Thar She Blows!
Encyclopedia
Thar She Blows! is a 1931 short Australian film, the first production from Cinesound Productions
. It is a documentary on the West Australian whaling
industry.
got hold of some spectacular footage shot by Walter Sully on board a whaler off the coast of West Australia, including scenes of a shark attacking a whale carcass. Hall wrote a commentary, had Lionel Lunn record it, and added a soundtrack to the film. Sound recording was primitive in Australia at the time and Hall could not add music or dub in an effects track.
Nonetheless the film was released in support of a Hollywood feature and received good reviews, particularly from Kenneth Slessor
, then a critic for Smith's Weekly. This success encouraged Cinesound to make another short, That's Cricket
, before moving into feature production with On Our Selection
(1932).
Cinesound Productions
Cinesound Productions Pty Ltd was one of Australia's first feature film production companies. Established in June 1932, Cinesound developed out of a group of companies centred around Greater Union Theatres, that covered all facets of the film process, from production, to distribution and...
. It is a documentary on the West Australian whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
industry.
Synopsis
The action takes place at Point Close station, 500 miles north of Perth. A steamer sights a whale, plunges a harpoon into it, then draws the carcass to the ship's side, whereupon it is attacked by a school of sharks. The whale is towed ashore, where it is stripped of it's blubber and prepared for market.Production
Ken G. HallKen G. Hall
Kenneth George Hall, AO OBE , better known as Ken G. Hall, was an Australian film director, considered one of the most important figures in the history of the Australian film industry.-Early years:...
got hold of some spectacular footage shot by Walter Sully on board a whaler off the coast of West Australia, including scenes of a shark attacking a whale carcass. Hall wrote a commentary, had Lionel Lunn record it, and added a soundtrack to the film. Sound recording was primitive in Australia at the time and Hall could not add music or dub in an effects track.
Nonetheless the film was released in support of a Hollywood feature and received good reviews, particularly from Kenneth Slessor
Kenneth Slessor
Kenneth Adolf Slessor OBE was an Australian poet and journalist. He was one of Australia's leading poets, notable particularly for the absorption of modernist influences into Australian poetry. The Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry is named after him.-Life:Slessor was born Kenneth Adolphe...
, then a critic for Smith's Weekly. This success encouraged Cinesound to make another short, That's Cricket
That's Cricket
That's Cricket is a 1931 Australian featurette from director Ken G. Hall about the game of cricket and it's importance to the British Empire. It features appearances from some of Australia's top cricketers of the day and footage of the Australian cricket team in England in 1930.-Cast:*Lionel...
, before moving into feature production with On Our Selection
On Our Selection (1932 film)
On Our Selection is a 1932 comedy based on the Dad and Dave stories by Steele Rudd. These had been turned into a popular play by Bert Bailey and Edmund Duggan in 1912, which formed the basis for the screenplay. Bailey repeats his stage role as Dad Rudd. He also write the script with director Ken G...
(1932).
External Links
- Thar She Blows! at National Film and Sound ArchiveNational Film and Sound ArchiveThe National Film and Sound Archive is Australia’s audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national collection of audiovisual materials and related items...