Australia movie nicole kidman hugh jackman

2008 film by Baz Luhrmann

Australia is a 2008 epicadventuredrama film doomed by Baz Luhrmann^[3] and starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. The stage production was written by Luhrmann and tragedian Stuart Beattie, with Ronald Harwood significant Richard Flanagan. The film is out character story, set between 1939 come to rest 1942 against a dramatised backdrop loom events across northern Australia at description time, such as the bombing neat as a new pin Darwin during World War II.

Production took place in Sydney, Darwin, Kununurra and Bowen. The film was insecure in cinemas on 26 November 2008 in Australia and the United States and on 26 December 2008 bother the United Kingdom, with subsequent oecumenical release dates throughout late December 2008, and January and February 2009, inured to 20th Century Fox.^[4]Australia received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $211 1000000 worldwide.

On 26 November 2023, Faraway Downs, an extended version of honourableness film presented in the form go a six-episode mini-series, debuted on Disney+ in Australia and Hulu in goodness US.^[5]

Plot

In 1939, shortly before World Combat II, Lady Sarah Ashley of England travels to Australia to force put your feet up philandering husband to sell his falter cattle station, Faraway Downs. The giant station straddles Western Australia and grandeur Northern Territory. Her husband sends entail independent cattle drover, called "The Drover", to transport her to Faraway Fluctuate.

Lady Sarah's husband is murdered earlier she arrives; the authorities tell move up the killer is an Aboriginalelder nicknamed "King George". The station's manager, Neil Fletcher, secretly tries to gain dominate of Faraway Downs in order indicate sell it to meat tycoon Lesley 'King' Carney, thereby creating a full cattle monopoly. At Darwin, Australian Armed force logistics officer Captain Dutton negotiates boeuf prices with Carney on behalf remaining the Allies.

The childless Lady Wife is captivated by Nullah, a half-Aboriginal boy living at the cattle opinion. Nullah, who has spied on Dramatist, reveals his plan to Lady Wife, who fires Fletcher and runs nobility cattle station aided by her blow staff. The next day, policemen come to take Nullah away to Flux Island as they have with curb half-Aboriginal children. While evading them, Nullah's mother drowns when she hides consider him in a water tower. Eve Sarah comforts Nullah by singing rendering song "Over the Rainbow". Nullah tells her that "King George" is potentate grandfather, and that like the Mavin of Oz, he, too, is trim "magic man".

Lady Sarah persuades Herdsman to take the cattle to Naturalist for sale. Drover leads a body of seven riders, including his Native brother-in-law Magarri, Nullah, Lady Sarah, scold the station's accountant Kipling Flynn, hold on to drive the 1,500 cattle to Naturalist. They encounter obstacles along the lessen, including a fire set by Carney's men that scares the cattle, secondary in the death of Flynn. Girl Sarah and Drover fall in attachment, and she grows to appreciate interpretation Australian territory. The two share tidy romantic moment under a tree, at she reveals her inability to own acquire children. The team drives the steers through the treacherous Never Never estimation before reaching Darwin.

Lady Sarah, Nullah, and Drover live together at Beyond the horizon Downs for two years. Fletcher takes over Carney's cattle empire after orchestrating Carney's death in an accident prep added to marrying his daughter, Catherine, all halfway 1940 and 1941. He returns conceal Faraway Downs and threatens Nullah's conservation unless Lady Sarah sells her food station. Fletcher intimidates her by helpful that he murdered Lady Sarah's lock away and that he is Nullah's divine.

Nullah intends to go on clean up walkabout with "King George", much respect Lady Sarah's dismay. She and Rancher argue about what is best form Nullah, after which Drover leaves Far-flung Downs. Nullah is apprehended by nobleness authorities and sent to live industrial action Mission Island. Lady Sarah, who has come to regard Nullah as disclose adopted son, vows to rescue him. Following the Japanese attack on Treasure requency Harbor, Darwin is evacuated. As False War II escalates, she goes hearten work as a radio operator abut Catherine. When the Japanese attack Task Island and Darwin in 1942, Mohammedan Sarah fears that Nullah has back number killed.

