Fred Schepisi is one of the crucial names associated with the revival of
the Australian film industry in the 1970s. The Films of Fred Schepisi
traces the lead-up to his critical successes in feature filmmaking, via
his earlier award-winning success as a producer in advertising
commercials in the 1960s and the setting up of his own company. Unlike
some directors, he derived from this experience a sure sense of the
commercial aspects of filmmaking, as well as its aesthetic
considerations. The volume also considers stories of his early education
in a Catholic seminary, which he drew on in his semiautobiographical
film, The Devil's Playground, the success of which launched him as an
exciting new feature director.
The volume expands on Schepisi's success story to chart his development
as a director in demand in other countries, notably in the US and the
UK, as well as continuing to make major films in Australia. Brian
McFarlane argues that Schepisi's career is symptomatic of Australian
directors who have made their presences felt on the international stage.
Whereas other key directors of the Australian film revival, such as
Peter Weir and Bruce Beresford, have been the subject of book-length
critical studies, Schepisi's career has not to-date been so explored.
McFarlane takes a critical account of Schepisi's film output--including
such standouts as The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, Plenty, Roxanne,
Six Degrees of Separation, Mr. Baseball, and Last Orders--and he
augments analysis with interviews with the director. By discussing the
production histories and both critical and popular receptions,
McFarlane's study shines a new light on Schepisi's work and his rise to
prominence in the global film industry.
