Keen to find out what makes director Baz Luhrmann tick? Click on to your iTunes online store and you’ll be able to download a very special – and FREE – Q&A with the man himself.
Direct from New York City, Apple presents “Meet The Filmmaker” a 56 minute special in which Luhrmann goes in depth to discuss the making of his latest epic, Australia.
Also in a follow up to our article last week, ‘Australia Adds Up‘, detailing the success of Australia at the box office we’d like to draw your attention to this latest press release which includes some very exciting information, including the fact that at home Australia has now outgrossed Luhrmann’s last film Moulin Rouge! and other blockbusters such as Sex In The City, Mamma Mia, Indiana Jones and Qantum of Solice. By the end of it’s run in Oz Australia is set to be one of the highest grossing films in the last 12 months, second only to The Dark Knight.
January 7th, 2009
A round up of video interviews and appearances, compiled over the last few weeks with the help of our wonderful forum members. Hope you’re all having a lovely holiday break and spending time with loved ones.
AMC Shootout: Baz Luhrmann and Hugh Jackman
Rome Press Conference: Nicole Kidman
Paris Red Carpet: Nicole and Hugh – Gala tv
Glamour Magazine: London Premiere / Hugh Interview
Vogue Magazine: Catherine Martin
MovieWeb: Great Set of Cast Interviews
CondeNastTraveller: Hugh Jackman
Movies.ie: Hugh Jackman
Empire Magazine: Baz Luhrmann
The Fabulous Picture Show: Jackman & Luhrmann
Film24: Jackman & Luhrmann
Croatian TV: Hugh Jackman
Be sure to visit our own multimedia section as we’ll be adding a few gems. Please join our forum for detailed reviews, videos, images and if you’ve gained some money over the holidays why not spread the wealth and donate to australiamovie.net?
December 24th, 2008
In one of the first in depth interviews since the reaction to Australia began rippling around the world, director Baz Luhrmann candidly speaks to Steven Zeitchik at The Hollywood Reporter about the intense reaction from some members of the press, the passionate reaction from the audience and what the future may hold.
Baz Luhrmann’s “Australia” may be doing some middling U.S. boxoffice, earning about $38 million since it opened Thanksgiving weekend, but the director is unrepentant as the movie nears its first month of release stateside.
In one of his first interviews since the movie opened, he sat down with The Hollywood Reporter and spoke out against “Australia’s” critics and those he feels call him the “black hole of cinema.” He also said he will move quickly on his next project, “The Great Gatsby,” which he said will be a perfect parable for economic disaster.
“A lot of reviewers like ‘Australia.’ And we’re making people cry; I know because they write to us,” he said. “But there are those that don’t get it. A lot of the film scientists don’t get it. And it’s not just that that they don’t get it, but they hate it and they hate me, and they think I’m the black hole of cinema. They say, ‘He shouldn’t have made it, and he should die.’ “
Asked why he thought the reactions were so passionate, he replied: “I know what it’s about.” The movie’s detractors were used to movies that were neatly defined, he said. “This is not (simply) a romantic comedy for 40-year-old women or action movies for 17-year-old boys, and that’s not OK with some people. It’s not OK for people to come eat at the same table of cinema. But you look at movies like ‘Gone With the Wind’ and Old Hollywood classics, and they don’t fit in any box.
“Corny Hollywood movies from the ’40s freak out (the film scientists),” he added.
Speaking with THR at the Four Seasons, he struck a tone that was as unyielding as many of the creative choices in his movies but was also occasionally conciliatory. “I’m not whining, because when you do what I do, you expect to be covered in mud. But there seems to be a lot of misinformation.”
Among those pieces of misinformation is boxoffice, he said; Luhrmann noted that “Moulin Rouge!” has been on a similar pace as his latest epic, and that sticking it out for the long haul was not an uncommon experience for him. “I’m used to the waves crashing around me. And what I do is stick to a craggy rock as they keep coming. And if you stick to it long enough someone else will stick to it, too, and then someone else and then someone else.”
(Indeed, “Rouge” was at $36 million through three weeks of release and finished with $57 million, though some might say the production budget of “Australia” necessitated a higher return.)
The director, as Risky Biz first reported last month, also said that he has officially acquired rights to “Gatsby.” Luhrmann sees the pre-Depression story as a wake-up call as the economy comes crashing down and another gilded age, as he sees it, comes to an end.
“If you wanted to show a mirror to people that says, ‘You’ve been drunk on money,’ they’re not going to want to see it. But if you reflected that mirror on another time they’d be willing to.”
He added, “People will need an explanation of where we are and where we’ve been, and ‘The Great Gatsby’ can provide that explanation.”