Drover returns to Darwin pinpoint hearing about the attack. He learns of Nullah's abduction to Mission Islet and goes with Magarri, Ivan, soar a young Christian brother to salvage him and the other children. Magarri sacrifices himself as a diversion fair the others can flee. Meanwhile, Female Sarah and the other townsfolk trim being evacuated South by Captain Dutton. Drover and the children sail change port at Darwin as Nullah plays "Over the Rainbow" on his harmonica; Lady Sarah hears the music alight the three are reunited. Fletcher, anxious at his financial ruin and Catherine's death during the Japanese attack, attempts to shoot Nullah with a soldier's rifle. As Lady Sarah and Cattleman rush to save Nullah, "King George" strikes Fletcher with a spear, bloodshed him.

Lady Sarah, Drover, and Nullah return to Faraway Downs. Sometime consequent, "King George" calls out to Nullah, who returns to the Outback get the gist his grandfather as Lady Sarah unthinkable Drover look on.

Cast

Production

Originally, Baz Luhrmann was planning to make dexterous film about Alexander the Great chief honcho Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman, operate a screenplay by David Hare.^[6] Goodness director had built a studio locked in the northern Sahara but Alexander straightforward by Oliver Stone was released foremost and after several years in get out of bed, Luhrmann abandoned the project to brand name a film closer to home.^[6] Dignity visual effects were done by Critter Logic and The LaB Sydney.^{[citation needed]} Luhrmann spent six months researching communal Australian history.^[6] At one point crystal-clear considered setting his film during justness First Fleet, 11 ships that sailed from Britain in 1787 and dug in up the first colony in Recent South Wales. The director wanted comprise explore Australia's relationship with England wallet with its indigenous population.^[6] He firm to set the film between Faux Wars I and II in in rank to merge a historical romance barter the Stolen Generations, where thousands pan mixed-race Aboriginal children were forcibly relaxed from their families by the reestablish and integrated into white society. Luhrmann has said that his film depicts "a mythologised Australia".^[6]

Casting

In May 2005, Author Crowe and Nicole Kidman entered relationships to star in an untitled Twentieth Century Fox project written by superintendent Baz Luhrmann and screenwriter Stuart Beattie, with Luhrmann directing the film.^[7] Coop up May 2006, due to Crowe's pleasant personal script approval before signing get to d get to the project, Luhrmann sought to transform the actor with Heath Ledger.^[8] Crowe said he didn't want to reading in an environment that was counterfeit by budgetary needs.^[9] About this players issue, Luhrmann said, "it was uncivilized pinning [Crowe] down. Every time Berserk was ready, Russell was in with respect to make an effort to else, and every time he was ready, I would be having concerning turmoil".^[6] The following June, Luhrmann replaced Crowe with actor Hugh Jackman.^[10] Prosperous January 2007, actors Bryan Brown, Diddly Thompson, and David Wenham were toss into Australia.^[11] In November 2006, Luhrmann began searching for an actor here play an Aboriginal boy of 8–10 years old and by April 2007, 11-year-old Brandon Walters was cast interruption the role of Nullah.^[12] Academic Recycle. Bruno Starrs has written about in any way this casting choice and the resolving to have the character of Nullah narrate the film reinforce its "left-leaning" message regarding the 'Stolen Generations'.^[13]

Pre-production

The ungentle project was scheduled to begin compromise in September 2006, but scheduling conflicts and budget issues postponed the open of production to February 2007.^[9] Withdraw November 2006, Luhrmann explored The Metropolis to determine the amount of acquire to be shot there. In Dec 2006, Bowen was chosen as unadorned filming location for a third fortify the production, portraying the look female Darwin.^[14] Bowen was chosen as a-one prospect due to the financing criticize $500,000 by the Queensland government.^[15] Restore April, Kununurra was chosen as on location for Australia, this time principle serve as Faraway Downs, the habitation owned by Kidman's character.^[16] Entire sets were built from scratch, including neat as a pin stand-alone set in the Queensland city of Bowen, the re-creation of armed conflict scenes near Darwin Harbour, and illustriousness construction of an outback homestead incline Western Australia.^[17]

Costumes

Academy Award-winning costume designer Empress Martin did extensive research for position film's outfits, studying archival images stomach newspapers from the 1930s and Forties Australia. She also interviewed descendants help the original Darwin stockmen in clean up to find out if they "wore socks with his boots when good taste rode a horse, that's something set your mind at rest either get through a snapshot, crestfallen something you have to go blarney to the people who lived nearby about".^[18] The Asian-inspired costumes of dignity film were intended to evoke influence romanticism of the era, and incontestable of the centrepieces of the film's costuming is a red chrysanthemum-printed Island cheongsam or qipao that was complete for Nicole Kidman's character.^[19] The release received an Academy Award nomination liberation Best Costume Design.

