AustLit

Film and television director, writer and editor.

Michael Thornhill's career in the Australian film industry started out as a critic with the Australian newspaper. He wrote for several years about the politics and economics involved in filmmaking, while being closely involved with the Sydney intellectual and anarchistic pub culture of the 1960s. Among his acquaintances at that time were Frank Moorehouse, John Flaus and Ken Quinnell (qq.v.) among others. Thornhill also lectured in film at the University of New South Wales.

In 1974, having developed his knowledge and expertise in the area of film direction and production, Thornhill undertook his first feature film Between Wars. A collaboration with writer Frank Moorehouse (which began sometime around 1969/1970), the film was critically praised but did not find an audience outside the 'art house' scene. He later went on to produce and direct such films and television movies as: The F. J. Holden (1977), Who Killed Baby Azaria? (1983, TV), Robbery (1985, TV) and The Everlasting Secret Family (1988).

As a director Thornhill has overseen such productions as: The Journalist (1979) which he also co-wrote, and Harvest of Hate (1979, TV). Other features and television productions include: The Great Gold Swindle (1984) and The Secret Discovery of Australia (1984, TV).

In addition to making of several documentaries for the Commonwealth Film Unit Thornhill has worked as a freelance film editor in Sydney.