The Best Australian Films
The Australian New Wave was a movement of increased national cinematic output during the 1970s and 1980s. As a result of the actions of prime ministers John Gorton and Gough Whitlam, the establishment and growth of government funded arts and cinema bodies aided the industry following its steady decline from the 1920s through 1960s.
Australian cinema created the first full length narrative film, The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) and saw a small boom in cinematic output through to the start of the 1920s. At this point, around 1923, a heavy influx of American films accounted for 94% of the nation's exhibited films. Studios and arts bodies were established in the 1930s, and the Australian Film Institute (and its associated awards) were established in 1958. However the output had been in decline since the 1920s, declining again following World War II, and reaching an extreme low during the 1960s.
During the 1970s the established film assistance programs and training institutions allowed national film-makers to attempt larger scale productions, and create films which led to international recognition (especially in North America), as well as a domestic increase in interest in film. Over 400 films were produced during the rise in interest and availability of financial assistance during the New Wave, which was more than the entire history of the country's cinematic output up until that point.
Compared to the cinema which came before it, the films of the New Wave were generally seen as more creative, having more "vitality", but while also allowing for an increase in the use of themes with strong violence and sexual scenes. The narratives were often straight-forward, mirroring the Hollywood cinema of the late 1960s which was just developing into the New Hollywood style. Films also often featured narratives of showcasing the harsh Australian wilderness, especially as seen in films like Walkabout (1971), Wake in Fright (1971), and Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975). The notably popular Mad Max (1979) series also expanded on these themes and paired them with Dystopian themes. Historical War stories of Australian soldiers and the battles they were involved in were also given international recognition through films such as Breaker Morant (1980) and Gallipoli (1981).
A direct side-effect of the increase in funding (as well as the increasing availability in DIY and home equipment) was the rise of the Ozploitation movement which existed alongside the Australian New Wave. These films covered ground where the larger budget and more accessible films did not, with narratives of grit, strong sexual themes, and drug use being commonplace. The increase in films with such narratives ran parallel with other films of the New Wave, often interchangeably with one another, but usually being of a lower budget and not attaining as much widespread, international recognition.
The success of films like Crocodile Dundee (1986), which was the most successful Australian film at the time, saw the national cinema continue to thrive into the 1990s. However, the output shifted narrative focus and became more unified across the board. Films were produced in various established genre traditions, developing into national subsets of various styles. As a result, the cinema did not decline as it once had, but the quality, success, and recognition of films both at home and abroad, did.
Australian cinema created the first full length narrative film, The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) and saw a small boom in cinematic output through to the start of the 1920s. At this point, around 1923, a heavy influx of American films accounted for 94% of the nation's exhibited films. Studios and arts bodies were established in the 1930s, and the Australian Film Institute (and its associated awards) were established in 1958. However the output had been in decline since the 1920s, declining again following World War II, and reaching an extreme low during the 1960s.
During the 1970s the established film assistance programs and training institutions allowed national film-makers to attempt larger scale productions, and create films which led to international recognition (especially in North America), as well as a domestic increase in interest in film. Over 400 films were produced during the rise in interest and availability of financial assistance during the New Wave, which was more than the entire history of the country's cinematic output up until that point.
Compared to the cinema which came before it, the films of the New Wave were generally seen as more creative, having more "vitality", but while also allowing for an increase in the use of themes with strong violence and sexual scenes. The narratives were often straight-forward, mirroring the Hollywood cinema of the late 1960s which was just developing into the New Hollywood style. Films also often featured narratives of showcasing the harsh Australian wilderness, especially as seen in films like Walkabout (1971), Wake in Fright (1971), and Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975). The notably popular Mad Max (1979) series also expanded on these themes and paired them with Dystopian themes. Historical War stories of Australian soldiers and the battles they were involved in were also given international recognition through films such as Breaker Morant (1980) and Gallipoli (1981).
A direct side-effect of the increase in funding (as well as the increasing availability in DIY and home equipment) was the rise of the Ozploitation movement which existed alongside the Australian New Wave. These films covered ground where the larger budget and more accessible films did not, with narratives of grit, strong sexual themes, and drug use being commonplace. The increase in films with such narratives ran parallel with other films of the New Wave, often interchangeably with one another, but usually being of a lower budget and not attaining as much widespread, international recognition.
The success of films like Crocodile Dundee (1986), which was the most successful Australian film at the time, saw the national cinema continue to thrive into the 1990s. However, the output shifted narrative focus and became more unified across the board. Films were produced in various established genre traditions, developing into national subsets of various styles. As a result, the cinema did not decline as it once had, but the quality, success, and recognition of films both at home and abroad, did.
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