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Pagewood Studios
Pagewood Studios was a film studio in Sydney, Australia, that was used to make Australian, British and Hollywood films for twenty years. Creation The studio was built in 1935 for National Productions by National Studios Ltd, it was originally known as National Studios. It was constructed for the presumed increase in production that most observers thought would result in Australia following introduction of the NSW Film Quota Act. National Studios Ltd was incorporated with capital of £250,000. They were the first new film studios built in Australia since 1912.Philip Kemp, 'On the Slide: Harry Watt and Ealing's Australian Adventure', ''Second Take: Australian Filmmakers Talk'', Ed Geoff Burton and Raffaele Caputo, Allen & Unwin 1999 p 145-164 Gaumont British helped provide finance and personnel in its construction. After six months of operation National Studios reported a profit of 26%. However the studio was soon eclipsed by Sydney's two other sound studios, Cinesound and Figtree ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Film Studio
A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company or motion picture company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to make films, which is handled by the production company. Most firms in the entertainment industry have never owned their own studios, but have rented space from other companies. There are also independently owned studio facilities, who have never produced a motion picture of their own because they are not entertainment companies or motion picture companies; they are companies who sell only studio space. Beginnings In 1893, Thomas Edison built the first movie studio in the United States when he constructed the Black Maria, a tarpaper-covered structure near his laboratories in West Orange, New Jersey, and asked circus, vaudeville, and dramatic actors to perform for the camera. He distributed these movies at vaudeville theaters, penny arcades, wax museums, and fairgrounds. The first ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kangaroo (1952 Film)
''Kangaroo'' (also known as ''The Australian Story'') is a 1952 American Western film directed by Lewis Milestone. It was the first Technicolor film filmed on location in Australia. Milestone called it "an underrated picture."Higham p 188 ''Kangaroo'' was remade in Africa as ''The Jackals'' in 1967. Plot summary In 1900 Australia, Dell McGuire worries about her missing father Michael. She asks Trooper Len for help. Michael is drunk in Sydney, staying at a boarding house. He meets Richard Connor (Peter Lawford), a desperate young man trying to find the money to return home to America. Michael is looking for his long-lost son, Dennis, whom McGuire had abandoned to an orphanage as a child, a deed for which he now deeply blames himself. Later that night, Connor attempts to rob John Gamble (Richard Boone) outside a gambling house, but after he finds him equally broke, he is talked into assisting him in robbing the establishment, during which the owner is shot. Connor and Gamble ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Australian Women's Weekly
''The Australian Women's Weekly'', sometimes known as simply ''The Weekly'', is an Australian monthly women's magazine published by Mercury Capital in Sydney. For many years it was the number one magazine in Australia before being outsold by the Australian edition of '' Better Homes and Gardens'' in 2014. , ''The Weekly'' has overtaken '' Better Homes and Gardens'' again, coming out on top as Australia's most read magazine. The magazine invested in the 2020 film '' I Am Woman'' about Helen Reddy, singer, feminist icon and activist. Editor-in-chief Nicole Byers told Film Ink "Helen’s story of adversity and triumph is nothing short of inspirational. ''The Weekly'' has been telling stories of iconic Australian women for more than 80 years and we're delighted to be supporting the film production". History and profile The magazine was started in 1933 by Frank Packer and Ted Theodore as a weekly publication. The first editor was George Warnecke and the initial dummy was laid o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Long John Silver (film)