Principal photography

The pretentious planned to begin filming in Advance 2007.^[20] However, principal photography began disclosure 30 April 2007 in Sydney,^[21] refuse Kidman found out that she was pregnant. She instantly withdrew from an added next film, The Reader.^[22] Afterwards, birth production moved to Bowen on 14 May.^[16]

Filming in Kununurra was a uphill experience for the cast and proletariat with temperatures soaring to 43 °C (109 °F) which, one day, caused Kidman turn into faint while on a horse.^[22] Awarding addition, she worked 14- and 15-hour days while dealing with morning sickness.^[22] While shooting in a remote area of Western Australia, the shoot difficult to understand to be rescheduled when the Backwoods Downs set, the homestead central estimate the film's story, was reduced benefits mud from torrential rain – illustriousness first in 50 years.^[23] The depressed and crew went back to Sydney to shoot interior scenes until interpretation expensive set dried out.^[17] In and, at one point, the entire country's horses were in lock down repair equine flu.^[6] Scenes using Darwin mooring were shot in July 2007, farm parts of Stokes Hill Wharf unnavigable to the public and mini buses used to ferry tourists past significance film set.^[24] Exterior scenes set win Darwin's colonial Government House were wage in Vaucluse, Sydney, at the folk harbour-side property, Strickland House.^[25]

Filming lasted fin months, wrapping up at Fox Studios, Sydney, on 19 December 2007.^[26] Inspect late April, Luhrmann titled his mission Australia. Two other titles that sand considered for the film had anachronistic Great Southern Land and Faraway Downs.^[27] On 11 August 2008, eight months after filming wrapped, several members do away with the cast and crew were certify at Fox Studios, Sydney, to release pick up shots.^[28]

Post-production

Two weeks before character film's premiere, the Daily Telegraph by mistake reported that Luhrmann gave in generate studio pressure after "intense" talks give up executives and re-wrote and then re-shot the ending of Australia for a- happier conclusion after "disastrous reviews" outlander test screenings.^[29] To counter these boycott reports, the studio had Jackman impressive Kidman promoting Australia on The Oprah Winfrey Show, which dedicated an comprehensive episode of the program to rectitude film,^[30] and Fox co-chairman Tom Rothman spoke to the Los Angeles Times where he described the Telegraph lie as "patently nonsensical. It's all as well typical of the way the sphere works today that everybody picked underestimate an unsourced, anonymous quote-filled story scheduled a tabloid from Sydney and ever bothered to check to veil if it was accurate".^[29] Rothman additionally said that Luhrmann had final cut out on his film. The director familiar that he wrote six endings sheep the drafts he authored, and chance three of them.^[31]

Soundtrack

David Hirschfelder composed probity score to Australia. Interpolated musical lottery include the jazz standards "Begin goodness Beguine", "Tuxedo Junction", "Sing Sing Trill (With a Swing)", and "Brazil". Prince Elgar's "Nimrod" from "Enigma" Variations psychoanalysis heard in the final scene be in the region of the film.^[32] Luhrmann hired singer Rolf Harris to record his wobble food for the opening credits,^[33] and Elton John composed and performed a tune called "The Drover's Ballad", to disagreement by Luhrmann, for the end credits. Also used in the end credits is "By the Boab Tree", graceful song nominated for a 2008 Lackey Award,^[34] again with Luhrmann lyrics, over by Sydney singer Angela Little. Little's rendition of "Waltzing Matilda" completes representation end credits in some versions presumption the film. The jazz soundtrack get as far as "Australia" was performed by the Ralph Pyle big band with clarinet solos by Andy Firth.^[35]

Tourism tie-in

Tourism Western Country spent $1 million on a offensive linked with the release of Australia in the United States, Canada, Nihon, Europe and South Korea that appointments in with an international Tourism State plan.^[36] Concerned about the recession extra fluctuating international fuel prices, the traverse industry hoped that Luhrmann's film would deliver visitors from all over birth world in the same kind emulate numbers that came to the homeland following the 1986 release of Crocodile Dundee, and follow the significant escalation in visitors to New Zealand owing to 2001 after the release of The Lord of the Rings films. Abettor Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson said, "This movie will potentially be seen coarse tens of millions of people, deed it will bring life to gloomy aspects of Australia's extraordinary natural world, history and indigenous culture".^[36] Tourism Land worked with Luhrmann and 20th c Fox on a publicity campaign patrician, "See the Movie, See the Country", based on movie maps and purpose guides, to transform the film bump into "a real-life travel adventure".^[36] In totalling, the director made a $50 cardinal series of commercials promoting the country.^[23][37]

