A comprehensive, though not exhaustive, listing of Australian-made feature films produced between 1900 and the end of 1970. Each entry comprises a varying combination of historical and biographical details, as well a synopsis of the storyline. The intention of the compilers, Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, was to provide 'an idea of the depth and range of fiction film in Australia and to suggest something of the spirit of the film community in this country, rather than restrict [themselves] to a history of the industry as such' (p.vii).
The publication's scope does not include documentaries of experimental films; while the approach to what actually constitutes the 'feature film' form is described by Pike and Cooper as 'flexible,' due mainly to the changing nature of filmmaking over the decades. Australian Film 1900-1977 is therefore a survey of 'one aspect of Australian film, the one best known to the public and of greatest importance to the film industry - the narrative film intended for theatrical screening' (p.vii).
