Analysis Of Red Dog

In the 2011 Australian film ‘Red Dog’ directed by Kriv Stenders many issues relating to Australian identity are addressed including the stereotypical Australian values such as conflict with authority and mateship. Stenders uses skilful camera and visual techniques to portray a realistic 1970’s context throughout the movie. Throughout the movie it is evident that Stenders portrays his values and attitudes such as rebellion against authority that abuses power and independence.

Analyse of the Film Techniques used by director Paul Goldman to explore the social issues in the Australian drama film, Australian Rules. This essay will look into the Film Techniques used by director Paul Goldman and cinematographer Mandy Walker to explore the social issues of violence, racism and alcohol abuse in the 2002 film “Australian Rules”. The film was originally the debut novel by author Phillip Gwynne “Deadly, Unna?”.

This is a person who is friendly, faithful and loyal and strives to find a solution in any tight situation. This ‘true blue’ persona is represented by several characters in the film ‘Red dog’ including the dog himself as he shows companionship and resilience throughout the film. The community working there also represent the Australian identity by treating Red Dog like one of them even when Red Dog was injured everyone was worried about him as if he was a human being. An addition to these themes ‘Red dog’ is set in the Australian outback were Australia is shown as dry dessert, a common misconception which is inaccurate of Australian land. Today the majority of the Australian population live in cities where they are close to their jobs and other facilities therefore this aspect of the film does not properly represent contemporary Australian society. Although the notion of mateship and the virtues of the characters in ‘Red dog’ are accurate representations of the ideal version of the modern Australian identity, the darker side of Australian culture and history is completely

The little character stories included throughout the movie are very significant to the personality of the character. These emotions of the characters were captured by the director Kriv Stenders in the movie Red Dog, The stories of the miners really give the audience a glimpse of who they are deep down. The movie is set in the Pilbara, Western Australia. The inhabitants need a friend to share the feelings of loneliness and loss, to provide a sense of purpose. Red Dog helps the miners to create a sense of community. Vanno, Jocko and Peeto are unique their stories are portrayed throughout the movie.

The movie Red dog was able to express all types of themes. The Australian culture are full of comedy, romance, tragedy and mateship, and all these themes are evident in the film Red dog. Comedy was a huge part of this film, nearly even scene showed comedy and would give you a laugh. Half way through the movie the character Peeto was to babysit/look after Red dog for John while he took Nancy out on their first date. Peeto was secretly doing his knitting but Red Dog showed the mates Vanno, Jocko and Jack and embarrassed him. This demonstrates that there is always a good laugh as an Australian. Romance is another key theme in the movie Red dog. John has never stayed in the same place for more than two years but this time he stays in Dampier for one particular reason. He was in love with Nancy. Love, relationships and romance are all very common in Australia. People make sacrifices to be with the people they love. There is also sadness and tragedy in Australia. Whether it be a loss of a friend, family member or dog. There are many sad and heart touching scenes in this film, starting from the loss of your wife and child (Jocko), the loss of your recent new partner (Nancy) or the loss of the famous wanderer dog (Red dog). With loss and tragedy also comes powerful memories and stories to reflect

The idea of the “Aussie Battler” is projected in The Castle via the protagonist, Darryl Kerrigan. Through this, average Australians who also consider themselves somewhat of an “Aussie Battler” are able to identify with his character. In other words, Darryl is the father that many Australians would be able to relate to as their own. Despite his character being slightly exaggerated, the audience is still able to identify with him on some degree. Darryl is optimistic, hardworking and has “good principles”. Although having an airport in their backyard, Darryl believes that he and his family live in the land of luxury, this projects that Darryl is always looking on the bright side and is able to appreciate the simple things in life, thus this suggests that Australians are quite uncomplicated. An example that supports this archetypal representation of the “Aussie Battler” is when the Kerrigans take a visit to their holiday home in Bonnie Doon. Whilst there, Darryl can be continuously quoted as saying, “how’s the serenity” nevertheless, the audience is positioned to see Bonnie Doon as a desolate landscape complete with high voltage power lines. However, from Darryl’s point of view, you could not get any better. Therefore, the element of identity in this film makes it more relatable towards the intended

Jocko, Jack, Maureen, Peeto, and Vanno are established as certain people in the beginning of the film, and Kriv Stenders, through red dog, has changed that. Red Dog is important to each character for a different reason, though equally important, and slowly, each character finds a way to be cheerful . Red Dog impacts them all through loyalty; he is a friend for everyone. Trust; Red Dog helps everyone in the community to trust each other. Lastly, friendship; through the film the community of Dampier become friends and are kinder to each other.

