ENGLISH FILM STUDY
Cinema is a sounding board for directors to express, reinforce and challenged ideologies, representations and stereotypes within society. Film makers often rely on cinematic techniques such as symbolism, metaphor, settings, events, props, costuming, characterisation and even deconstruction of stereotypes to isolate particular ideologies and themes to convey and challenge audience interpretations and opinions related to historical and political events. Baz Luhmann attempts to challenge Australian opinion on several historical woman and indigenous rights, the Stolen Generation and ultimately the Australian concept of egalitarianism using his film Strictly Ballroom and Australia, as the medium and the aforementioned techniques …show more content…
The character of Doug Hastings embodies the concept of egalitarianism at Federation that has since been oppressed and abused by the White Australia Policy. Australia, however, builds upon this theme by presenting the audience an egalitarian Australia that by the end of the film, has accepted Aboriginals and women into its definition of egalitarianism. The Drover in “Australia” represents a new lovable and related breed of an egalitarian Australian. Both films effectively challenge the audience’s position toward historic events, but mainly target their perception and definition of egalitarianism. Symbols and representations throughout Strictly Ballroom and Australia allude to various ideologies and make reference to several chapters of Australian history. Ideologies refer to “the body of doctrine, myth, belief … that guides an individual, social movement, institution, class, or large group”. (Free dictionary, …show more content…
At the beginning of the film, the Drover’s brother-in-law is denied entry into a bar based solely on the fact he is Aboriginal. Similarly, Lady Ashley (Anton Monster) is told explicitly to go to the ladies lounge in the bar and is discriminated against due to her gender. However, in the second bar scene, the Drover and the other patrons do not accept the barman’s ruling, and oppose his refusal to give Lady Ashley a drink. The fact that the barman concedes is reflective of the woman’s rights movement and the fact the women “were finally included into the magic circle of
Cinema is a sounding board for directors to express, reinforce and challenged ideologies, representations and stereotypes within society. Film makers often rely on cinematic techniques such as symbolism, metaphor, settings, events, props, costuming, characterisation and even deconstruction of stereotypes to isolate particular ideologies and themes to convey and challenge audience interpretations and opinions related to historical and political events. Baz Luhmann attempts to challenge Australian opinion on several historical woman and indigenous rights, the Stolen Generation and ultimately the Australian concept of egalitarianism using his film Strictly Ballroom and Australia, as the medium and the aforementioned techniques …show more content…
The character of Doug Hastings embodies the concept of egalitarianism at Federation that has since been oppressed and abused by the White Australia Policy. Australia, however, builds upon this theme by presenting the audience an egalitarian Australia that by the end of the film, has accepted Aboriginals and women into its definition of egalitarianism. The Drover in “Australia” represents a new lovable and related breed of an egalitarian Australian. Both films effectively challenge the audience’s position toward historic events, but mainly target their perception and definition of egalitarianism. Symbols and representations throughout Strictly Ballroom and Australia allude to various ideologies and make reference to several chapters of Australian history. Ideologies refer to “the body of doctrine, myth, belief … that guides an individual, social movement, institution, class, or large group”. (Free dictionary, …show more content…
At the beginning of the film, the Drover’s brother-in-law is denied entry into a bar based solely on the fact he is Aboriginal. Similarly, Lady Ashley (Anton Monster) is told explicitly to go to the ladies lounge in the bar and is discriminated against due to her gender. However, in the second bar scene, the Drover and the other patrons do not accept the barman’s ruling, and oppose his refusal to give Lady Ashley a drink. The fact that the barman concedes is reflective of the woman’s rights movement and the fact the women “were finally included into the magic circle of