VSA4120

Australian film history

Deane Williams

10 points - 4 hours per week - Second semester - Clayton - Prerequisites: Two subjects at second-year level in visual culture, comparative literature and cultural studies or history

Objectives By the completion of this subject students will be expected to demonstrate a critical understanding of the representation of Australian history in film; a knowledge of a variety of methodological approaches to film history; a knowledge of the cultural, political and economic forces which shape and are reflected in the films studied; an ability to engage with written and visual texts in a clear and confident manner.

Synopsis This subject will equip students with a knowledge of methodological and surveying skills in relation to Australian film history. This study of Australian film will examine (a) historical representations of landscape, race and gender relations in Australian film; (b) notions of the representation of history in film through a broad spectrum of film texts and historical writings; (c) the history of Australian film production with attention to some examples of industry, independent production and government film production. This subject will also explore some of the attendant film cultures from which various film texts emerged. Films studies will include mainstream narrative, government sponsored documentary and newsreel as well as independent productions across the range of Australian film production.

Assessment Seminar paper (2000 words): 25% - First essay (2000 words): 35% - Second essay (3500 words): 40%

Preliminary reading

Moran A Projecting Australia: Government film since 1945 Currency, 1991
Muecke S Textual spaces: Aboriginality and cultural studies NSWUP, 1992
Shirley G and Adams B Australian cinema: The first eighty years rev. edn, Currency, 1989

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