Titles from the 1980s
304 titles - sorted alphabetically or by year prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 next
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1915 television program – 1982
The television series 1915 cleverly uses First World War historical footage and successfully moves between the action at the front and events at home in Australia.
The 1930s Golden Era of Australian Movies: A Tribute to Ken G Hall AO OBE documentary – 1988
Two of Ken G Hall’s basic rules were that films had to have a memorable title and a strong story climax.
A
Against the Grain: More Meat than Wheat feature film – 1980
A terrorist visits his family in Western Australia after detonating a bomb in Sydney on Anzac Day.
Age Before Beauty documentary – 1980
Age Before Beauty cleverly identified an issue that has since become familiar territory for most women in the western world.
Allies documentary – 1983
When Gough Whitlam lead the Australian Labor Party to election victory in 1972, it altered Australia’s relationship with the US.
All the Green Year – Episode 2 television program – 1980
This mini-series about growing up in the years between the world wars recalls a type of small-town society which is now fading into the past.
All the Rivers Run television program – 1983
This program won a swag of awards and has arguably been watched by more people, more often, than any other Australian mini-series of the prolific ’80s.
Around the World in 80 Ways feature film – 1986
Eddie and Wally Davis fake a round-the-world holiday for their senile old father.
Arthur Boyd: Figures in the Landscape documentary – 1985
Arthur Boyd shows how he uses his fingers and the palm of his hand to paint, allowing him to 'feel his way through the painting’.
Astonish Me, Graeme Murphy Choreographer documentary – 1989
Dancer Graeme Murphy remembers the anxiety he felt about partnering, particularly in a pas de deux, because of his small stature.
Australia Daze documentary – 1988
An observational documentary shot by 29 different camera crews on the bicentennial anniversary of Australia’s European settlement on 26 January 1988.
Australia in World War 1 documentary – c1980
Hubert Wilkins, official Australian war photographer, would have shot most of this footage, some of which is recreated.
The Australian Way: A Salute to Aussie Sex Appeal documentary – 1982
This is a time capsule of what was considered sexy, naughty and outrageous in the early 1980s — by commercial television anyway.
Australia Post – 200 Years sponsored film – 1988
With slogans like 'Celebrating a Nation’, the Bicentennial Authority directed emphasis towards celebrating multiculturalism rather than 200 years of white settlement.
Australia Post – Animation advertisement – c1988
This Australia Post commercial promoting Faxpost has been shot at low speed to create the impression of high speed travel through empty Sydney streets.
Australia Post – Express Courier advertisement – 1988
These commercials promoting Australia Post’s courier service exploit the organisation’s reputation for reliability and dependability.
Australia Post – Intelpost advertisement – 1987
This humorous TVC shows a series of instruction diagrams being delivered by Australia Post to a group of ancient would-be soccer players.
Australia Post – Joint Stamp Issue sponsored film – 1988
This program consists mainly of footage shot at the celebratory launch of the Australian–USA bicentennial stamp in Sydney’s Martin Place.
Australia Post – Lettergram advertisement – 1988
In these television commercials Australia Post attempts to link Lettergram in the mind of the viewer with the traditional uses of the telegram.
Australia Post – Letter Writing Venice advertisement – 1986
This ad was part of Australia Post’s ‘We Deliver’ campaign and produced to encourage international and intergenerational correspondence.
Australia Post – Meeting the Challenge sponsored film – 1988
This short training video from Australia Post management briefs personnel about the imminent corporate restructure and shift in image to a commercial service provider.
Australia Post – News Release E-Post Electronic Mail sponsored film – 1985
This 1985 video press release explains E-Post, a new service offered by Australia Post to replace the old telegram service and superseded teleprinter technology.
Australia Post – Postcode Grandma advertisement – 1988
This commercial targeted members of the community who at that time were not yet au fait with the new communication technologies.
Australia Post – Post Office Spruce Up sponsored film – 1987
This program introduced a competition between post offices to mark the launch of the first incarnation of commercial, sales-oriented post office shopfronts.
