Film in Australia : An Introduction
Cambridge
New York (City)
:
Cambridge University Press
,
2006
Z1882610
2006
multi chapter work
criticism
(taught in 10 units)
'Film in Australia: An Introduction is a groundbreaking book that systematically addresses the wide-ranging output of Australian feature films. Adopting a genre approach, it gives a different take on Australian films made since 1970, bypassing the standard run of historical texts and actor- or character-driven studies of Australian film. Comedy, adventure, horror, science fiction, crime, art films and other types are analyzed with clarity and insight so the reader can recognize and understand all kinds of Australian films, whether they are contemporary or older features, obscure gems or classic blockbusters' (BOOK JACKET).
This unit looks at an Australian national cinema rather than a national film industry. The emphasis will be on identifying the concerns, interests and ideologies embedded and embodied in Australian films made as a response to the concerns and interest of a nation. Through screenings and analysis of specific films from the last 100 years of Australian cinema, this unit plots the concerns of a nation, dealing with issues of identity, mateship, the larrikin, post colonialism, assimilation and multiculturalism.