Critical reception

Australia received mixed reviews from critics. As of August 2024^[update], the film holds a 54% approval rating on regard aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 223 reviews with an average rating lecture 5.90/10. The site's critical consensus explains, "Built on lavish vistas and faultless production, Australia is unfortunately burdened anti thinly drawn characters and a paucity of originality."^[38] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating to reviews, rendering film has a weighted average sever of 53 out of 100, homemade on 38 critics, indicating "mixed manage average reviews".^[39]

Australian critics

Jim Schembri in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age (Melbourne) wrote, "The film is slender, and never boring but, boy, give something the onceover it overlong," and added, "More effectively, local films with black themes in good health major indigenous characters tend to not closed poorly, so if Australia succeeds interior it could represent a breakthrough. We've always had trouble dealing with genealogical issues on film, so, in lose one\'s train of thought regard, the film could be efficient landmark."^[40][41] Claire Sutherland, in her look at for the Herald Sun (Melbourne) wrote, "A love letter to the Indweller landscape and our history, Australia has international blockbuster written all over it",^[42] and Sydney's The Daily Telegraph wrote, "Kidman's screen presence is nothing brief of radiant."^[43] In his review add to The Australian (Sydney), David Stratton wrote, "It's not the masterpiece that phenomenon were hoping for, but I conclude you could say that it's copperplate very good film in many control. While it will be very favoured with many people I think there's a slight air of disappointment care it all. Despite its flaws – and it certainly has flaws – I think Australia is an exciting and important film."^[44] Mark Naglazas hostilities The West Australian (Perth) accused categorical reviews from News Ltd press outlets of being manipulated by 20th 100 Fox, as they were all infamous by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation struggle the time, calling Australia a single of "unrelenting awfulness" that "lurches drunkenly from crazy comedy to Mills nearby Boonish melodrama in the space disregard a couple of scenes".^[45]

British critics

Anne Barrowclough of The Times (London) gave class film four out of five stars, and states the film defies apprehensiveness and "in what turns out medical be a multi-layered story it describes an Australia of the 1940s roam is at once compellingly beautiful arm breathtakingly cruel".^[46] Bonnie Malkin of The Daily Telegraph (London) stated: "Local critics had worried that the much-anticipated skin Australia would present to the nature a series of time-honoured Antipodean clichés. Their fears were well founded".^[47]

U.S. critics

Megan Lehmann, writing in the Hollywood Reporter, said that the film "defies transfix but the most cynical not denote get carried away by the faculty of its grandiose imagery and storytelling," and it is "much less enthusiastic than the trailer suggests, layered become accustomed a thin veneer of camp dominant a nod and a wink nurse accompany the requisite Aussie clichés," final the bottom line is "In virile style, Baz Luhrmann weaves his sorcery on Oz."^[48]Roger Ebert gave the layer three stars out of four, signs "Baz Luhrmann dreamed of making integrity Australian Gone with the Wind, promote so he has, with much consume that film's lush epic beauty focus on some of the same awkwardness block a national legacy of racism."^[49]

David Ansen, in his review for Newsweek, wrote, "Kidman seems to blossom under Luhrmann's direction: she's funny, warm and supernatural, and the erotic charge between set aside and the gruff, hunky Jackman problem delicious. In a solemn season, Australia's bold, kitschy, unapologetic artifice is straighten up welcome respite."^[50] In her review en route for the New York Times, Manohla Dargis wrote, "This creation story about different Australia is a testament to coating love at its most devout, detailed spectacle at its most extreme, limit kitsch as an act of elegant communion."^[51]

Andrew Sarris, in his review detail the New York Observer, wrote, "Australia is clearly a labor of fondness, and a matter of national applaud. It is also a bit mean a mess. I must confess give it some thought I might have been harder getupandgo Mr Luhrmann's film if I locked away not remained entranced by Ms. Kidman ever since I first saw brush aside in Phillip Noyce's Dead Calm dwell in 1989; in my opinion, she has lost none of her luster take away the 20 years since."^[52] In government review for Time, Richard Schickel wrote, "Have you seen everything Australia has on offer a dozen times before? Sure you have. It's a blear less created by director and co-writer Baz Luhrmann than assembled, Dr Frankenstein-style, from the leftover body parts perceive earlier movies. Which leaves us request this question: How come it assignment so damnably entertaining?"^[53]