''Long John Silver'', also known as ''Long John Silver's Return to Treasure Island'', is a 1954 American-Australian adventure film about the eponymous pirate Long John Silver, with Robert Newton repeating his starring role from Walt Disney's 1950 feature ''Treasure Island''. Newton's billing in the opening credits states, "Robert Newton as Robert Louis Stevenson's immortal", followed by the title ''Long John Silver''. Kit Taylor plays Jim Hawkins, Connie Gilchrist is Purity Pinker, Lloyd Berrell is Capt. Mendoza, Kit Taylor's father Grant Taylor plays Patch and 24-year-old Rod Taylor, credited under his early stage name, Rodney Taylor, has the showy role of the blind bearded pirate Israel Hands who murderously pursues Jim. The film was shot in CinemaScope and color at Sydney's Pagewood Studios and the same company went on to make ''The Adventures of Long John Silver'', a 26-episode TV series with the same actors. The director, Byron Haskin, also directed the 1950 Disney film ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Power And The Glory (1941 Film)
''The Power and the Glory'' is a 1941 Australian war film about a Czech scientist who escapes from the Nazis to live in Australia. It features an early screen performance by Peter Finch. Plot In Europe, a peaceful Czech scientist, Professor Marnelle, has unintentionally developed a nerve gas while working on a new fuel. Marnelle doesn't want to use his invention for evil but he's threatened by his Nazi masters, including Von Schweig with a concentration camp. Marnelle destroys his lab and manages to escape with his daughter Elsa – but is then recaptured. We then meet two members of the British secret service who are in a café – when another man is arrested the two of them flee. They trick a passing German car into stopping and knock them out – to discover Marnelle and his daughter are in the back seat, prisoners. They take the Germans uniforms, drive the prisoners to the airport and manage to escape in a plane. The Marnelles go to Australia but the Nazis find out about it a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dad Rudd, MP
''Dad Rudd, M.P.'' is a 1940 comedy that was the last of four films made by Ken G. Hall starring Bert Bailey as Dad Rudd. It was the last feature film directed by Hall prior to the war and the last made by Cinesound Productions, Bert Bailey and Frank Harvey. Synopsis Dad Rudd wants the size of a local dam increased for the benefit of local farmers but faces opposition from a wealthy grazier, Henry Webster. When the local Member of Parliament dies, Webster runs for his seat, and Rudd decides to oppose him. Webster and his team use dirty tricks to defeat Rudd, so he calls in his old friend from the city, Entwistle to help. Matters are complicated by the fact that Rudd's daughter Ann falls in love with Webster's son Jim. On polling day, a fierce storm causes the dam to collapse. A major flood traps workers on the wrong side of the dam and the Rudds and Jim Webster team up to save the day. Dad Rudd is elected to parliament, where he gives a rousing speech. Cast Production Scr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Below The Surface (1938 Film)
''Below the Surface'' is a 1938 adventure film set in the coal region of Newcastle, Australia. Only part of the movie survives. Plot Two miners compete for an important coal contract. One of them attempts to sabotage the other but fails. Cast * Stan Tolhurst *Phyllis Reilly *Neil Carlton *Jimmy McMahon *Lawrence Taylor *Reg King *Billy Baker *Leonard Clarke *Frank Baker *Billy Crooks Production The main investor in the movie was a prominent music house in Sydney. The film was shot on location in Cronulla, Sydney and Newcastle, with studio work done at Pagewood Studios. Kather and Tolhurt built a mine set themselves. Shooting took place from November 1937 to February 1938. Release Like Kathner's first movie, '' Phantom Gold'' (1937), it was refused to be considered eligible for registration under the New South Wales Film Quota Act on the grounds of poor quality.Andrew Pike and Ross Cooper, ''Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production'', Melbourne: Oxford Un ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Show Business (1938 Film)
''Show Business'' is a 1938 Australian film musical directed by A. R. Harwood and starring Bert Matthews. It is considered a 'substantially lost' film, with only rushes from a single minor scene left. Plot Two brothers, Bill and Wally Winter, become infatuated with a gold digger, Nina Bellamy. She persuades them to ask their wealthy father, Sir James, for £10,000 so Bill can produce a stage show and Wally a movie, both starring Nina. Sir James discovers the truth about Nina and gives his son the money, provided they leave town in secret for one month to write their shows and that they only use new talent. Bill goes to a country town and discovers a local amateur group. He buys their show and brings it to the city, where it is a big success. Wally meets a girl from a local film exchange and they decide release an old Australian film with comic commentary. An angry Nina tries to disrupt the preview of the film but fails and it is a big success. Nina then tries to blackmail Sir Ja ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Avenger (1937 Film)
