Australia's best-loved film critic David Stratton reviews (almost) every feature film from the past three decades in the ultimate guide to modern Australian cinema.
From The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to The Dry, from The Big Steal to The Drover's Wife, he tells us why they're worth watching, and reveals fascinating behind-the-scenes details. There is something for everyone: road movies and coming-of-age movies; comedies and love stories; rural noir and gritty urban movies; flourishing First Nations cinema; horror, zombies and science fiction; movies for families and for children; international co-productions, and much more. He's seen them all, and he knows every director, producer and actor.
Australia at the Movies is the indispensable companion for every movie lover: it's where you'll find your next favourite movie.
'I greatly enjoy his sheer delight in cinema, which communicates itself effortlessly in every review.' - Bruce Beresford
'He has introduced us to films and filmmakers...from the grandest to the tiniest low-budget debut with intelligence, humour and passion.' - Gillian Armstrong
'Stratton's sense of cinema and storytelling is bar none, as far as I'm concerned.' - Warwick Thornton
'Thank you for introducing us to great movies and great directors.' - Bryan Brown
By:
David Stratton
Imprint: Allen & Unwin
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 153mm,
ISBN: 9781761472091
ISBN 10: 1761472097
Pages: 576
Publication Date: 29 October 2024
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Introduction 1 Out of the Past Historical stories 2 Black Like Me Indigenous stories 3 Private Lives Biographical films 4 Tales of Ordinary Madness Short stories, personal crises 5 The Snake Pit Institutions, eccentrics 6 Family Life Close relationships 7 This Sporting Life Sports stories, oddball characters and shared accommodation 8 Trouble in Mind Sexual and same-sex relationships 9 Romance Love stories 10 Innocent Sinners Young people 11 The New Land Multicultural stories 12 The Outsiders Isolation 13 The State of Things Antisocial behaviour 14 Conflict War stories 15 On the Road Road movies 16 A Double Life Directed by actors 17 Wild in the Country Rural crime 18 City Streets Urban crime #1 19 Cry of the City Urban crime #2 20 Tales of Terror Horror movies 21 The Haunting Ghosts and serial killers 22 Tales of Mystery and Imagination Science fiction 23 All Fall Down Experimental movies 24 Words and Music Musicals 25 Funny Games Comedies #1 26 The Joke Comedies #2 27 Monkey Business Comedies #3 28 The Parent Trap Family films 29 The Wide Blue Yonder Co-productions with overseas settings #1 30 Away from Her Co-productions with overseas settings #2 Appendix Financing the movies, by Sue Milliken THE FILMS: A to Z Acknowledgments
David Stratton AM is an award-winning film critic, film historian, lecturer, and television presenter. He has served as President of the International Critics Jury for the Cannes and Venice Film Festivals, and was for three decades co-host with Margaret Pomeranz of SBS's The Movie Show and ABC's At the Movies. A former critic for international film industry magazine Variety and The Australian, he is author of five books on film: The Last New Wave, The Avocado Plantation and 101 Marvellous Movies You May Have Missed, My Favourite Movies, including a memoir I Peed on Fellini.