Australian landscapes have long been used to place fear and anxiety in the Anglo-Australian’s psyche. This anxiety and the requirement for Indigenous peoples to negotiate white ideals is reflected in current Australian literature and cinematic identities. This essay will discuss the critical arguments of what makes the chosen texts Australian literature. This discussion will be restricted to the critiques of the film Lantana directed by Ray Lawrence and the novel Biten’ Back written by Vivienne Cleven. The will firstly look at the use of landscape as a crime scene and how this links to the anxieties caused by the doctrine of terra nullius and the perceived threats from an introduced species. It will then look at the Australian fear of a different ‘other’ followed then by a discussion around masculinity and the need for Indigenous people to negotiate white ideals. The essay will argue that Australian literature and film reflect a nation that still has anxieties about the true sovereignty of the land and assert that Indigenous people have a requirement to fit in with white ideals.

This is the question that needs to be asked when selecting a movie for this year's film festival. Hello Selection Panel, I am here to present to you "Red Dog". There are many films here today that want to represent Australia but none represent the large open deserts and its many people in "Red Dog". "Red Dog" is the most capable movie of representing Australia's many cultures and landscapes as it represents a community in Australia that is has strong tie through their dog. The mateship shown between people from many different pasts is sown perfectly in the landscape of Australia.

Australia’s identity has always been a complicated one. Starting with Aboriginal genocide, 1800’s cowboys and villains, two world wars and a bunch of poems describing them, it makes it difficult to conclude on what being an ‘Aussie’ really is. Thankfully, the two thought-provoking poems Nobody Calls Me a Wog Anymore by Komninos Zervos, and My Country by Dorothea Mackellar both use their discerning selection of themes to reflect modern attitudes in some extent. Along with their themes, Nobody Calls Me a Wog Anymore and My Country both use their story to capture the attributes modern Australians possess to some degree.

In the Red Dog and The Turning, the theme of loss is an issue used to shape meaning on the idea of change using specific language choices; the way in which the two themes are seen by the audience to convey the meaning of change. The two texts use the theme of loss to shape meaning of change. In red dog, the scene where john dies depicts a huge loss for the people around him, strengthening the theme of change portrayed to the audience. Vanno, Red Dog (2011) – “Noooo!”. We see that Vanno is obviously affected by the loss of john, after his motorcycle ran off the road, signifying a huge change to Vanno’s life, and the people around him, especially Nancy. “But the blitz truck was gone and the tractor, too.’’- The Turning (2004). Loss is depicted when Melanie leaves the beach campsite to go back to the farm with her family. The audience sees a change in Billy’s attitude, it changes the way he thinks, and impacts the rest of the story. The authors of the two texts use specific language to better portray the theme of loss. Not only in dialog, but visually. An example of this would be the death of red dog. The audience sees the effect of the passing of red dog, as they are all depressed and emotional. ‘’You’re home now boy’’-Nancy, Red Dog (2011), the audience sees the effect of losing Red Dog in Nancy’s voice, a specific language that Kriv Standers used to portray a more powerful meaning of change to the audience, using the theme of loss to strengthen this idea. This idea is further strengthened by the use of context, as Dampier is a small town with a tight community, the loss of a character will cause a huge change to the story, and we see this in Red Dog and The Turning.

Australian’s have a unique proud culture. This culture differentiates them from the British motherland. Through many decades Australia has formed a unique, which at its foundation is made from mateship. Mateship or friendship is the core of Australian identity as this was instilled into them through events such as war. WWII in particular demonstrates the level of mateship shown by Australians as many made the ultimate sacrifice in order to save a mate. The stories of ‘The Magic Pudding’ by Gary Crew & Shaun Tan and ‘Memorial’ by Norman Lindsay will demonstrate how mateship is a significant part of how Australians see

His display of what is going on has many features that show’s what being Australia is like with the hard work and the under fed people and dogs and typical Australian desert like background.

“If wishes were horses, beggars would ride” quoted by the film “Last Cab to Darwin” directed by Jeremy Simms, that tells a heart-rending story of a local taxi driver who is told he doesn’t have long to live. Traveling on a distant quest to be the first voluntary euthanasia candidate he is determined to die on his own terms. Rex travels to Darwin from Broken Hill, experiencing many events which encourage Rex to re- evaluate his life. This film represents the culture of the outback and the theme of isolated Australia through its characters, with its prejudices and racism.

Distinctive images allow individuals to visualise and establish a new perception and values of the natural world. Henry Lawson’s ‘In a dry season’, shares Lawson’s journey from Bathurst to Bourke, exploring the inhospitable setting of the outback. In the beginning, Lawson’s use of the imperative voice ‘draw’ in ‘Draw a wire fence a few ragged gums and add some scattered sheep running away from the bush’, invites the responders to visualise a empty, remote setting of the outback Lawson shares. ‘A public house and a general store, with a square tank and a school-house on piles in the nearer distance’, further assist in establishing the setting of the Australian outback. The provocative, lifeless image of the town conveyed in ‘Shutters are up