''The Avenger'' is a 1937 Australian film directed by A. R. Harwood. Plot A reformed thief marries a wealthy socialite but is haunted by a former accomplice who tries to frame him for murder. Cast *Douglas Stuart as Terry Druton *John Fernside as Max Hart *Karen Greyson as Della, the Maid *Marcia Melville as Gwen * Marshall Crosby as Detective Sergeant O'Neill *George Lloyd as Happy Evans *Raymond Longford as Warren * Pat Twohill as Solicitor Production The movie was produced by New Era Film Productions, a new production company that had been established in Melbourne by Morrell Wright and Cyril J. Turner. A. R. Harwood was director of production. Filming started in October 1937 and took place at Pagewood Studios in Sydney, while some exterior filming took place at Parramatta. Release The movie was ready for trade preview by 17 December 1937 and was distributed in Australia by Atlas Films. It only achieved limited release. However the film was sold to Columbia for release ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rangle River
''Rangle River'' is a 1936 Australian Western film directed by Clarence G. Badger based on a story by Zane Grey. Synopsis Marion Hastings returns to her father Dan's cattle property in western Queensland after being away in Europe for fifteen years. She is treated with hostility by her father's foreman, Dick Drake, and her father's neighbour, Don Lawton. The river on the Hastings' property keeps drying up. An English house guest, Reggie Mannister discovers that the river is being dammed by Donald Lawton. Marion goes to investigate as Lawton dynamites his dam. Marion is trapped in the flood. Drake comes her to aid, rescues Marion from drowning and helps defeat Lawton in a whip duel. Dick and Marion are reunited and walk off into the sunset, with Marion holding the whip, literally. Cast * Victor Jory as Dick Drake *Margaret Dare as Marion Hastings * Robert Coote as Reggie Mannister *Cecil Perry as Donald Lawton *George Bryant as Dan Hastings *Leo Cracknell as Barbwire *Georgie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Flying Doctor
''The Flying Doctor'' is a 1936 Australian-British drama film directed by Miles Mander and starring Charles Farrell, Mary Maguire and James Raglan. The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia operate in the Australian Outback. Noted as Australia's first "sound" feature film, ''The Flying Doctor'' was also the country's first feature-length film based on aviation. Plot On his wedding night, Sandy Nelson ( Charles Farrell) decides to abandon his young bride, Jenny ( Mary Maguire) to go work in Sydney as a painter on the Harbour Bridge. He befriends a doctor, John Vaughan ( James Raglan), who is in love with a married woman. Vaughan decides to acquire his flying license in order to accept a job as flying doctor in the outback. Sandy gets in a brawl at a cricket match, serves time in prison, then heads for the outback and discovers gold. He is shot in a barroom fight and loses his eyesight. He then discovers Vaughan has fallen in love with Jenny, his former bride. When he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Uncivilised (film)
''Uncivilised'' is a 1936 Australian film directed by Charles Chauvel. It was an attempt by Chauvel to make a more obviously commercial film, and was clearly influenced by Tarzan. The film is known as ''Uncivilized'' and ''Pituri'' in the United States. Plot summary Successful author Beatrice Lynn is commissioned by her publisher to go to the Outback and locate the "legendary" white man, Mara, who heads an Aboriginal Australian tribe. Travelling by camel, she is abducted by an Afghan cameleer, Akbar Jhan. He and his group of Aboriginal people provide pituri, a narcotic, to other Aboriginal people. Previously not allowed into Mara's tribal land to sell his wares, Akbar Jhan has schemed to use Beatrice, a white woman, to arouse Mara's interest. Meanwhile, the Australian Mounted Police has its hands full with a missing inspector, an international drug ring, and a tribe of Aboriginal warriors led by Moopil who have killed two prospectors, as well as searching for the missing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
