A three-volume project tracing key critical positions, people, and institutions in Australian film, Australian Film Theory and Criticism interrogates not only the origins of Australian film theory but also its relationships to adjacent disciplines and institutions. The second volume in the series, this book gathers interviews with national and international film theorists and critics to chart the development of different discourses in Australian film studies through the decades. Seeking to examine the position of film theorists and their relationship to film industry practitioners and policy makers, this volume succeeds mightily in reasserting Australian film’s place on the international scholarly agenda.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction: Serious film studies and magpies
Noel King and Deane Williams
Part I: Brisbane
1. “From ‘pictures’ to formats” – Albert Moran Interviewed by Noel King
2. “Everyone’s got their favourite periods of Cunningham’s career, and it’s always something before the present!” – Stuart Cunningham Interviewed by Noel King
3. “For a lot of people film became a bridge between literary studies and other kinds of cultural studies”– Graeme Turner Interviewed by Noel King
4. “The circulation of ideas”– Tom O’Regan Interviewed by Deane Williams
5. “We just thought we were unstoppable”– Colin and Jane Crisp Interviewed by Noel King
6. “I loved best when really practical solutions had to be found for artistic problems” – Jonathan Dawson Interviewed by Noel King
Part II: Melbourne
7. “Early on I’d been an inveterate attender of Saturday matinees” – Mick Counihan Interviewed by Noel King
8. “Yes, but it never entered my head that it would ever become a field as such …”– Barbara Creed Interviewed by Deane Williams
9. “This is all part of the historical process”– Ina Bertrand Interviewed by Deane Williams
10. “Some things you never learn” – Sam Rohdie Interviewed by Deane Williams
11. “I’ve left a good life behind me in London and I’m going to be met by a phalanx of safari-suited men”– Lesley Stern Interviewed by Deane Williams
12. “We might leave it there” – Bill Routt Interviewed by Deane Williams
13. “Trust your instincts” – Adrian Martin Interviewed by Deane Williams
Part III: Sydney and Newcastle
14. “I don’t want a straight world job but I do want access to spheres of possibility and avenues of influence” – Ross Gibson Interviewed by Deane Williams
15. “Who’s afraid of the 1980s?” – Meaghan Morris Interviewed by Lauren Bliss
16. “The sheer complexity of film” – David Boyd Interviewed by Noel King
Part IV: Adelaide and Perth
17. “This was a certain, particular moment” – Brian Shoesmith Interviewed by Noel King
18. “When I discovered Metz I was in seventh heaven” – Noel Purdon Interviewed by Noel King
19. “Look, I’m really not a true believer like you people. I’m something else” – Toby Miller Interviewed by Deane Williams
Part V: UK and US
20. “The double access, film culture and the ossification of film studies”– Paul Willemen Interviewed by Deane Williams
21. “It’s a small world” – Dana Polan Interviewed by Deane Williams
22. “I’d like to just think back on what has been for me nearly forty years of involvement in developing this field” – Manuel Alvarado Interviewed by Noel King
23. “It was a great relief that somebody was listening!” – Colin MacCabe Interviewed by Noel King
24. “You can’t have an academic discipline unless there’s something that can be represented as a proper body of knowledge” – Edward Buscombe Interviewed by Noel King
25. “I love films that are based on reality … I love the dramatisation of reality, the narrativisation of reality” – Michael Eaton Interviewed by Noel King
26. “My interest in American identity, ideology, history” – Jim Kitses Interviewed by Noel King
About the Authors
Introduction: Serious film studies and magpies
Noel King and Deane Williams
Part I: Brisbane
1. “From ‘pictures’ to formats” – Albert Moran Interviewed by Noel King
2. “Everyone’s got their favourite periods of Cunningham’s career, and it’s always something before the present!” – Stuart Cunningham Interviewed by Noel King
3. “For a lot of people film became a bridge between literary studies and other kinds of cultural studies”– Graeme Turner Interviewed by Noel King
4. “The circulation of ideas”– Tom O’Regan Interviewed by Deane Williams
5. “We just thought we were unstoppable”– Colin and Jane Crisp Interviewed by Noel King
6. “I loved best when really practical solutions had to be found for artistic problems” – Jonathan Dawson Interviewed by Noel King
Part II: Melbourne
7. “Early on I’d been an inveterate attender of Saturday matinees” – Mick Counihan Interviewed by Noel King
8. “Yes, but it never entered my head that it would ever become a field as such …”– Barbara Creed Interviewed by Deane Williams
9. “This is all part of the historical process”– Ina Bertrand Interviewed by Deane Williams
10. “Some things you never learn” – Sam Rohdie Interviewed by Deane Williams
11. “I’ve left a good life behind me in London and I’m going to be met by a phalanx of safari-suited men”– Lesley Stern Interviewed by Deane Williams
12. “We might leave it there” – Bill Routt Interviewed by Deane Williams
13. “Trust your instincts” – Adrian Martin Interviewed by Deane Williams
Part III: Sydney and Newcastle
14. “I don’t want a straight world job but I do want access to spheres of possibility and avenues of influence” – Ross Gibson Interviewed by Deane Williams
15. “Who’s afraid of the 1980s?” – Meaghan Morris Interviewed by Lauren Bliss
16. “The sheer complexity of film” – David Boyd Interviewed by Noel King
Part IV: Adelaide and Perth
17. “This was a certain, particular moment” – Brian Shoesmith Interviewed by Noel King
18. “When I discovered Metz I was in seventh heaven” – Noel Purdon Interviewed by Noel King
19. “Look, I’m really not a true believer like you people. I’m something else” – Toby Miller Interviewed by Deane Williams
Part V: UK and US
20. “The double access, film culture and the ossification of film studies”– Paul Willemen Interviewed by Deane Williams
21. “It’s a small world” – Dana Polan Interviewed by Deane Williams
22. “I’d like to just think back on what has been for me nearly forty years of involvement in developing this field” – Manuel Alvarado Interviewed by Noel King
23. “It was a great relief that somebody was listening!” – Colin MacCabe Interviewed by Noel King
24. “You can’t have an academic discipline unless there’s something that can be represented as a proper body of knowledge” – Edward Buscombe Interviewed by Noel King
25. “I love films that are based on reality … I love the dramatisation of reality, the narrativisation of reality” – Michael Eaton Interviewed by Noel King
26. “My interest in American identity, ideology, history” – Jim Kitses Interviewed by Noel King
About the Authors