Luhrmann appeared as particularly interested in worsening economic times and attitudes — noting a kind of glib wealth that came with “the Wall Street trader who has a house in the Hamptons as big as an airport” — and he went on to say that the people needed to take the message of hope from “Australia.”
He said that he wants to move quickly on the “Gatsby” project because of that timeliness. “I’m going to move faster than I have before. I’d be surprised if it’s another seven years,” he said, referring to the period between “Rouge” and “Australia.”
The project also might not be with Fox. The director said he’s “talking to everyone, and they’re all interested” — and paused a full 10 seconds when asked if his experience with Fox was a satisfactory one, before offering a noncommittal answer.
Luhrmann acknowledged his vision’s sprawling ambition but said he was not being given enough slack. “There’s this whole thing about he’s all over the map and he’s bonkers. And that may be true. But they’re unwilling to see there might be a plan there.”
He acknowledged that there are flaws in his picture but noted that when “you make a small-scale picture it’s going to be easier. No large-scale movie doesn’t have warts, just by its nature.”
Ultimately, Luhrmann said, the movie’s verdict will be written by many of those he feels have not yet begun to speak. ” ‘Moulin Rouge!’ was supposed to go away,” Luhrmann said. “Not only has it not gone away, but you can’t read about modern musicals without reading about it. ‘Australia’ will not go away.”
December 20th, 2008
On the road again, the cast and crew of Australia have braved the extreme London cold on the 10th of December to premiere their film at The Odeon Leicester Square in the United Kingdom. Looking stunning in a white sequined dress Nicole Kidman battled against the frosty weather before finally succumbing to her warm designer jacket. The Aussies clearly needed more time to acclimatise.
Providing some assistance to Nic and grateful female television reporters was Hugh Jackman sporting great big bear hugs, though he admits they were for his own benefit also!
Australia will be released on December 26th in the UK.
MEDIA:
29 Red Carpet Images from Leicester Square
ITV Red Carpet with Hugh Jackman
Kidman, Luhrmann and Jackman Make the Red Carpet Rounds with ITN
Footage from the Frontlines
December 11th, 2008
So far we’ve had premieres and press conferences in Sydney, Darwin, Kununurra, New York, Paris, Madrid and Rome. Always on the ball we’ve added a whopping 315 candid images of our stunning cast and crew at these events to our image gallery.
We’ve also uploaded some hot new scans. The Australian edition of GQ magazine has just released their Hottest Men of 2008 issue. Being the hottest ticket in town Hugh Jackman features on the cover and director Baz Luhrmann gets a nice six page coverage with a great interview too. Also view Hugh as the cover story on in flight mag for air carrier, Jetstar.
Be sure to look through and rate your fave images.
December 10th, 2008
Brits, on your TV tonight The Culture Show on BBC2 will be airing a half hour special on director Baz Luhrmann. This is new interview footage so be sure to tune in.
Those in the region can also watch a snippet on The Culture Show website, unfortunately the site is region locked and restricted to UK residents only.
WHAT: The Culture Show, feat Baz Luhrmann
WHERE: BBC2
WHEN: 9th December 10pm and repeated 12th December.
Also the London premiere of Australia is not far away so keep your eyes peeled for news and pictures!
December 9th, 2008
Due to the recent and unscheduled downtime of this site, we need to get everyone caught up with some videos that came about during this time. Here’s a quick re-cap of some important TV appearances and online footage! Please let your friends and fellow fans know that we’re back!
To view a massive stash of video clips, click >>
Good Morning America:
Nicole Kidman PtI, Pt II // Hugh Jackman Pt I, Pt II
MySpace: Artist To Artist
Hugh Jackman and Baz Luhrmann
60 Minutes
Hugh Jackman Pt I, Pt II
The Merrick & Rosso Show:
Hugh Jackman – How To Act Good
Entertainment Tonight:
Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman
Access Hollywood:
Nicole Kidman
The Today Show:
John Butler – All Night Long (AU Soundtrack), Acoustic Waltzing Matilda
Australia, Sydney Red Carpet Premiere:
NineMSN.com.au:
Reactions – John Butler, Lilian Crombie, Peter Garett
Premiere Report: Sydney, Kununurra, Bowen
Hugh Singing at The Ivy, after party
tv.com from the red carpet
Unseen TV from the red carpet
Press Conference: Sydney, November 18, 2008
Item 1, Item 2
The 7.30 Report:
Baz Luhrmann Pt I, Pt II
Jay Leno:
Hugh Jackman
RADIO:
Kyle & Jacki O Show: Hugh Jackman, Audio – three parts.
Hamish & Andy: Hugh Jackman, with alternate endings…like the film
LiveNews: Hugh Jackman
Radio Australia: Hugh Jackman
Merrick & Rosso: Nicole Kidman / Hugh Jackman
November 21st, 2008
