Australian
Screen

an NFSA website

Titles tagged with ‘animals’

54 titles - sorted alphabetically or by year prev 1 2 next

A

Antarctic Vigil documentary – 1952

One of the first colour films about Australian bases in the sub-Antarctic islands.

Australasian Gazette – Sheep Dog Trial newsreel – 1915

This newsreel segment from 1915 shows a typical Australian showground. A sheepdog trainer and his dog herd three sheep into a pen.

B

Bambaloo – Bird in a Boat television program – 2002

A mixed live-action, puppetry and animation show for preschoolers from Yoram Gross and the world renowned Jim Henson Company.

Behind the Big Top documentary – 1949

The Wirth Brothers Circus, one of Australia’s largest and most successful, survived another 15 years after this film was made.

A Big Country – The Darcys of Mallapunyah television program – 1981

A Big Country launched some of Australia’s best-known journalists and filmmakers, including Bob Connolly, Paul Williams, Chris Masters and Andrew Olle.

Birth of the Red Kangaroo documentary – 1965

This CSIRO documentary details the reproductive cycle of the red kangaroo, its mating habits and growth in the pouch.

Black Beauty television program – 1978

Poignantly told from the horse’s point of view, this 1978 animated film from the classic novel tells of the heartbreaking consequences of unrestricted exploitation of animals.

Buckley, Anthony: Buckley Family Collection: Tarn Shan Tin Mine, Thailand home movie – c1928

This footage is rare because Australians travelled infrequently to South-East Asia in the 1920s.

C

Cartoons of the Moment – The War Zoo newsreel – c1915

Cartoonist Harry Julius used animals to represent the various countries involved in the First World War, creating easily identifiable – and satirical – character stereotypes.

Catching Crocodiles documentary – 1933

If you’ve ever wanted to catch a crocodile, this nine-minute instructional video tells you how, 1930s style.

The Chaser’s War on Everything – APEC Episodes television program – 2007

The Chaser’s APEC episodes underscore the power of the unexpected in this type of comedy and the legal juggling act involved in bringing it to air on a weekly basis.

The Circus Comes to Town documentary – c1943

The great circus families of the past had a huge impact but not after the arrival of the animal rights movement.

Compass – Paws For Thought television program – 2000

Traditional Christianity taught that humans are superior to animals. Science is rapidly changing that perception. Why is non-human life important?

D

Don’t Blame the Koalas - Episode 1, Fate Steps In television program – 2002

Gregory has placed magnets in his shoes and hat so that he won’t fall into outer space when he gets to Australia.

E

Elephant Tales feature film – 2006

Elephant Tales tells the story of two orphaned elephant brothers Zef and Tutu and their search for a new future.

F

Family Antics documentary – 1945

This is very strange but oddly compelling: a father, his son, and three fox terriers do acrobatics and balancing acts for the camera.

G

Gone to the Dogs feature film – 1939

The second comedy that George Wallace made with Cinesound features a musical interlude with dogs, children, dancing girls and backing singers on bicycles!

H

Holidays in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Canton, Java home movie – c1932

These scenes of colonial-era South-East Asia are an early example of actuality footage which captures Australian perspectives of the region.

I

In the Winter Dark feature film – 1998

There have been genre films that explored this kind of rural paranoia, but not so many that take the loneliness of the bush seriously as a cause of real mental trauma.

J

Jewel of the Pacific documentary – 1932

In this 1932 travelogue shot and narrated by Frank Hurley, rat tails bring a reward of sixpence each and Lord Howe Island locals join the hunt for the pests.

K

Kiddies of Queensland Enjoy Outings in their Billy Carts: Rockhampton newsreel – c1920

This newsreel novelty item from approximately 1920 features boys riding on the back of goats and children in billycarts on the streets of Rockhampton, Queensland.

King Billy’s First Car advertisement – 1939

This 1930s animated advertisement contains a disturbing subtext about Indigenous Australians.

L

Living Country documentary – 2005

The federal government’s 2005 proposal to dump nuclear waste 'in the middle of nowhere’ is impossible, given that the whole of Australia is ‘somewhere’.

Love Song short film – 1998

In this animated short film, a singing punk rat tries his luck in the game of love.

