Australia's Land of Tomorrow
Clip 1: ‘The kingdom of rice’
1 min 48 sec
Taken from the sponsored film Australia's Land of Tomorrow (1962)
Original title classification not known – this clip chosen to be G
Availability of the complete title
Curator’s clip description
At Humpty Doo Farm on the flats of the Adelaide River in the Northern Territory, long-grain rice is harvested for local and international markets. Rice is also successfully grown for export at Liveringa in the Fitzroy District near Derby, Western Australia. Farmers prepare the fields for the next season’s rice planting.
The clip contains a voice-over narration.
Curator’s notes
Phrases such as ‘man with a thousand hands’, ‘machines of the new age’, ‘monarchs in the kingdom of rice’ and ‘in each grain, a story of new progress’ are examples of the way the narration in the film suggests momentum and progress. Promotional films draw on the filmmaking elements of soundtrack, narration and image to build a persuasive argument in support of a product, service or idea. As well as the tenor of the narration in Australia’s Land of Tomorrow, the film employs an uplifting orchestral score.
The farm machinery shown at the end of this clip and in other sections of the film was probably made by the International Harvester Company of Australia Pty Ltd – a sponsor of the film.
Lauren Williams, curator