Australia Post – Postpak Rap advertisement – 1988
This Australia Post commercial promotes the use of Postpaks for packaging parcels. With rap music still new to Australian popular culture at the time, this commercial was very successful.
Australia Post – Recruitment sponsored film – 1989
It’s interesting to look at the Australia Post jobs on offer in the late 1980s and compare them to employment opportunities available today.
Australia Post – Security sponsored film – 1989
While mail security may be a far greater problem today than in the past, here is evidence that mail security has always presented a substantial challenge.
Australia Post – The Last of the TPOs sponsored film – 1985
This program marks the closure of the Travelling Post Office, a mail service that had worked in conjunction with Australia’s various railway networks since 1865.
Australia Post – We Deliver 1 advertisement – 1988
Television advertising played a major role in the establishment of Australia Post’s new corporate identity in the latter part of the 1980s.
Australia Post – We Deliver 2 advertisement – 1988
This series set out to promote the corporate image, while at the same time promoting Australia Post’s individual products and services.
Australia Post – We Deliver 3 advertisement – 1988
This series is a good example of the way in which the use of music in television commercials had changed by the late 1980s.
B
Babakiueria short film – 1986
A mockumentary surveying the culture and customs of the white native people of the land of ‘Babakiueria’, from the perspective of the country’s black colonisers.
Backchat, Episode 215 television program – 1988
Viewers respond to a song – 'Sack the Jack’ – broadcast at a time when the republican issue was being hotly debated.
Backchat, Episode 216 television program – 1988
Backchat, presented by Tim Bowden for over eight years, was an opportunity for ABC viewers to vent their spleens or heap praise on Aunty.
Backchat, Episode 217 television program – 1988
For some, ABC’s religious programs are a welcome alternative to commercial broadcasts, while for others the ABC turns religion into a Marxist critique.
Backlash feature film – 1986
Much of the dialogue in Bill Bennett’s film, about two police officers and a young indigenous woman, was improvised on location.
Backs to the Blast, an Australian Nuclear Story documentary – 1981
Made 25 years after nuclear tests were conducted in SA in the 1950s, this documentary stirred up a political hornet’s nest.
Beautiful Lies: A Film About Peter Carey documentary – 1986
This documentary explores the relationship between Australian novelist Peter Carey and his country.
Behind the Sun documentary – 1988
Robert Klippel, who sculpts from discarded materials, is one of the artists featured in this documentary compilation.
Belsen For Example documentary – 1985
The recollections of concentration camp survivors, now living in Australia, and rescuers, are extraordinary.
Betty Pounder documentary – 1988
Being successful in theatre, says dancer Betty Pounder, requires passion, and that may have to come at the expense of family.
Beyond 2000 – Episode 152 television program – 1989
Including a report from Japan where a robot mannequin with the body type of a typical Japanese woman might replace the European store dummy.
A Big Country – City Girls television program – 1983
A group of students from an exclusive girls’ school and a group of unemployed girls hike through the bush.
A Big Country – Gulf Battlers television program – 1982
Vintage A Big Country featuring Elton and Maude beating the odds to run a small cattle station in the Gulf country of northern Australia.
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.
A Big Country – The Drover television program – 1981
Jack loves his job and his life on the road. The filmmakers have captured both the hardship and the freedom of a life on the ‘long paddock’.
The Big Gig – Series 1 Episode 1 television program – 1989
There’s a rowdy beer-hall type atmosphere to this comedy-variety show, which tapped into a vibrant ‘80s live comedy scene in Melbourne.
Bitter Herbs and Honey documentary – 1981
While this study of Jews in Carlton re-enacts how Jewish boys were bullied, it is also a celebration of family and citizenship.
The Blainey View – Footprints television program – 1982
Geoffrey Blainey, one of Australia’s foremost and most controversial historians, later coined the term 'black armband view of history’.
Bliss feature film – 1985
To say Bliss was ahead of its time is an understatement: the bold metaphors and sharp satire weren’t appreciated by everyone in 1985.
