"Screw You Julie Newmar!"
The Film
Hollywood has this sick fetish when it comes to modern remakes. It lurks in the shadows waiting for some little film from Australia or Korea to strike it big and then it throws tens of millions in the lap of a director and tells him to remake it; just better and with more explosions and stupid dialogue. Directors have been borrowing ideas from one another for decades (watch Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress and you'll notice some striking similarities between that film and a certain space saga that earned billions), but that isn't the same thing as remaking what didn't need to be remade.
Hollywood threw some bucks around in 1995 creating the disaster (which amazingly made money) known as To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar; a direct rip-off a great little film from Australia known as The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Priscilla was a huge hit in Australia and didn't stink up the joint on our side of the world either. The hilarious and charming story of two cross-dressing drag performers and one transsexual who schlep across the Australian outback in a beat-up bus had a pulse; not to mention a wonderful soundtrack and fabulous costumes (which earned it an Academy Award). Note to Hollywood studio mavens - don't remake good films. Hire people who can write/direct and make your own.
Film veteran Terence Stamp (Superman, The Limey, Wall Street) was an interesting choice for the transsexual "Bernadette", but selecting unknown (at least in America at that time) actors Hugo Weaving (The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, V for Vendetta) and Guy Pearce (Memento, L.A. Confidential, The Hurt Locker) was bloody brilliant; the Australian duo had nothing to lose in 1994 and everything to gain taking leading roles in this controversial film. Casting agents must have liked what they saw because the two of them became international superstars; primarily because they have tremendous range as actors and select interesting roles.
Priscilla has some outrageous moments and some colorful language, but it is the acting that sets it apart. Three manly actors (General Zod, Agent Smith, Leonard Shelby) pull off rather convincingly, a very feminine film with a genuine message of acceptance. Julie Newmar? Jesus Hollywood. Get your own set of heels.
The Picture
The 1080p Blu-ray transfer is not going to win any awards, but the image quality is dramatically better than the DVD release; deeper blacks, much better color (pop and saturation quality), and a crisper looking image. The image is still quite soft in spots, but the detail is far more impressive; you can see every last pore and crease on the actors' faces -- which probably won't make Terence Stamp so happy.
The outdoor shots fare better on the Blu-ray release; image is sharper and the desert shots look very impressive. Certainly not reference quality, but way better than what existed before.
The Sound
The soundtrack for Priscilla was loaded up with classic disco tracks; yet for some unknown reason everyone thought it was full of ABBA tracks (it has one - "Mamma Mia") and that crazy story made it a hit. The collection of Gloria Gaynor, Village People, and Alicia Bridges songs sounds fantastic via the new DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix and while there isn't much LFE content to listen for, it sounds quite immersive. The surround channels are utilized sparingly; not exactly an action film with car chases or explosions, but you'll notice it. The dialogue is front and center and while it could use some additional warmth, it isn't hard to discern. Some of the language is a tad over-the-top (and the subject matter is a bit advanced), so I would keep the little ones away.
The Extras
MGM has included all of the content from the "Extra Frills" edition of the DVD and while not dramatic stuff (or new), it is fluffy and and just fun to watch. The audio commentary with director Stephan Elliott is somewhat dry, but informative. The deleted scenes are forgettable, but the outtakes and featurettes offer a glimpse of Weaving and Pearce when nobody knew or cared who they were; making it a great bit of film history. Their transition from stage and TV to mega-stardom on the big screen was no fluke and you get the sense that both actors genuinely loved working on the project.
Final Thoughts
Priscilla Queen of the Desert was a daring film when it was released in 1994 and it has lost none of its potency 17 years later. Perfectly cast and loaded up with great disco tunes, it proves that little films can have tremendous lasting power. The Blu-ray isn't exactly reference quality, but the transfer looks better than it did in theaters and that makes it a must-own for fans of this positively good as gold film. Recommended.
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