'The comfort lies in all the things you can do': the Australian drive-in: cinema of distraction


Autoria(s): Goldsmith, Ben
Data(s)

1999

Resumo

Contrary to the claims of some film historians, the drive-in was not a uniquely American invention. Australian drive-in cinemas were, at least in the 1950s and 1960s, distinguishable from their American counterparts by virtue of the profusion of additional amusements (or distractions) they offered alongside film-viewing. This article traces the history of Australian drive-ins as ‘entertainment centres’ and ‘high temples of modernity’. It argues that the drive-in can usefully be understood as a mid-point between the domestic and public spheres, and a powerful symbol of post-WWII Australia, signifying prosperity, gathering consumer confidence and, in metropolitan areas, marking the path of urban development through its concentration in new, outer suburban areas.

Identificador

http://eprints.qut.edu.au/50359/

Publicador

Wiley & Blackwell Publishing

Relação

DOI:10.1111/j.0022-3840.1999.3301_153.x

Goldsmith, Ben (1999) 'The comfort lies in all the things you can do': the Australian drive-in: cinema of distraction. Journal of Popular Culture, 33(1), 153-164.

Fonte

Creative Industries Faculty

Palavras-Chave #American culture #Cinema attendance #Drive-in #Films
Tipo

Journal Article