, and *Ten Canoes*.
Australian Gothic films are infused with horror, romance, science fiction, or comedy. They make use of diverse camera techniques and question what the audience perceives. *Smoke Em If You Got ‘Em* (1988) is an example of a Gothic film with a supernatural horror and comedic twist.
The Australian New Wave, also known as the Australian Film Renaissance, was an era of resurgence in the worldwide popularity of Australian cinema, particularly in the United States, in the 1970s and 1980s. The era also marked the emergence of Ozploitation, a genre that exploited colloquial Australian culture.
Notable Australian New Wave films include *Strictly Ballroom* (1992), *Muriel's Wedding* (1994), *The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert* (1994), and *Love Serenade* (1996).