M

The Magic Boomerang – The Discovery television program – 1965

Tom uses a magic boomerang to find treasure, foil his greedy cousin’s plans and save the family farm.

McLeod’s Daughters television program – 1996

The McLeod’s Daughters telemovie about independent women running a rural Australian property inspired the later successful TV series.

Minter, R: South-East Asia, India and Rome home movie – 1958

This home movie from Robert Minter follows his travels to Hong Kong, Thailand, Burma, India, Turkey, Greece and Italy.

N

Nott, D: A Trip With the RAAF home movie – c1970

The footage of this May, 1969 trip includes aerial shots of the landscape, airfields, and members of the Works Committee visiting villages.

Novel Method of Advertising Peace Bonds: The Lion and the Kangaroo newsreel – c1917

In this newsreel item of a Melbourne parade, advertisements for peace bonds feature on the lion and kangaroo cages belonging to the Colleano and Sole Brothers Circus.

O

Out There – Two Down Under television program – 2002

A comedy-drama for children set in an animal clinic in rural Australia.

P

Play School – Bags Wednesday television program – 1984

An episode of the iconic pre-school program Play School from 1984, featuring presenters Noni Hazlehurst and John Hamblin.

Play School – Opposites Monday television program – 2006

Justine Clarke and Rhys Muldoon sing, march, make ‘surprise’ hats for each other, read a book and play games as they explore the weekly theme of ‘opposites’.

Project Vlad short film – 1999

This 3D animated short is about the loneliness of the long distance astronaut.

R

Raggs - Episode 32 television program – 2005

Raggs is a bright, bouncy series with lots of colour, music and movement to appeal to its target preschooler audience.

Rare Chicken Rescue documentary – 2008

After a battle with depression Queensland chicken breeder Mark Tully embarks on a mission to protect the endangered chickens who, he reckons, saved his life.

S

Schools for Farmers sponsored film – c1950

This short film promotes schools for farmers during vacation time at Hawkesbury Agricultural College.

Sellex Crockery: Red Riding Hood advertisement – c1930

This appeals to the ‘pester power’ of children by using an animated cartoon to promote Sellex products.

Serving Suggestion short film – 1998

In this animated short, little Kevin’s rampage at the supermarket goes too far.

Shark Vs Croc television program – 2004

Former shark hunter and Australian spearfishing champion Ben Cropp compares predators.

Siege of the South documentary – 1931

Frank Hurley documents Australia’s rich history of scientific exploration of the Australian Antarctic Territory.

Skippy Adventures in Bushtown – Trouble in Bushtown television program – 1997

The creative look of this 2D animation is signature Yoram Gross with flat, bright, clean-lined characters laid over muted pencil-drawn backgrounds.

Skippy – Be Our Guest television program – 1968

Clancy wants to make a good impression on her visiting mother. Instead, she gets lost in the bush where she is rescued by a group of Aboriginal men (played by visiting members of the Aboriginal Theatre from Yirrkala, Arnhem Land).

Skippy – Long Way Home television program – 1968

Dastardly Dr Stark kidnaps ‘no ordinary kangaroo’ Skippy for his own private zoo, but Skippy has other plans.

The Stawell Gift: Staging the Golden Jubilee Carnival documentary – 1927

The Stawell Gift, one of the oldest foot races in the world, began as a competition between miners in the Victorian goldfields.

Sydney on Show documentary – c1940

This documentary from about 1940 shows Sydney’s progress as a modern city. It is from the large private film collection of Roger McKenzie and Bernard Kent.

T

Tasmanian Tiger Footage historical – 1932

In 1932, zoologist and naturalist David Fleay filmed some of the last known moving images of a living (now extinct) Tasmanian tiger.

Tatler Social Newsreel: Social Party in South Yarra newsreel – c1934

Only a few Efftee newsreels have survived and this one is a vivid record of Melbourne society at play in the 1930s, complete with a society party in South Yarra.

Thank God He Met Lizzie feature film – 1997

This romantic comedy helped launch Cate Blanchett’s cinema career. It intercuts two stories to create a very satisfying contemplation on romantic love and commitment.

Tiga short film – 1987

This animated short film is an homage to an extinct Australian species.

The Tightrope Dancer documentary – 1989

A portrait of flamboyant Australian artist and dancer Vali Myers.

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