Architecture on Film
On 25 March 2011, the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning presented a unique cinematic event – a screening of short films by University of Melbourne architecture students from the 1950s and 1960s. The event showcased this collection of rare films, created by some of Australia's foremost architects and designers from this 'golden era'. Identities such as Robin Boyd, John Gollings, Dimity Reed and John Denton, as well as Melbourne architectural landmarks, were captured in these films in a period before the extensive urban transformations of the 1970s.
The event took place in the Prince Philip Theatre in the Architecture building and the 230-strong audience were transfixed by the people, stories and hilarity caught on celluloid. Professor Philip Goad, Director of the Melbourne School of Design, was MC at the event and provided an overview of the films and their origins.
The short films were created as part of the annual University of Melbourne ‘Archi Reviews’, regarded as the annual highlight of the campus entertainment season. Ten films – with intriguing titles such as Autumns of Reality: Zeus on the Loose and John is an Architecture Student – were screened in total and some were introduced by their creators, providing the audience with an intimate insight into their production and contributors. Chris Seddon introduced The Formative Years and noted that the late Eric Kerr, who had participated in the film, had gone on to work with Stanley Kubrick in Hollywood.
The filmmakers, guests, alumni and friends enjoyed the atmosphere of the Atrium at interval, which had been transformed into an art-house cinema lounge complete with retro furniture, a pink neon bar serving cocktails and a choc-top stand.
One of the films, Your House or Mine (1958) written by Robin Boyd and directed by Peter McIntyre, has just been selected to screen as part of the 2011 Melbourne International Film Festival in July.
You can read more about the films and their makers in the May edition of Atrium, in an article by alumnus Peter Jones, the key coordinator of this unique event.
A DVD of the ten films has been produced and can be obtained by contacting ABP Events – abp-events@unimelb.edu.au
