Sunday, December 03, 2006

Egad - Don't do "Australia" Hugh


News in that Baz Luhrmann has found a title for his new epic which tells the story of an aristocrat who inherits a cattle station called Faraway Downs prior to World War II. It is apparently to be called .... wait for it... "Australia". It will star Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman.

According to Lurhmann he is "taking the perspective of the rest of the world to this film how they might view 'Australia...When you say 'Casablanca' or 'Oklahoma!' it means big. It means vast... I'm not saying this film is Australia. It's a metaphor for a state of mind, for the faraway."

Actually of course I could point out to Baz that Casablanca is really quite a small film with only a few sets and where all the action takes place over 3-4 days. The characters are well developed due to excellent dialogue and subtle acting and the film has a slightly claustrophobic feel which is why it works so well. It wasn't designed to be a big film, and had it been it would probably have seemed hokey and ridiculous.

So, at the risk of sounding un-Austrayan, can I say that I loathed Moulin Rouge and I can't imagine how bad this film could be. It seems to me that since Strictly Ballroom our Baz has disappeared up his own sphincter. Mate, we get the cultural references and the big statements, we just don't need to have them slammed down our throat in technicolour. Calling a film "Australia" is a bit like calling it "Movie" or called a book "Novel".

I also can't imagine our Nicole looking like she belongs on a pre-WWII Western Australian cattle farm. Firstly, no one who lived there could look that pale. Secondly, as far as I know, Botox is yet to make it to Broome in 2006, let alone back in the 30's. The only fun part of the film is likely to be watching her try and fail to furrow her unknotted brow at the various setbacks that will befall her and Hugh.

The story is sure to feature some mystic Aboriginal subplot which will no doubt be resolved through a warm and loving friendship that forms with a small and non-threatening Aboriginal child or elder who will heal any rifts between white and black communities. Terra nullius won't be a problem, and everyone will live happily ever after in the way they still do in the Kimberley. Maybe we might get the homestead threatened by a bushfire, or a plague of locusts, or uncooperative shearers . Crops and animals will die like there is no tomorrow. There will be some racist and stupid local bureaucrats who will utter phrases like "Stone the crows mate, he won't last long at Faraway Downs, they never do". Through all of this Hugh will probably look resolute and sexy, while Nicole will look pale, seriously underfed and remarkably untroubled. A few glycerine tears will hint at her distress but Baz won't be able to stop there and will need to add some swelling music and closeups of her very blue contact lenses as part of his love affair with his ice queen. The costumes will look fabulous but completely impractical, and the dialogue will sound like it was written by Bill Collins. If we are really unlucky our Keith (who is actually a Kiwi) will contribute to the soundtrack.

Following the film's release we will have to endure an endless publicity campaign where Hugh and Nicole will sit grimacing next to Baz while he talks over them, raves about his vision and her blue eyes, and generally acts like someone who has forgotten to take their Ritalin. In interviews Hugh will be gracious and charming, and Nicole will seem forced talking about how she really got into the psyche of the character, and how much she just loves her home country.

You heard it hear first, Ms Batville predicts that "Australia" will be a turkey.

12 comments:

meva said...

That is just priceless, MsB! I have real tears in my eyes!

Can't wait for the film, now. But it doesn't stand a chance of being as entertaining as this preview!

Ariel said...

Agreed. This sounds like it just COULD squeeze into the 'so bad it's good' category.

God, I hate films with incredibly literal titles. It usually signals a complete lack of imagination on the part of the film-maker. You can usually spot them in the previews. Can't remember any right now. Okay: 'Kate and Leopold'. (NO, never seen it, looks awful, sprang to mind for some reason.)

Plenty of honourable exceptions, of course. Casablanca is one.

M said...

oh christ - I hope that lovely hugh jackman can somehow save this farce!

redcap said...

Holy God, no! First, I detest Nicole Kidman, with her evil little teeth and her nasty Botox forehead. Second, haven't they already done this in the moden era and called it Whores on Horseback... oops, sorry, McLeod's Daughters? If not McLeod's Daughters, surely this is just a treatment of everything Bryce Courtney has ever written (curse him and his shiny metallic toupee)? And finally, I too detested Moulin Rouge with all the power of my being and agree that Mr Baz needs to be sent back to film school before all is lost.

If Australia is ever made, I agree - it will be a turkey of the like not seen since Ishtar. Or perhaps even Gigli (or do I draw too long a bow?)

Snoskred said...

I have not actually seen Moulin Rouge yet. I have it here, as a part of the Baz Boxset. I really liked Strictly Ballroom, and I adored Romeo and Juliet, but I just never was sure about the whole Moulin thing, and I haven't got around to seeing it yet.

This little adventure sounds somewhat to me like it's going to have kangaroos riding bicycles. I wonder where those went, perhaps Baz can borrow them?

I can't imagine someone who loves color as much as he does doing a film out there, unless it was a remake of Priscilla. And that doesn't need to be remade yet. Maybe in another 20-50 years or so.. ;)

Anonymous said...

It could only be better if it were called 'Australia: the Musical'.

gigglewick said...

hahahahaha.

There's nothing I like better than a post and comment stream which includes references to Nicole Kidman's evil little teeth, Ishtar, ...the Musical etc.

audrey said...

I quite hate Moulin Rouge too. Strictly Ballroom was brilliant, but then it didn't have Botox Kidman in it. I think she may be the aristocrat that inherits the station, which might explain her pale skin but certainly not her expression, which makes one think of phrases involving sticks and bottoms.

Food Kitty said...

oh miaow, Ms Batville. Leave our Nic alone. She has perfected the capacity to slightly constrict her pupils at will to convey a HUGE range of human emotion.

I loved Renee Zellwiger in Cold Mountain because, next to Jude and Nic, she looked real. Dirty, frowny - what you might expect from someone living hand to mouth during a foul and grimy civil war.

Anonymous said...

"Not Since Ishtar" and "Not Since Carrie the Musical" - i used to live in Melbourne and people out here can pick out my city accent and looks as if they were a neon sign.

meva said...

Come back, Ms Batville.

I'm missing you.

Ms Batville said...

Hello all - franticallly busy. Glad to see I am not the only one who doubts our Nic's acting talents and who loathed Moulin Rouge. I know see that "Australia" will feature our Nic the aristocrat droving cattle across the continent with our Hugh only to be interrupted by the bombing of Darwin. Am guessing the Hoodoo Guru's "Tojo" will not feature on the soundtrack but it would be great if it did.