Screening Europe in Australasia: Transnational Silent Film Before and After the Rise of Hollywood

This book challenges the historical myopia that treats Hollywood films as having always dominated global film culture by revealing the prevalence of European silent feature films in Australia and New Zealand before World War I. It reconstructs the distribution and exhibition of these films, incorporating biographical sketches of the pioneers of the Australasian cinema industry, and highlights the complexity and competitiveness of the early cinema market.

Format: Hardback
Length: 484 pages
Publication date: 19 April 2022
Publisher: University of Exeter Press

This captivating book delves into the intricate circulation of European silent film in Australasia during the early twentieth century, offering a profound challenge to the historical notion that Hollywood films have always held a dominant position in global film culture. Before the outbreak of World War I, European silent feature films were widely accessible in Australia and New Zealand, serving as a means of introducing Antipodean audiences to the cultures of Continental Europe and familiarizing them with the captivating European stars of the time, ranging from the legendary Asta Nielsen to the renowned Emil Jannings. However, with the rise of Hollywood and the subsequent transition to sound film, this rich history, along with its profound implications for cross-cultural exchange, gradually faded from memory.

In her remarkable work, Julie K. Allen sets out to reclaim this lost chapter of film history, vividly bringing it to life. Through meticulous research and innovative use of digitized Australian and New Zealand newspapers, the author reconstructs the distribution and exhibition of European silent films in the Antipodes, providing captivating biographical sketches of the pioneering figures who shaped the Australasian cinema industry. Allen sheds light on the complex and fiercely competitive nature of the early cinema market in a region characterized by high consumer demand and limited domestic production. She contextualizes the dramatic shift towards almost exclusively American cinema programming during World War I, placing it within the broader historical context of the rise of the art film in the 1920s, competing with mainstream Hollywood productions.

This captivating book offers a wealth of insights into the complex interplay between global film culture, regional identities, and the evolving dynamics of the cinema industry. It challenges readers to reevaluate their understanding of the historical dominance of Hollywood and highlights the significant contributions of European silent films to the development of film culture in Australasia and beyond. Through its meticulous research, engaging storytelling, and thoughtful analysis, "Silent Cinema in Australasia" emerges as a vital contribution to the field of film studies, expanding our knowledge of the rich and diverse history of cinema worldwide.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781905816873