Religion in Australian Film - A Database 1900-2003
"How has the film treatment of religion helped influence our perception of religion and the religious makeup of Australian society today?"
Religion in Australian Film began as a third-year university project to explore an area of Australian film industry history that has not been the focus of much investigation. At the time of writing (2003) only one small booklet dedicated specifically to the topic of religion in Australian film existed; 'From Back Pews to Front Stalls - the Churches in 100 years of Australian Cinema', edited by Peter Malone.
Compiling this film list offered me a glimpse into how various religious groups have been represented (or misrepresented) in Australia since the art of film making began– a little over 100 years ago.
The Anglo-Christian faith dominates much of the religious content in Australian films for the first 100 years. From 1973 onward, we see more reflections on religious life from an indigenous perspective, in films like Walkabout, Storm Boy and The Last Wave.
As we move into the 70's Christian tradition is increasingly mocked by the irreverent streak of the Australian 'Ocker' or portrayed as deeply flawed.
The end of the 20th century depicts a greater diversity of religious topics, and more documentaries that reflect Australia's broader migrant population religions and a seemingly more global or open attitude to cultural difference.
Adapted from my Religion in Australian Film 1900 - 2003:
http://www.elfinn.com/filmweb/index.htm
Religion in Australian Film began as a third-year university project to explore an area of Australian film industry history that has not been the focus of much investigation. At the time of writing (2003) only one small booklet dedicated specifically to the topic of religion in Australian film existed; 'From Back Pews to Front Stalls - the Churches in 100 years of Australian Cinema', edited by Peter Malone.
Compiling this film list offered me a glimpse into how various religious groups have been represented (or misrepresented) in Australia since the art of film making began– a little over 100 years ago.
The Anglo-Christian faith dominates much of the religious content in Australian films for the first 100 years. From 1973 onward, we see more reflections on religious life from an indigenous perspective, in films like Walkabout, Storm Boy and The Last Wave.
As we move into the 70's Christian tradition is increasingly mocked by the irreverent streak of the Australian 'Ocker' or portrayed as deeply flawed.
The end of the 20th century depicts a greater diversity of religious topics, and more documentaries that reflect Australia's broader migrant population religions and a seemingly more global or open attitude to cultural difference.
- Kim Senior
Adapted from my Religion in Australian Film 1900 - 2003:
http://www.elfinn.com/filmweb/index.htm
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- DirectorsHerbert BoothJoseph PerryStarsBeatrice DayHarold GrahamMr. GrahamThe plot outlined the story of the early Christian martyrs with a compendium of horrors guaranteed to jolt audiences into an awareness of terrible suffering for the sake of Christianity. Contained maulings at the Colosseum, crucifixions, beheadings, savage hackings and burnings at the stake, burnings in the limepit, the spectacle of human torches in Nero's garden. Overall "soul stirring stories of the martyrs, illustrated by the most beautiful living pictures by kinematograph and limelight and never before witnessed in this or any other country.
- DirectorGeorge MarlowStarsAda GuildfordJ. StanfordH. TwitchamReleased only a short time after the Titanic went down, this was cutting-edge drama for its day. The flick itself was a screen adaptation of a play George Marlow himself had produced in Australia the previous year. Bearing remarkable similarities to the plot of The Silence of Dean Maitland, it played-up two social aspects for which Marlow was long associated - sex and scandal! Murder, adultery, theft, surprise confessions and alcoholism all played a significant part here in the tale of a woman from most definitely the wrong part of town, who seduces an innocent young clergyman. You just didn't DO those things in 1912! Well to cut a long story short, Miss Guilford does JUST that and spends the rest of the film rueing her actions.
- DirectorRobert ScottStarsMervyn BarringtonEdna PhillipsFred Cope
- DirectorRaymond LongfordStarsHarry ThomasNellie BrooksGwil Adams
- DirectorFranklyn BarrettStarsMaud FanePercy MarmontHarry Plimmer
- DirectorRaymond LongfordStarsLottie LyellBoyd IrwinRoland ConwayRalph Manton discovers that his sister Marjory has been seduced and demands to be told the name of the man. Faithful to her lover, she refuses but later Ralph discovers his identity and confronts him. The tables are turned.
