Hands down my favorite class I took in college was a film studies course on the cinema of Australia and New Zealand. Thanks to my amazing teacher, Mrs. Paula Massood, I was exposed to a collection of incredible pictures that I probably would never have seen, or perhaps even heard of, without her guiding hand (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert not withstanding...) Still, for every movie we screened, there were at least two or three more that we read about but were unable to watch, either due to time constraints, availability in the US/on the correct DVD region (stupidest, stupidest system EVER), or both. I'm still dying to track down Vincent Ward's Vigil!
Such obstacles aside, I've been trying to play a little catch up with my Australian cinema, starting with the seminal coming-of-age-in-the-outback effort The Year My Voice Broke, and ending up most recently on Gillian Armstrong's My Brilliant Career. In class, much of our discussion of the film centered upon the fact that the story was more than a bit of a fantasy, since painfully few women of the time living in the bush had any such possibility of escape as the main character eventually finds--but nevermind, it's an awfully nice idea! Judy Davis is, to quote Hannah, an Australian Anne of Green Gables--all straw boaters and haughty glares and that shocking mane of hair. And can we just talk about Sam Neil, in period dress, in all his 25-year-old glory??
Last week while looking around for images to go with my Brie et Char interview I came across this set of original lobby cards for the film being sold on bidStart. Would that I had the cool $89.95 it takes to make these babies my own!
17 comments:
I love that movie.
Some of my favorite classes in college are film studies ones. The little DVD store nearby my place has a good selection of Czech and Australian movies, actually. I'll go see if I can find My Brilliant Career next time because that looks great.
I really want to see my brilliant career. This isn't the fist time I've heard how amazing it is but after seeing those stills I'm definitely going to try and rent it out. Thanks for posting this :)
xx
So impressed you took an Australian/New Zealand film class! Have you seen 'Walkabout'? That oen is amazing. I'm sure you have seen Romper Stomper too, no? You can obviously tell I am Australian...
How handsome is Sam Neill?!
I agree with the above comment, when I read this post the first movie that came to my mind was "Walkabout". I love that film. I want to see these other ones as well! Hello, Netflix!
Sewon: Ooh, cinema of Czechoslovakia is definitely a class I would love to take! "Daisies" is amazing and all, but I just know there are so many amazing Czech movies waiting out there to be discovered...
R.A./katie e.: I have not seen "Walkabout" as a matter of fact, but it is on my list! Some of my favorites that we did watch: "Utu", "The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith", "Sweetie" and "Smash Palace". I also wrote a paper on "An Angel at My Table" which is so SO great!
Katie: I knoooooow, hubba hubba right??
great, now i want to live in a house wallpapered with newspaper.
ooh! looks like a great film. i really want to try to get my hair like that.. need some volume!
Think you've sold me on My Brilliant Career. It was one of my Mum's favourite books as a teenager and she still has her old copy on her shelves somewhere. I think it's an old Penguin with a still from the film as it's cover?
Makes me realise Aus and NZ is completely unexplored territory for me. With the exception of things like Somersault and, well, Muriel's Wedding..
Hope you're well! x
I have a real problem with Vincent Ward, he can be really self-indulgent and his portrayal of Maori is hard to stomach (not to mention his horrendous pronunciation of Maori words!) but I would highly recommend In Spring One Plants Alone. It's one of his first, if not the first film, of his, made when he was 21. Such a beautiful story and film...I am a bit biased though as I'm from the valley it's filmed in!
Also, totally agree on how great Utu is. And for Australian cinema I recommend The Castle.
I taught a highschool avant garde/experimental filmmaking class and we watched some films of the islands, specifically, Iceland/Australia.
Have you seen Peter Weir's 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'? So amazing! And such a treat to watch as someone who works in costume design on films...
Oh Siri! You are a girl utterly after my own heart. I remember one long summers evening, it was approaching midnight and i was still camped out on the settee, reading. I looked at the screen and the late night movie was beginning. Well, when I saw 'Sam Neill' appear on the screen I had to keep watching. I was hooked. I immediately thought of Anne of Green Gables. I later found the book in a charity shop and it was every bit as good, yet the adaption brings something more, I love when a strapping good heroine like Sybylla is brought to the screen. We need more of them!
VANADIS: I have seen "Picnic", such an amazing, haunting film--and the costumes and set design are beyond!
Zoë: I really want to read the book now, but I still need to get to "Owls do Cry" by Janet Frame, the woman who's life "An Angel at My Table" outlines. I highly recommend that film if you haven't seen it!
the year my voice broke - such a good film - apparently that town looks much like it did when they filmed it, i'd love to visit it one day.
there are quite a few in the list that you mentioned that i'm yet to watch, i'd better get busy!
fel x x
im from aotearoa/new zealand - and i find it so fantastic and lovely that you even offer a nz/australia film course (even though yes we do have wonderful films!)
i would also recommend 'rain' - very sad but stunning. and 'in my father's den'. also the documentary 'banana in a nutshell'
Amazing! This makes me feel all fuzzy about NZ, and I didn't even think I was patriotic.
Would second the above commenters suggestion of 'in my father's den'
Tash,
Milk & Mead
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