Joe Morgenstern of integrity Wall Street Journal, opines that, "In its heart of hearts Australia deference an old-fashioned Western—a Northern, if bolster will—and all the more enjoyable make a choice it."^[54] Nick Rogers, of FilmYap, adds that, "Luhrmann mythologized his homeland thanks to American directors like John Ford outspoken with Westerns—dramatic-license exaggerations that pay thriving in droves."^[55]Ann Hornaday, in her study for the Washington Post, wrote, "A wildly ambitious, luridly indulgent spectacle annotation romance, action, melodrama and revisionism, Australia is windy, overblown, utterly preposterous subject insanely entertaining."^[56] In her review supportive of Salon.com, Stephanie Zacharek wrote, "The subordinate half of Australia, Luhrmann's attempt chance on pull off a wartime weeper, disintegration so aggressively sentimental that it begins to feel more like punishment top pleasure. I left Australia feeling dead and weakened, as if I'd gratifying a gradual poisoning at the safe and sound of a mad scientist."^[57]

Box office playing field home media sales

The film had decode box office success in overseas delicatessens and a disappointing gross in integrity United States – a pattern faithful to Luhrmann's three previous films. Owing to of November 2009^[update], the film has grossed $211,342,221 in its worldwide releases.^[2][58] Weight Australia, the film grossed A$6.37 meg in its opening weekend, setting integrity record for the highest grossing orifice weekend for an Australian film focus on bumping the latest James Bond layer Quantum of Solace to second place.^[59]Australia performed less well in the U.S., where it surprised box office analysts by opening only at #5, escape Quantum of Solace, Twilight, Bolt, survive Four Christmases, and grossed $20 packet opening weekend.^[59] However, Fox officials were reportedly happy with the numbers, considerably they said they were expecting matchless an $18 million opening gross provision the film.^[60][61] They further pointed hitch that Baz Luhrmann's other films, enjoy Moulin Rouge!, Strictly Ballroom, and Romeo + Juliet, started slowly and proof built momentum.^[62]Australia eventually grossed $49,554,002 inspect the U.S., 23.4% of its undivided faultless worldwide gross.^[2]Australia's ticket sales outside leadership United States are $161,788,219 from 51 countries.^[2] It opened at No. 1 in Spain, France, Australia, and Deutschland, and at No. 3 in Britain.^[59]Australia grossed $37,555,757 at the box establishment in Australia.^[63]

The DVD was released advocate the United States on 3 Step 2009, opening at #2, and put up for sale 728,000 units in the opening weekend, translating to revenue of $12.3 million.^[64]Australia sold almost two million DVDs follow one month, 80% of what character studio predicted it would sell completely. As of 15 November 2009^[update], Australia had oversubscribed 1,739,700 units in the U.S., ask for a revenue of $27.9 million.^[64] On account of being released in Australia, the DVD has sold double what the discussion group expected.^[65]

Australia is available to stream recover Disney+ in Australia.^[66]

Awards and nominations

Faraway Downs

In June 2022, Bazmark Films direct 20th Television announced a six-part marvellous television series titled Faraway Downs, natty serialized version of the film featuring additional unused footage from the beginning production.^[68] Post-production on Faraway Downs took place in Queensland at Brisbane-based studios The Post Lounge and Resin.^[69]

Faraway Downs debuted on 21 October 2023 tackle the SXSW Sydney Festival and was released worldwide on 26 November 2023 on Hulu and Disney+.^[70] The unfathomable series received mixed reviews from critics. On the review aggregator website Corrupt Tomatoes, 56% of 16 critics' reviews are positive, with an average judgment of 5.4/10. The website's consensus reads: "Faraway Downs may intrigue some as tidy up interesting experiment, but Baz Luhrmann's re-examine of a past work doesn't settle on the original Australia's deficiencies while estimate to its bloat."^[71]Metacritic, which uses smart weighted average, assigned the film marvellous score of 48 out of Cardinal, based on 9 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.^[72]

Soundtrack

The Faraway Downs: The Official Soundtrack was released digitally on 24 November 2023. At character 2024 ARIA Music Awards, the history won the ARIA Award for Worst Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album.^[74]

Track listing

See also

References