Titles curated by Poppy De Souza
402 titles - sorted alphabetically or by year prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 next
1940s (continued)
Thrill of the Surf documentary – 1949
This short Cinesound documentary from Ken G Hall boasts beautifully filmed visuals, with surfers seen in silhouette and sunlight bouncing off the water.
1950s
Berlei Underwear Cinema Advertisement: Sarong advertisement – 1950
The Berlei ‘Sarong’ girdle is aimed at active women who want comfort and freedom to move at the same time.
Clarke, Robin JH: Sydney Diary home movie – 1950
This home movie footage was taken by professional cameraman Robin Clarke, one of Australia’s first television cameramen.
Division of Radiophysics documentary – 1950
This public relations documentary outlines research undertaken by the CSIRO Division of Radiophysics during the 1940s.
Eventide and Westbrook Farm Home: Brisbane City Mission sponsored film – 1950
This is one of a handful of films made by the Brisbane City Mission to promote its charity and social work assisting vulnerable members of the community.
Gerakiteys: Greek Community Picnics home movie – 1950
This beautiful colour footage captures how the Greek community in Canberra lived at the time, and the ways they contributed to community life.
A Hero’s Reward home movie – 1950
This delightful ‘family farce’ home movie production was filmed over a weekend around the Lindfield area in Sydney.
McIlwraith, Peter: Brisbane Show and Moonbi Park home movie – c1950
The experience of the Brisbane Exhibition (now officially called the Royal Queensland Show) is captured beautifully in this amateur footage.
A Place to Live sponsored film – 1950
This Realist Film Unit documentary illustrates that the builders of homes belonging to the wealthy themselves live across the river in poor conditions.
The Felt Hat short film – 1951
Arguably the first real attempt at film drama made in South Australia, The Felt Hat draws on 1940s crime fiction and Hollywood film noir to good effect.
Fighting Blood documentary – 1951
This Cinesound documentary highlights the talents of Australian fighters, including Aboriginal boxers Alfie Clay, Elley Bennett and Dave Sands.
The Workman’s Nightmare short film – 1951
In the first short film from amateur filmmakers the Straford Brothers, a young man falls asleep on his work break and dreams that his ladder attacks him.
Evolution of the Australian Crawl documentary – c1952
Swimming champion Andrew 'Boy’ Charlton, who has a picturesque Sydney pool named after him, is one of those interviewed.
The Singing Chef advertisement – 1952
The catchy melody and infectious cheer have you humming along by the end of the advertisement.
They Chose Peace documentary – 1952
The Realist Film Unit covered the Youth Carnival for Peace and Friendship in Sydney, which took place in the highly political climate of 1952.
Carnival of Flowers, Toowoomba sponsored film – 1953
This short sponsored film about the 1953 Carnival of Flowers in Toowoomba captures the floral street parade and the colours of spring.
The New Car short film – 1953
An ambitious amateur production, most of which is set in the early 1900s, the film was shot on location at an historic homestead in Morphettville, South Australia.
Pensions for Veterans documentary – 1953
A first glimpse of the Waterside Workers’ Federation Film Unit’s agenda – to depict labour history from the point of view of the workers.
Aeroplane Pure Fruit Jellies Advertisement: Bertie the Jet advertisement – 1954
The colourful animation, the anthropomorphising of Bertie, and the jingle ‘I love Aeroplane Jelly’ are designed to appeal to both children and their parents.
The Back of Beyond documentary – 1954
Battling heat, dust and flood, Tom Kruse delivers mail, stores and supplies along the 517 kilometre Birdsville Track in central Australia.
Dimpel, Konrad: Canberra and Snowy Mountains home movie – c1954
Most of this home movie footage captures scenes of sporting and leisure activities around Canberra, such as the woodchopping competition at a local show.
Gerakiteys: Greek Wedding Reception: Canberra Scenes home movie – c1954
This is a rare example of home movie footage of migrant communities living in Australia in the 1950s.
Gerakiteys: Scenes of Greece and Canberra home movie – c1954
This clip from a home movie by Emmanuel Gerakiteys beautifully captures a wedding in a small Greek town, soaked in afternoon sunlight.
Holden Car Cinema Advertisement: On a Tour of Tropical Australia advertisement – c1954
The presence of Coral Sea islanders in a Holden advertisement is probably the last thing that audiences at the time would have expected.
Just Peanuts documentary – 1954
Following the warm reception this film about peanuts received, Kingsford Smith became a successful and prolific producer of over 300 sponsored films and commercials.
