Contemporary New Zealand Cinema: From New Wave to Blockbuster (Tauris World Cinema)

Since New Zealand Cinema burst on to the global stage in the late 1970s, it has maintained a high-profile presence, capturing the imagination and enthusiasm of both national and international audiences, through such films as Vigil, Whale Rider and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Contemporary New Zealand Cinema provides an astute and definitive analysis of this fascinating industry. Focusing on industrial and commercial concerns, questions of aesthetics and form, and the cultural debates surrounding nation and identity, the book surveys the full range of filmmaking in New Zealand. It displays the rich diversity of film production in the country, and in doing so highlights a number of specific contexts - Maori, documentary and short filmmaking, literary adaptations, the development of the national Film Commission and Archive, marketing and censorship, in addition to explorations into the place of bicultural relations, spirituality, masculinity and disability - that have created a cinema of global significance. Featuring critical accounts of internationally-acclaimed features like The Piano and Once Were Warriors, as well as the growth of the national infrastructure that made such films possible, Contemporary New Zealand Cinema is the most thorough study available of a vibrant filmmaking culture. The book also includes a fully comprehensive filmography detailing all New Zealand feature and television films. New Zealand cinema burst onto the global stage in the 1970s and has maintained its high-profile international presence with such films as Whalerider, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Once Were Warriors. Contemporary New Zealand Cinema is an astute analysis of this fascinating industry and the most thorough book available on a vibrant filmmaking culture. The book explores the industry, questions of aesthetics and form, nation and identity through the full range of filmmaking in New Zealand. It also highlights specific contexts, including Maori, documentary and short filmmaking, literary adaptations, the development of the national Film Commission, marketing and censorship, as well as questions of bicultural relations, spirituality, masculinity and disability--that have a created a cinema of global significance. Included is a comprehensive filmography that details all New Zealand feature and television films. New Zealand cinema burst onto the global stage in the 1970s and has maintained its high-profile international presence with such films as'Whalerider', the'Lord of the Rings'trilogy and'Once Were Warriors'.'Contemporary New Zealand Cinema'is an astute analysis of this fascinating industry and the most thorough book available on a vibrant filmmaking culture. The book explores the industry, questions of aesthetics and form, nation and identity through the full range of filmmaking in New Zealand. It also highlights specific contexts, including Maori, documentary and short filmmaking, literary adaptations, the development of the national Film Commission, marketing and censorship, as well as questions of bicultural relations, spirituality, masculinity and disability - that have a created a cinema of global significance. A comprehensive filmography details all New Zealand feature and television films. "Focusing on industrial and commercial concerns, questions of aesthetics and form, and the cultural debates surrounding nation and identity, the book surveys the full range of filmmaking in New Zealand. It displays the rich diversity of film production in the country, and in doing so highlights a number of specific contexts - Maori, documentary and short filmmaking, literary adaptations, the development of the national Film Commission and Archive, marketing and censorship, in addition to explorations into the place of bicultural relations, spirituality, masculinity and disability - that have created a cinema of global significance. The book also includes a fully comprehensive filmography detailing all New Zealand feature and television films."--Jacket