- DirectorWilfred LucasStarsRex 'Snowy' BakerAgnes VernonCharles VilliersJohn Harland is a former boxer turned reverend posted to the town of Kangaroo. He falls in love with Muriel, an orphaned heiress, and discovers that her guardian Martin Giles is embezzling her inheritance. Harland earns the ire of parishioners by teaching young boys to box, and Giles manipulates local opinion to have the bishop remove him. Harland rescues a gentleman from a mugging in Sydney who suggests that he go to Kalmaroo where a criminal gang has driven the church out of the area. Harland preaches, and unexpectedly sees Muriel in the congregation; her property is near Kalmaroo. But her overseer is Red Jack Braggan who leads the gang which violently breaks up Harland's mission - much to the distress of Muriel who regards Harland as too timid - and is in cahoots with Giles. Harland goes to work as a station hand at a property neighbouring Muriel's. Giles arranges for Red Jack to kidnap Muriel so that he might marry the girl and thus prevent her giving evidence against him. Harland rescues Muriel: they leap from the stage coach as it thunders across Hampden Bridge into the Kangaroo River.The Man from Kangaroo (original title)
- DirectorFrank Hurley
- DirectorP.J. RamsterStarThelma Newling
- DirectorPhil Walsh
- DirectorNorman DawnStarsGeorge FisherEva NovakDunstan WebbA convict, wrongfully accused and sent a harsh prison colony, attempts to escape.
- DirectorKen G. HallStarsJohn LongdenCharlotte FrancisConstance WorthAfter serving 20 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit, a man returns home to take revenge on a local pastor who knew he was innocent but did nothing to clear his name. He discovers that things aren't exactly what they seem.
- DirectorMichael PowellStarsWalter ChiariClaire DunneChips RaffertyAn Italian sports journalist arrives in Australia but finds no work. The only employment he can find is as a builder's labourer. At first, he cannot comprehend the culture, but eventually he finds mateship and romance.
- DirectorMarc DanielsStarsWalter ChiariJack AlbertsonDave AllenWhen greed threatens the livelihood of an Italian monastery, a monk flees with the formula for their special liquor.
- DirectorNicolas RoegStarsJenny AgutterDavid GulpililLuc RoegTwo city-bred siblings are stranded in the Australian Outback, where they learn to survive with the aid of an Aboriginal boy on his "walkabout": a ritual separation from his tribe.
- DirectorDusan MarekStarsDavid StockerChristine PearceJan CernohousWhen a scientist finds a cocoon a woman emerges from it. She is being chased by two faceless monsters who are collecting specimens for a museum.
- DirectorsDavid BakerTim BurstallJohn B. MurrayStarsElke NeidhartBryon WilliamsMark AlbistonExplores adultery and jealous fantasies, the end of innocence, the moral and spiritual conflicts of a priest and a nun in love. The stories define the exploration of women and the cultural upheaval of the early 70s.
- DirectorGeorge MillerStarsHarvey AdamsElizabeth AlexanderDorothy AlisonAustralian born film maker George (Mad Max) Miller offers a personal view of Australian films. He suggests that they can be regarded as visual music, public dreaming, mythology, and song-lines. In extrapolating the idea of movies as song-lines he examines feature films under the following categories : songs of the land ; the bushman ; the convicts ; the bush-rangers ; mates and larrikins ; the digger ; pommy bashing ; the sheilas ; gays ; the wogs ; blackfellas ; urban subversion. He then concludes that these films can be thought of as "Hymns that sing of Australia".
- DirectorMichael RobertsonStarsPaul MercurioColin FrielsJohn PolsonA garage mechanic out in the middle of the outback gets involved with the girl friend of a jewel smuggler who is on the run.
