Camera Natura

Camera Natura

Ross Gibson

 

As with most Australian films it liked to show off the landscape in a way that seemed to over ride everything else. The film featured artwork and images of the country which work so will on camera. It was more a study of the landscape on film than any other element.

 

It is nice to see Australian content because it gives us an idea of what Australia was really like in the early settlement.

 

Although it was shot in 1984 which was recent it has that classical cononial feel to it which is rarely seen in Australian film. I liked to see it, so often we see the histrical background of Europe and the USA but we hardly see our own. It is a nice introduction to the class. 

Strictly Ballroom

Strictly Ballroom 

Baz Lurhmann

Australians take their sport very seriously. In the competitive field of Ballroom dancing the world is deadly serious. Why no one thought of making a dramatic comedy about this earlier baffles me. However, I am glad they didn’t because Baz Lurhmann does it with the height of humour and magic that the film is an absolute winner.

 

Lurhmann, was a ballroom dancer himself  thus he knows the world of the eisteddfod and shows it so well through the costume design and the attitudes of the judges and competitors.

 

The opening scenes of swishing skirts, huge fake smiles and perfect poised bodies prancing around the dance floor establishes the mood of the film and until we start to hear the realities of conversation through clenched teeth. One of the male dancers is drunk, the girls are complaining and the boys distracted by their own looks. This regimen of movement and faked tone is beautifully contrast with Scott Hastings (Paul Mercurio) original breakaway when during the rumba he steps away from the practiced routine into his own work. Scott the lead champion male at Les Kendall’s dance school, just wants to express his personal emotions through movement. Restricted by the continuously tightening rules of the “sport dance” world he breaks free into improvisation in the opening scenes of the film, which set up his journey for chorographical freedom. This forces his partner to leave the couple and take up with another competitor. Shattering the dreams of the school’s champions to pieces.

 

 

Lurhmann’s first big feature exposes the glitz, glamour and drama in the world of ballroom and his obvious love for dance.

 

The stand out scene for me is when Scott walks Fran home after a night of secret rehearsals, he is brought to the back of the house where Fran’s father, Rico teaches Scott about the passion dance should have through the pasa doble. It rekindles Scott’s hope and love for his dance and sets up the fire that is soon to kindle in Scott and Fran’s relationship both on and off the floor.

 

The subtle theme of bridging the gap between different cultures is touched on through the union of Fran and Scott as they learn about the passion of dance and passion for each other through the film.

 

This film is brave enough to be an amazing film. It takes risks and allows the dance to feature and create the emotion and visual addition that a film needs.

The thing that stands out to me the most about this film is the use of choreographed dance in it to bring emotion to the screen.

 

The film beautifully displays the ballroom word and the characters within it to a tee. It captures the Australian humour and dance world like no other. 

Sunday, Too Far Away

Sunday Too Far Away

Ken Hannam

Finally film starts to address real Australian issues. The film, set on a sheep station in 1955 displays the workers of Australia through the Australian shearers and their reactions to the threat to their bonuses the historical moment when non-union labour was introduced.

 

Drifting away from the Hollywood influence the film brought a reality of a true Australian story to the stage. It feels very real, as it shows the life of the sheerer Jack Thompson and how he lives his life in the outback.

 

Although there is an element of “Hollywood romance” as Jack chases the station masters daughter the film seems to focus more of the males and their issues, focusing on the mundane rhythm of the way that they live.

The reality of the story allows the audience to take the experiences with Jack, for many audience members who are from metropolitan background this might be a new side of Australia they have never seen. However it is fundamental one which keep sthe country running, the idea of the working man. 

Forty Thousand Horsemen

Forty Thousand Horsemen

Charles Churvel

 

Charles Churvel brings attention to the Australian screen by telling the story of the Australian and New Zealand cavalry who helped move the German forces across the Dardanelle’s.

 

The film has a sweetness to it by being based around the relationship between a man and girl, Churvel juxtaposes the horror of war with their relationship. It was a large feat at the time and should be credited for its initiative.

 

It is one of the films that is the base of our industry. It sets up our Australian history as a strong and brave country who are willing to help. The film has nice character to it. 

Mad Max

Mad Max

George Miller

To be honest I didn’t really like this film. I do credit as being one of the most influential films in Australia’s history. It placing Mel Gibson into the big time and gave George Miller the success he needed to be noted as a director. It helped people take notice of Australian film.

                                                                    

The film pushes the “mad car” movement in Australian film at the time into overdrive with its extreme stunts and visual action which are still amazing to watch, even with today’s remarkable CG work to contrast by.

 

I found it a bit long. I like to be heavily mentally engaged in film. This is just a personal attitude but it was very “action” for me almost as if the story had be placed around the stunts.  

Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation

Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation!

Mark Hartley

 

This feature documentary is a great look into the history of Australian film. It cleverly explores Australian film in ways that are rarely seen. The interviewees are amazing, including Quentin Tarantino who turns out to be a fanatic of Australian film.

 

Unfortunately the one thing I did learn is how crude, rude and sex obsessed our industry was in the 70’s. At times the films seemed closer to porn than detailed film.

 

The films production values are amazing, each interview is set in a beautiful setting and lit really well which, I believe adds to the class of the film. I learnt a lot about the different movements we have already been through and the strong influence funding has over film in their country. The good element was that it had a hopeful ending with Australian content starting to be taken more seriously on a world platform. 

Oscar and Lucinda

Oscar and Lucinda

 

 The reputation of Australian content is generally tossed aside when put on a world stage, unfortunate but true. I felt that this film altered this perception. Armstrong has an eye firstly for casting, especially picking up on Cate Blanchette as a rising star. Her wit for picking up on undiscovered actors and amazing casting, really made it work. The film was both beautiful, and clever with a strong story, strong performance and storong images to support it. Oscar and Lucinda are fantastic characters who work well one the screen. The only element I had trouble with was the constant geographical shifting if the story. 

Secondly, the imagery and cinematography of the film displays Australia as an absolutely beautiful place, which allows the beauty of the signature shot, when the glass church floats down the river. This is not just a beautiful shot bust stirs up the emotion in the film using her visual storytelling as a key to her work.

An amazing film that exceeded my expectations.