Archive for February, 2009
Mere days after the Oscars in Los Angeles Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman were back to work attending the red carpet premiere of Australia in Japan on February 26th.
This is the last major premiere scheduled for the films global release. In other parts of the world, such as the USA, the DVD is already due out in less than a week on March 3rd.
You can view all the red carpet premiere pictures from the roll out of Australia around the world in our gallery. We’ve also just added a collection of images from the latest premiere in Tokyo, with more on the way!
February 26th, 2009
Baz Luhrmann’s epic romance Australia has become the second-highest grossing Australian film of all time.
Now in its 14th week of release, the film has grossed $A36.78 million at the Australian box office. On Thursday Australia overtook the 1995 hit Babe’s long-standing box office figure of $A36.77 million, and is surpassed only by Crocodile Dundee’s record $A44.7 million.
The film, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, is also set to pass $US200 million ($A307.93 million) at the global box office this weekend, with the film still to open in Japan.
“The ongoing box office success of Australia has been outstanding and a unique testament to the way the film has been embraced by this country,” Twentieth Century Fox Australia managing director Marc Wooldridge said.
Top 10 highest grossing Australian films at the local box office:
Crocodile Dundee – $44.7m
Australia – $36.78m
Babe – $36.77m
Happy Feet – $31.8m
Moulin Rouge! – $27.7m
Crocodile Dundee 2 – $24.9m
Strictly Ballroom – $21.8m
The Dish – $18m
The Man From Snowy River – $17.2m
The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert – $16.5m
source: ninemsn news
February 25th, 2009
Baz Luhrmann and Nicole Kidman feature in a stunning photographic spread for the Vanity Fair March 2009 issue. The piece is entitled Hollywood Portfolios. Some of the actor-director teams featured have a history together, while others produced their first mind-melds in 2008. Nonetheless, in each case the chemistry was profound, the effect exponential.
This most recent photographic session was undertaken by none other than legendary photographer
Annie Leibovitz. If that name sounds familiar to you, it should. Not only have Annie’s past photographs left their mark on hollywood history, but more recently she visited the sets of
Australia and produced some stunning shots for the film
as reported in June 2008.
For more insight, view a behind the scenes video with Baz and Nicole …
February 3rd, 2009
The team from Australia are at it again. By now it is widely known that our very own Drover will be hosting the Hollywood night of nights. However an added bonus for Australia fans comes in the news that Jackman’s co-workers have been asked to lend their unique touch to staging the event!
Hugh’s long standing, reputable time on stage and hosting of awards shows such as the Tonys means that he is not only an ideal choice to host the Academy Awards, but that they’d be crazy to let him leave the stage without performing a song or two. Thankfully the powers that be have harnessed his talent and are bringing in the big guns to ensure that everything is dazzling. Who better to ask for assistance than Oscar award winner Catherine Martin and musical director Baz Luhrmann? The creative duo were asked to choreograph and produce a big musical number which will appear at some point during the evening’s telecast.
Without a doubt Hugh Jackman is in safe hands; in addition to Moulin Rouge! the pair have also had ample success on stage through their Bazmark production of La Boheme in both its Australian and Broadway incarnations.
source: fox news
February 1st, 2009
Unfortunately Catherine Martin did not come away with an Academy Award this year but Australia definitely was in the spotlight, and host Hugh Jackman certainly couldn’t let them forget that mentioning the film in his opening dialogue and generally doing the movie and the country proud as a great host. In addition to Catherine Martin’s nomination, Australia star and Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman was on hand to help pass torch in the Best Actress category.