The Tasmanian Tiger

This clip from the opening of the film shows the style of a sponsored or corporate documentary of the time. Notice the simple animation in the title, the continuous music, the lack of any natural sound, and the slow pace of the editing.

This documentary is a good example of innovative documentary making in the early 1960s. Rather than make a straightforward documentary with animals lined up for us to see, the filmmaker has coupled asking experts for information, and wondering at nature. Mobil Oil sponsored the documentary, evident in the opening logo and the product placement when the couple buy petrol. The music is typical of the 1960s – dramatic over the opening title, followed by happy and jolly music. We also get a travelogue view of Hobart, the 'modern metropolis’.

Notes by Damien Parer