The Film Industry in Australia: Trends in the Eighties

Abstract

In this companion to Thomas Guback's paper on the American film industry I survey the changes in the film industry in Australia. One could as well say, echoing his title, the American film industry in Australia because the cinema trade here is still dominated by Hollywood. To illustrate this, in 1980 there were 223 movies from the US registered in Australia and only 20 from Australia.¹ Although 827 films in total were registered that year (including 176 from Hong Kong), the vast majority of these films received no major theatrical release. Movies emanating from the traditional American-owned sources continue to dominate the major city cinemas.