The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

Rating: 8/10 (21 April 2011)

In an updated version of the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die this was one of the new additions, I was definitely looking forward to seeing if it was a good one. Basically drag performer Anthony 'Tick' Belrose (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy's Hugo Weaving) with the stage name Mitzi Del Bra and transsexual Bernadette (BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Terence Stamp) are friends, and after the death of a friend they are joined by another drag queen Adam Whitely (Guy Pearce) with the stage name Felicia Jollygoodfellow. The three friends get a job performing a drag show at a resort in Alice Springs outside the Australian desert, so they get themselves a van that they christen and name Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and start a road trip from Sydney to their destination. On their journey through the Simpson Desert, Tick, Adam and Bernardette encounter numerous characters who they ask for help, have some fun with, get into some trouble with, and of course perform for in their over the top costumes miming popular most gay anthems. There is a point when the van is vandalised by abusive homo-phobics writing "AIDS f***ers go home", so the vehicle is painted lavender, i.e. pink, and they carry on, to be joined by middle-aged mechanic Bob (Bill Hunter) when it breaks down. The trio and their new friend eventually arrive in Alice Springs, and Tick is shocked to see that the one who has hired them is his wife Marion (Sarah Chadwick), they were never divorced and have an eight year old son, Benjamin (Mark Holmes). The four weeks of performing pass, and it is time to go home, but Bernadette decides to stay behind with Bob to work and get closer, while Tick and Adam return home with supportive Benjamin. Also starring Julia Cortez as Cynthia and Ken Radley as Frank. Weaving, Stamp and Pearce each give brilliantly camp, sarcastic, bitchy and over the top performances, