CAMEL BOY
Australia, 1984, 72 minutes, Colour.
Voices: Barbara Frawley, Ron Haddrick, John Meillon, Robyn Moore, Michael Pate.
Directed by Yoram Gross.
Camel Boy is one of the mini animated features from the Yoram Gross studio. The method of animation is to use drawings with naturalistic backgrounds. The plot focuses on Afghanistanis and their bringing camels to Australia, the treks across the western deserts, the return of the camels to Afghanistan.
The film is designed for children and helps them to understand the Asian migrants, racial prejudices, life in the Outback, the difficulties of travelling across the desert, encounters with aborigines.
The film is engaging, has a great deal of action. It also has the talents of such - actors as Ron Haddrick and John Meillon for the voices of the characters. As always, there is a jaunty musical score, this time a variation of 'Click Go The Shears'.
1. The work of Yoram Gross and his studios? Skill in animation? Style? The content of the films and their being designed for children?
2. Australian history, South Australia and the West, the desert, the animals, the camels and the horses, the pioneers, the Asian migrants?
3. The characters and the drawing style, echoes of Disney but distinctive? Enjoyable and accessible by children? A blend of archive photography with the drawings?
4. The musical score, the variations on ‘Click Go rhe Shears'?
5. The film's focus on Ali, the story of Ali, children enjoying this story? The second part and-the contrast with the focus on Peter? The two boys and the parallels? Asia and Australia?
6. The Arab-Afghanistan? background? The camels in Australia? Their being imported, 19th and 20th century? Their ability in the desert, the contrast with the horses? Their strength and saving the horses? and the men, their ability to sniff water, their speed through the desert? Their being let loose, the wild camels and the herds? The round-up of the camels? Their being exported to Asia?
7. The Asians, their culture, coming to Australia, the voyage, the prejudice of Australians, their skill, advice, the camel boy and his experience, the young camel, the medallion, reunited with the camel?
8. The portrait of Ali as a young boy, his relationship with his grandfather, the strength of the Muslim religion - worshipping, not drinking? The contrast with the Australians? The prejudice of the attacks? The birth, the train, the medal, the encounter with the aboriginal boy and the finding of water, his grandfather's death, his return to Asia, joining, the army, growing up? The meeting with Peter, hearing the story, his final happiness?
9. The Colonel and his being in charge, the expedition, the map? Morgan and his severity, prejudice? The friendly stockman? The Colonel's attitude towards the Asians, the visit to his home, his wife, the journey, decisions, the success of the trip? The Colonel appearing in the form of the actor telling the further story about the camel round-up and Peter?
10. Morgan and his roughness, drinking, prejudice, the horses, the water, his being hurt, saved, wanting to shoot the camels, want to shoot the aborigines? The ugly Australian?
11. The sympathetic stockman and John Meillon's voice, his help, the medallion, his continued support?
12. Scenes of the desert, beauty, harshness, flash floods, the heightened sequences of the terror of the dogs, Ali galloping through the desert, the encounter with the aborigines, the finding of the water?
13. The significance of the dogs sequence and its atmosphere of fear?
14. The aboriginal theme, at home in the desert, the encounter with Ali? The prejudice of Morgan? The giving of water?
15. Peter and his work with the camels, his love for the camel, stowing away, the voyage, meeting the Asians, the discovery of the medallion, his being in prison, telling Ali the story? The happy ending?
