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Good to read in Reel Deals issue Sept Hasty cataloguing resulted in the so-
2011 (centre pages) the reprint of Ray numerous typos and inconsistencies and
Edmondson’s article, The Last Film gaps and errors of fact in the catalogue
Search, thus making that story available as seen online today. Much material has
to the Australian collecting laity. not been examined even now, being
simply “registered” into the catalogue
Ray’s account is engaging, informative with title or guessed title shown in
and inspiring. Those were the hopeful brackets.
days when the custodian of the nation’s
film heritage was the National Library of Nitrate prints mobilised to be
Australia. Ray Edmondson and Andrew “repatriated” to the original countries
Pike wrote a masterful booklet, included films made by people not at the
published by the Library in 1981, time recognised to be Australians, like
‘Australia’s Lost Films’. As Ray says, the J.P. McGowan. Films submitted by the
public all over Australia responded with public for evaluation were apparently
films of all kinds and all sizes. In those spirited overseas. Films previously
days, the Library made prints from deposited at the National Library’s
worthy donations: many 16mm and request became untraceable to the
some 35mm prints are still in principle lamenting owners.
borrowable under one or other of the
lending schemes now operated by the The broader result of the Search was a
National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA, feeling by the public of ownership and
for a while marketeered as participation in the collections. That
Screensound). feeling was satisfied in the videotape era
by the many issues in VHS of features
It still happens that old fellows, or their and compilations, but none of those
widows or heirs, or the new owners of have made it to DVD format. The public
the old house, will turn up at the grand feeling, indeed sense of entitlement,
old Institute of Anatomy entrance in that the newly collected Australian
McCoy Crescent, faithfully bringing their material should be screened led
boxes of film to Canberra. The impetus eventually to the well equipped Arc
of the Search so brilliantly executed by cinema --
Michael Cordell has spawned fillers,
segments and some series on television. http://nfsa.gov.au/arc/arc-experience/
Many an Australian documentary was
sliced from those old films, sometimes But the main focus there did not in fact
with blatant historical inaccuracy. Cordell turn out to be presenting Australian film.
himself has professionalised a niche in The overall Arc purpose is stated as to
old stuff, most recently with motor present 'best-practice’ cinema events to
history. All of that has built on the a wide audience for their enjoyment and
Australian public’s grateful response in appreciation of screen heritage and to
The Last Film Search. showcase current practice in screen arts.

Reading the public mood, Bob Hawke for The people who offered the old films in
the 1983 election promised creation of The Last Film Search, and the many
what emerged as NFSA. The National producers and relatives, who have
Library eased from the scene, leaving donated since, will find no Australian
the new institution to cope with the new focus in Arc “strategy” –
flood of material and the expectations of
the aroused public.