"The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert"
Reviewed by Heather Picker
Written and Directed by Stephan Elliott. Starring Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving, and Guy Pearce, with Bill Hunter. 1994, 102 min., Rated R.
The premise of "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," is simple. In fact, the whole movie is rather simplistic, it is a buddy/road comedy with a twist, being that two of the three main characters are female impersonators, and the third is an transsexual who was once at the top of her profession in a revue called Les Girls. Tick, also known as Mitzi (Hugo Weaving) opens the film with a performance at a bar, lip-synching to "I've Never Been to Me." He sells Wo-Man cosmetics on the side, and when he is extended the opportunity to perform at a casino in Alice Springs, he calls upon his friends Adam (a.k.a. Felicia, played by Guy Pearce, best known as Ed Exley in "L.A. Confidential") and Bernadette (Terence Stamp) to join him.
They hit the road from Sydney, Australia, in a bus christened Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and run into many problems, personally and otherwise, as they make their way to Alice Springs. Their emotional baggage includes Tick's heretofore big secret that he is married and has a child (surprise, surprise, his wife is a lesbian), Adam's troubled childhood and dealing with his mother's reaction to his sexuality, and Bernadette's struggle with a mid-life crisis. Along the way they encounter bigotry and the beginnings of resolutions to their own problems, which, in Bernadette's case, comes in the form of Bob (Bill Hunter), a mechanic who climbs aboard Priscilla for the last leg of the journey to Alice Springs after being humiliated and dumped by his wife, and who becomes quietly interested in Bernadette.
"The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," is an enjoyable comedy with a few problems. The stereotypical, one-dimensional bigots are overused, and some may be upset at the missed opportunities to go beneath the gaudy exteriors of our protagonists, but while that would have been an interesting angle, it would also have been a completely different movie, and I liked this one as it was. The retro-infused soundtrack features disco favorites and older, campy fluff. On-stage performances, confidently pulled off by the trio of lead actors with great charisma, decked out in amazing costumes (which won the 1994 Oscar for Best Achievement in Costume Design--Lizzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel), are Priscilla's strongest suit.
Weaving, Pearce, and Stamp work well together, and all turn in solid performances. Weaving doesn't have to show much emotion until the end, when dealing with having to be a father to his son, and Pearce, who most recently starred in "Ravenous," is showcased in Priscilla as extremely versatile; he was by far the most believable in his portrayal of a drag queen. Stamp doesn't make a particularly lovely lady, but has some of the most emotional scenes in the film, which he handles with a subtle dignity that makes him stand out. The script is spiked with profanity and funny barbs shot from character to character, but is occasionally slow-moving. A sample of the one-liners: The introduction of a dog named Herpes ("If she's good she'll heal") and Felicia asking a video store clerk "Do you have the Texas Chainsaw Mascara?" Stephan Elliott, who wrote it, is also a competent director.
DVD Details: A PolyGram release. Standard and widescreen versions are both available on the disc, with the widescreen version presenting the film in it's original 2.35:1. The transfer is almost flawless, the most minute details of the intricate costumes and scenic Outback setting are visible. The sound, DD 2.0, is equally impressive; the fun soundtrack is crisp and clear. There is little in the way of extras, composed mainly of the original theatrical trailer, a teaser trailer, and biography/filmographies of the cast and filmmakers. A PolyGram DVD sampler, and trailers for "When We Were Kings," "The Portrait of a Lady" and "Fargo." There is French dubbing and Spanish subtitles, additionally. Interactive menus and scene selection.
Notes: Available on video and DVD. The DVD will be discontinued as of June 30th, 1999, so if you want it get it while you can. Rated R for profanity, sexual situations, and adult situations.
The Verdict: Entertaining blend of comedy and drama, highlighted with terrific acting and must-see musical numbers, "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" is an often hilarious road trip that will please viewers who like offbeat films with mainstream themes.
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