In 1939 director Victor Fleming delivered an epic film to the big screen, a film that captured the spirit of the Civil War-era South. It is a drama and a romance and it has captured the minds and hearts of generations. The ten time Oscar winner will continue to be remembered for the cinematic landmark it is. That movie was Gone with the Wind.
Will that type of larger than life and personally involving cinema ever again play out on the big screen? Sure, of course it will. If there is one thing a large segment of the population can get behind, it's an epic (just look at what Titanic accomplished). Now, Baz Luhrmann has crafted a new epic in the traditions of old. It is set in his homeland of Australia during the early days of the second World War. Appropriately enough, he has named his epic Australia and the film is almost as long as the continent is distant.
Australia is certainly epic, stretching itself across gorgeous tracts of land and spanning two hours and forty-five minutes. It is as extravagant and unrestrained as Luhrmann's other films, like Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet. However, there is something different this time out. The camera is pulled back and we are allowed to gaze upon the brightly lit splendor of the land down under. If nothing else, there is always something to look at. Unfortunately, the story told in this landscape is not nearly as compelling or heartfelt as those other films I mentioned. I should say that it is not for lack of effort. Regardless of how you feel about the finished product, those involved in its creation sunk a great deal of their own hearts into it.
The film has a lot to like, but I found the story to be somewhat lacking. I am not sure if it is the fault of the screenplay or the performances, but oftentimes I found myself held at arm's length from the characters. The whole felt distinctly like a Luhrmann film, but it also felt like a mash-up of other influences: Gone with the Wind, Titanic, Pearl Harbor, and a touch of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, not to mention the rather overt referencing of The Wizard of Oz.
Article comments
1 - DCICaroline
Whether you hated it or loved it â€" all you’ve been hearing about is Australia.
However, you may not know that this movie is merely a rip off of the classic, Tasmania: The Movie. We encourage you to skip Baz Luhrmann’s saturated interpretation of the arid Outback for the more colorful and scenic landscapes of Tasmania. Baz can’t come close to capturing the heart and soul of my favorite island.
2 - STM
I agree, and Hobart - the capital of Tassie - must rank among the world's most beautiful cities. There's bright blue expanses of water everywhere you look, and the myriad surrounding bays and hills, especially Mount Wellington, form an amazing backdrop.
Thankfully, not that many people outside Australia know about it, which has at least kept real-estate prices down.
3 - Dr Dreadful
My two enduring memories of Hobart are (of course) the Cadbury chocolate factory, and me and my mate Dan getting so bored while the girls shopped in Target that we started dressing up in Christmas tinsel and taking photos of ourselves.
But you're right, Stan - it is a pretty city; and Tasmania is a beautiful island. The flat bit reminds me of Ireland, only emptier, and the mountainous bit reminds me of Wales.
As for the movie: it was pure kitschy Baz Luhrmann for the first 20 minutes, then it just turned into a generic Hollywood epic. Brandon Walters was terrific though. But I must say that David Gulpilil, who played King George, hasn't aged well! (Perhaps it was the makeup...)
4 - STM
Doc: Places like Richmond, not far from Hobart, with its convict-built stone bridge, are like living pictures from an English chocolate box ... transplanted to the other side of the world, which is what makes it so amazing. You'd swear at first glance you were in Britain, but there are subtle differences in the natural landscape. It's truly a beautiful place.
I remember one summer in Tassie going through an old stile in a hedge row near Richmond for a picnic with my wife, where we sat in the shade on a warm summer afternoon under an oak tree in a sloping paddock that looked down over a river valley. It was the kind where you have to step up and over, to stop sheep or cows from busting through ... the first one of those I've seen outside the UK.
And of course, it was the perfect spot, because it looked just like England. They wanted it to be that way I guess.
5 - STM
But I won't be going to see the movie. I don't like Aussie movies anyway, and too many people have panned this for me to risk three-plus hours of precious time snoozing in a cinema seat.
I'm sure it's an epic, but I don't want to see it. I don't need to see the landscapes ... I've seen 'em first hand.
And what else is there in this movie that we haven't seen or heard before, apart from the young actor, who by all acounts does a sterling job?