A Matter of Taste advertisement – c1954
This 1950s ad for Schweppes focuses on the drinks in the context of entertaining, socialising and recreation, rather than the science behind the 'Schweppervescent’ bubbles.
On Stream sponsored film – 1954
On Stream romanticises the achievements in building an oil refinery and emphasises the benefits for Geelong, its residents and the Australian nation.
Overland Adventure: The Story of the 1954 Redex Reliability Trial documentary – 1954
Jack Murray earned the nickname ‘Gelignite Jack’ through his habit of blowing up outback toilets, livening up his entrance to towns along the route.
Roamin’ Holiday home movie – 1954
This amateur travelogue made by John and Frank Straford records their trip to north-east Victoria in the 1950s.
The War Against the Rabbit documentary – 1954
This sponsored documentary made by the CSIRO is about a farmer’s campaign to eradicate a wild rabbit infestation.
Western Wonderland home movie – 1954
This 1954 travelogue of the Grampians National Park in Victoria features a poetically nostalgic voice-over recorded 50 years later.
Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate – ‘A Milk Tray Day Today’ advertisement – c1955
These ads persuasively argue that Milk Tray chocolates can transform the everyday into a special occasion, satisfy desires and mend rocky relationships.
Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate – ‘Remember ... Cadbury’s Milk Tray’ advertisement – c1955
Cadbury’s Milk Tray brand aligns itself with relationships. These two advertisements are about building romance between fledgling couples.
Elapsed Time Test Studies: Australian Wildflowers, Tahiti, Travel Scenes home movie – c1955
FE Winton was apparently the only person in Australia in the 1950s doing elapsed time photography using electric flashes.
Gerakiteys: Greek Scenes home movie – c1955
The Gerakiteys home movies represent a detailed example of multicultural life in Australia during the 1950s.
Holden Car Cinema Advertisement: On a Tour of Australia’s Banana Plantations advertisement – c1955
This travelogue-style Holden advertisement was one of a series of 'on a tour’ films made for cinema audiences between 1953 and 1956.
The Hungry Miles documentary – 1955
The Hungry Miles covers more historical ground than the WWF Film Unit’s earlier works and they regarded it as one of their most significant accomplishments.
Maitland Floods home movie – 1955
This home movie captures the devastation of the 1955 Maitland floods. The reaction of the residents make this footage surprisingly affecting.
November Victory documentary – 1955
November Victory was reported by ASIO officials as being a 'scandalously untrue and distorted film version of the 1954 waterfront strike’.
The Argentine Ant documentary – 1956
This short CSIRO documentary explains how to identify and eradicate the Argentine ant, a domestic and agricultural pest.
Banners Held High documentary – 1956
The narrator, former wharfie Jock Levy, is one of the founders of the Waterside Workers’ Federation Film Unit.
The Bones of Building sponsored film – 1956
This Waterside Workers’ Federation Film Unit production is a safety film for building workers, commissioned by the Building Workers’ Industrial Union.
General Motors Holden – FE Holden: The Average Man advertisement – 1956
This is one of GMH’s early ventures into television advertising.
General Motors Holden – Holden Ute advertisement – c1956
The utility was Holden’s first foray into model diversification after its standard sedan.
General Motors Holden – Proved Dependability advertisement – c1956
This ad introduces written testimonials from 'satisfied owners’ of Holden cars, 'taxi drivers, men in the outback, commercial travellers, family men’.
General Motors Holden – To Suit All Family Needs advertisement – c1956
In this mid-1950s Holden car ad, the cloud background makes the family look like they’re floating through the sky rather than driving on the ground.
Holden Car Cinema Advertisement: A New Star, the New Holden FE advertisement – 1956
Many of the FE’s aesthetic modifications reflected the fashions of the 1950s.
Let’s Go sponsored film – c1956
This film promotes the Shell Touring Service and Shell’s nationwide network of road-related services. Shell maps were produced from the 1920s until the late 1970s. Shell has deposited a significant amount of film with the National Film and Sound Archive for preservation, with a range of excerpts on this site.
Syme, Ken: Melbourne Olympic Games home movie – 1956
This silent, colour home movie, shot by Ken Syme, provides a snapshot of both the 1956 Olympic Games, and the city that hosted it.
A World to Conquer short film – 1956
In this amateur science-fiction short, an alien surveillance camera lands in a man’s backyard, but his wife does not believe him.
