Social Realism
Inclusive list of social realist Australasian films and films partly in social realist style
See lower down for the same films arranged by type/genre/category.
27A (Esben Storm, 1974) alcoholism
Angel Baby (Michael Rymer, 1995) mental illness
Animal Kingdom (David Michôd, 2010) dysfunctional, recidivist family
Australian Rules (Paul Goldman, 2002) racism
Beneath Clouds (Ivan Sen, 2002) racism
Between Wars (Michael Thornhill, 1974) PTSD
Black and White (Craig Lahiff, 2002) racism
Black Balloon, The (Elissa Down, 2008) autism
Blackfellas (James Ricketson, 1993) racism
Blood Money (Chris Fitchett, 1980) crime, family drama
Boys, The (Rowan Woods, 1997) crime (rape and murder)
Breakaway (Don McLennan, 1989) aka Escape from Madness; prison escapee takes hostage
Candy (Neil Armfield, 2006) drugs
Candy Regentag (James Ricketson, 1989) aka Kiss the Night; prostitution
Careful He Might Hear You (Carl Schultz, 1983) disputed custody
Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, The (Fred Schepisi, 1978) racism
Chopper (Andrew Dominik, 2000) crime
Combination, The (David Field, 2009) gangs
Cosi (Mark Joffe, 1996) mental illness
Dead Heart (Nick Parsons, 1996) racism
Deadly (Esben Storm, 1992) black deaths in custody
Delinquents, The (Chris Thomson, 1989) delinquency maybe
Dream Children, The (Robert Chuter, 2010) same-sex marriage; adoption
Every Night ... Every Night (Alkinos Tsilimidos, 1994) prison
FJ Holden, The (Michael Thornhill, 1977) delinquency
For the Term of his Natural Life (Norman Dawn, 1927) prison
Fortress (Steve Gordon, 1993) kidnapping
Fran (Glenda Hambly, 1985) custody
Ghosts ... of the Civil Dead (John Hillcoat, 1989) prison
Heart of the Stag (Michael Firth, 1986) NZ; incest
Heartbreak Kid, The (Michael Jenkins, 1993) drugs
High Tide (Gillian Armstrong, 1987) parental custody
Holidays on the River Yarra (Leo Berkeley, 1990) delinquency
Hoodwink (Claude Whatham, 1981)
Hostage: The Christine Maresch Story (Frank Shields, 1983) aka Savage Attraction
Interview, The (Craig Monahan, 1998) crime (murder)
Jammed, The (Dee McLachlan, 2007) sex slavery
Jenny Kissed Me (Brian Trenchard-Smith, 1986) custody
Life (Lawrence Johnston, 1995) prison
Lilian's Story (Jerzy Domaradzki, 1996) incest
Little Fish (Rowan Woods, 2005) drugs
Love Brokers (Garnet Mae, 1998) former prostitutes now petty criminals
Mad Max (Dr George Miller, 1979) hoons
Mallboy (Vincent Giarrusso, 2000) delinquency
Metal Skin (Geoffrey Wright, 1995) hoons
Mouth to Mouth (John Duigan, 1978) street kids
Mr Reliable (Nadia Tass, 1996) aka My Entire Life; hostage situation
No Escape (Martin Campbell, 1994) aka Escape for Absolom
No Worries (David Elfick, 1993) poverty
Rabbit-Proof Fence (Phil Noyce, 2001) racism
Romper Stomper (Geoffrey Wright, 1992) racism
Running on Empty (John Clark, 1982) hoons
Shame (Steve Jodrell, 1988) culture of misogyny
Slate, Wyn and Me (Don McLennan, 1987) abduction
Sleeping Beauty (Julia Leigh, 2011) prostitute literally sleeps with clients
Stir! (Stephen Wallace, 1980) prison
Stone (Sandy Harbutt, 1974) bikie gang
Sweetie (Jane Campion, 1989) mental illness
Teesh and Trude (Melanie Rodriga, 2002) poverty, custody
Turkey Shoot (Brian Trenchard-Smith, 1982) prison (futuristic fantasy)
Waiting City, The (Claire McCarthy, 2009) adoption
Winter of our Dreams (John Duigan, 1981) junkie prostitute
Yolngu Boy (Stephen Johnson, 2001) petrol-sniffing
Alcoholism
27A (Esben Storm, 1974) alcoholism
Crime
There are many more films listed in the crime films file. In those films, crime is a well-established genre used partly in the service of entertainment. The few listed in this file are those in which the crime involved springs from some pre-existing social problem, such as a dysfunctional family or borderline mental disorder.Blood Money (Chris Fitchett, 1980) crime, family drama
Boys, The (Rowan Woods, 1997) crime (rape and murder) also a dysfunctional family situation
Chopper (Andrew Dominik, 2000) crime
Interview, The (Craig Monahan, 1998) crime (murder)
Delinquency
Delinquents, The (Chris Thomson, 1989) delinquency maybe (or not)
FJ Holden, The (Michael Thornhill, 1977) delinquency
Holidays on the River Yarra (Leo Berkeley, 1990) delinquency
Mallboy (Vincent Giarrusso, 2000) delinquency
Shame (Steve Jodrell, 1988) culture of misogyny
Deracination
No Worries (David Elfick, 1993) poverty
Drugs
Candy (Neil Armfield, 2006) drugs
Heartbreak Kid, The (Michael Jenkins, 1993) drugs
Little Fish (Rowan Woods, 2005) drugs
Yolngu Boy (Stephen Johnson, 2001) petrol-sniffing
Dysfunctional family
See also Incest (down a bit).
