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Above, L–R: $ANCE INSTRUCTOR -ISS ,OCKHART  *UDY -ORRIS   ILLUSIONISTS &ITZWILLIAM  0ATRICK #ARGILL  AND -ADAME #AVALLI  *ELENA ăIGON






                 3GD /@RRHNM@SD (MCTRSQX  ZULWWHQ DQG GLUHFWHG E\ /RQJ  KLJK    o3HQQpV 3LFWXUHV RQ 7RXUp   3HQQ VHQW KLV UHPLQLVFHQFHV WR /RQJ DI
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               DQG H[DPLQHG WKH GLIĺFXOWLHV H[SHULHQFHG E\ PDQ\ ĺOPPDNHUV  promoting 3GD /HBSTQDR 3G@S ,NUDC in 1971. 7KH LGHD IRU WKH ĺOP
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               FRPSHWLQJ ZLWK WKH LQFUHDVLQJO\ YHUWLFDOO\ LQWHJUDWHG  86  DQG  WRRN D VLJQLĺFDQW DPRXQW RI WLPH WR JHUPLQDWH  DQG /RQJ IDFHG RE
               %ULWDLQ GRPLQDWHG  ULVN DYHUVH H[KLELWLRQ DQG GLVWULEXWLRQ VHFWRUV   stacles in obtaining adequate funding to support her detailed vision
               6KH DOVR VDZ FOHDU SDUDOOHOV EHWZHHQ  DQG OHVVRQV WR EH GUDZQ  for the material (which, as I’ve argued, is perhaps too pedantically
               IURP  WKH     t     5R\DO &RPPLVVLRQ LQWR WKH 0RYLQJ SLFWXUH  focused on historical accuracy and the overall sense of temporal
               Industry in Australia and the increasingly urgent calls for govern   LW\ WR SURYLGH D WRWDOO\ VDWLVI\LQJ GUDPDWLF H[SHULHQFH   7KH ĺOP
               PHQW VXSSRUW RI WKH ĺOP LQGXVWU\ LQ WKH ODWH     V DQG HDUO\     V   gradually gathered momentum as funding was promised by the
               Although 3GD /@RRHNM@SD (MCTRSQX makes important claims about  Australian Film Commission, the Women’s Film Fund, various pri
               WKH QHFHVVLW\ RI UHFRJQLVLQJ DQG FHOHEUDWLQJ $XVWUDOLDpV ĺOP KLVWRU\   YDWH LQYHVWRUV DQG WKH VRRQ WR EH IRUPHG 1HZ 6RXWK :DOHV )LOP
               as well as highlighting the lessons it might teach us, it equally pro   &RUSRUDWLRQ  8OWLPDWHO\  LW EHFDPH WKH ĺUVW IHDWXUH ĺOP WR UHFHLYH
               PRWHV WKH LPSRUWDQW UROH RI VSHFLĺF IHPDOH FLQHPD SLRQHHUV ZKR  VXFK VWDWH EDVHG IXQGLQJ IURP 1HZ 6RXWK :DOHV  D ĺQDQFLDO FRP
               ZRUNHG DFURVV YDULRXV VWUDWD RI WKH LQGXVWU\  VXFK DV /RWWLH /\HOO   mitment that was guaranteed by its then–newly appointed premier,
               /RXLVH /RYHO\ DQG WKH 0F'RQDJK VLVWHUV  3DXOHWWH  3K\OOLV DQG   1HYLOOH :UDQ
               ,VDEHO   LQ WKLV HDUOLHU  KHURLF HUD RI ĺOP SURGXFWLRQ   Penn’s loose and episodic manuscript, which was eventually
                 3GD /HBSTQD 2GNV ,@M exposes the research undertaken for  SXEOLVKHG WR FRLQFLGH ZLWK WKH UHOHDVH RI WKH ĺOP LQ D IRUP HGLWHG
               these two documentaries, including in the obsessive and descriptive  E\ /RQJpV KXVEDQG  FRYHUV D VLJQLĺFDQWO\ ORQJHU SHULRG RI WLPH
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               detail granted to its reconstructions of the wonders and dangers of  VWUHWFKLQJ IURP WKH HDUO\     V WR WKH ODWH     V  The book is
               limelight as well as its associated projection and staging equipment.  a testament to the true tenacity and longevity of the travelling
               It is also mindful of the largely forgotten history of early Australian  picture show and the role it played in disseminating, develop
               FLQHPD  2QH RI WKH ĺOPpV PRVW SRLJQDQW PRPHQWV IHDWXUHV D IDQFLIXO  ing and transforming the practice of moviegoing in Australia and
               VFUHHQLQJ RI 5D\PRQG /RQJIRUGpV .M .TQ 2DKDBSHNM (1920), watched  HOVHZKHUH  3HQQpV ERRN DQG 3RZHUpV ĺOP VLW DORQJVLGH DQ LQWHUPLW
               E\ D PXOWLUDFLDO DQG FURVV JHQHUDWLRQDO DXGLHQFH LQFOXGLQJ DQ $VLDQ  tent and small series of international movies that attempt to sketch
               family, elderly patrons, children and Indigenous characters, and  WKLV SUHFDULRXV EXW RIWHQ WUDQVIRUPDWLYH PRGH RI ĺOP H[KLELWLRQ
               accompanied by a female pianist. This is far removed from the  DV H[HPSOLĺHG E\ VXFK YDULHG ĺOPV DV 2FWDYLR &RUW¾]DUpV VKRUW
               ODUJHO\ PRQRFXOWXUDO oSHUIRUPDQFHVp ZH VHH HOVHZKHUH LQ WKH ĺOP  /NQ OQHLDQ@ UDY (1967), Farhad Mehranfar’s /@ODQ  HQOK@MDR (1997)
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               (or elsewhere in Australia or its cinema at this point in time). This  DQG ;LDR -LDQJpV $KDBSQHB 2G@CNVR (2004). 0DQ\ RI WKHVH ĺOPV
               VFUHHQLQJ VLWV DSDUW IURP RWKHU  HTXLYDOHQW PRPHQWV LQ WKH ĺOP GXH  dramatise and draw attention to localised responses to dominant
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               the rapt attention of the audience. This sequence presents an hom   FLQHPD VFUHHQLQJ RI -DPHV :KDOHpV %Q@MJDMRSDHM         $OWKRXJK
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                                                                  idiosyncrasy of localised responses to an array of genres and
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               3GD /HBSTQD 2GNV ,@M LV YHU\ REYLRXVO\ WKH RXWFRPH RI /RQJpV  was how to transform these episodes and clichés into a compelling,
               UHVHDUFK DV ZHOO DV KHU SDVVLRQ DQG FRQFHUQ IRU $XVWUDOLDQ ĺOP  or at least workable, narrative form that would provide adequate
               KLVWRU\ DQG IRU WKH ORQJVWDQGLQJ GLIĺFXOWLHV HQFRXQWHUHG E\ WKRVH  character development, dramatic tension and a clear claim on
               attempting to forge careers within this peripatetic industry. The  EURDGHU FXOWXUDO DQG KLVWRULFDO FRQFHUQV DQG LVVXHV  /RQJ ZDV

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