Finally went and saw Australia last night. I enjoyed it immensely for the entertainment value but I have a complaint. I always feel a bit uneasy about the way non-indigenous Australia tries to portray indigenous issues on the public stage. There is a tendency, I think, to overplay stereotypes (e.g. bearded aboriginal standing on one leg with spear in hand) and/or to depict injustices of the past in a way that is over-the-top (over-compensation?), condescending and superficial all at the same time. The stolen generations is a theme that runs deep in this movie. It's a pity that the treatment of it only scratches at the surface.
1 comment:
I have a theory that the general public want clichés, it's what they most feel comfortable with, it's what they will accept, in a sense, it's what they look for. Where the rest of us, trying not to sound too pompous, are impressed with everything that aren't clichés.
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