Animal Kingdom (David Michôd, 2010) dysfunctional, recidivist family; also concerned with crime
Blood Money (Chris Fitchett, 1980) crime, family drama
Boys, The (Rowan Woods, 1997) crime (rape and murder)
Careful He Might Hear You (Carl Schultz, 1983) disputed custody
Dream Children, The (Robert Chuter, 2010) same-sex marriage; adoption
Fran (Glenda Hambly, 1985) custody
High Tide (Gillian Armstrong, 1987) parental custody
Jenny Kissed Me (Brian Trenchard-Smith, 1986) custody
Teesh and Trude (Melanie Rodriga, 2002) poverty, custody
Waiting City, The (Claire McCarthy, 2009) Radha Mitchell, Joel Edgerton ; adoption
Gangs
Cedar Boys (Serhat Caradee, 2009) Lebanese gangs in Sydney
Combination, The (David Field, 2009) Lebanese gangs in Sydney
Stone (Sandy Harbutt, 1974) bikie gang
Homelessness
Mouth to Mouth (John Duigan, 1978) street kids
Hoons
Mad Max (Dr George Miller, 1979) hoons
Metal Skin (Geoffrey Wright, 1995) hoons
Running on Empty (John Clark, 1982) hoons
Incest
Heart of the Stag (Michael Firth, 1986) NZ; incest
Lilian's Story (Jerzy Domaradzki, 1996) incest
Hostage
Breakaway (Don McLennan, 1989) aka Escape from Madness; prison escapee takes hostage
Fortress (Steve Gordon, 1993) kidnapping
Hostage: The Christine Maresch Story (Frank Shields, 1983) aka Savage Attraction
Mr Reliable (Nadia Tass, 1996) aka My Entire Life; hostage situation
Slate, Wyn and Me (Don McLennan, 1987) abduction
Mental Illness
Angel Baby (Michael Rymer, 1995) mental illness
Between Wars (Michael Thornhill, 1974) PTSD
Black Balloon, The (Elissa Down, 2008) autism
Cosi (Mark Joffe, 1996) mental illness
Sweetie (Jane Campion, 1989) mental illness
Prison/Gaol/Jail
See also: list of prison films.
Every Night ... Every Night (Alkinos Tsilimidos, 1994) prison
For the Term of his Natural Life (Norman Dawn, 1927) prison
Ghosts ... of the Civil Dead (John Hillcoat, 1989) prison
Life (Lawrence Johnston, 1995) prison
No Escape (Martin Campbell, 1994) aka Escape for Absolom
Stir! (Stephen Wallace, 1980) prison
Turkey Shoot (Brian Trenchard-Smith, 1982) prison (futuristic fantasy)
Prostitution
Candy Regentag (James Ricketson, 1989) aka Kiss the Night; prostitution
Love Brokers (Garnet Mae, 1998) former prostitutes now petty criminals
Sleeping Beauty (Julia Leigh, 2011) prostitute literally sleeps with clients
Winter of our Dreams (John Duigan, 1981) junkie prostitute
Racism
Australian Rules (Paul Goldman, 2002) racism
Beneath Clouds (Ivan Sen, 2002) racism
Black and White (Craig Lahiff, 2002) racism
Blackfellas (James Ricketson, 1993) racism
Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, The (Fred Schepisi, 1978) racism
Dead Heart (Nick Parsons, 1996) racism
Deadly (Esben Storm, 1992) black deaths in custody
Rabbit-Proof Fence (Phil Noyce, 2001) stolen generation
Romper Stomper (Geoffrey Wright, 1992) racism
Sex Slavery
Jammed, The (Dee McLachlan, 2007) sex slavery
Bibliography
Brownlow, Kevin 1990, Behind the Mask of Innocence: Sex, Violence, Prejudice, Crime: Films of Social Conscience in the Silent Era, Jonathan Cape, London.
Maltby, R. 1983, Harmless Entertainment: Hollywood and the Ideology of Consensus, Scarecrow Press, Metuchen.
Neale, Steve 2000, Genre and Hollywood, Routledge, London & New York: 112-118.
Roffman, P. & J. Purdy 1981, The Hollywod Social Problem Film: Madness, Despair and Politics from the Depression to the Fifties, Indiana University Press, Bloomington.
Ross, S. J. 1998, Working-Class Hollywood: Silent Film and the Shaping of Class in America, Princeton University Press, Princeton.
Sloan, K. 1988, The Loud Silents: Origins of the Social Problem Film, University of Illinois Press, Urbana.
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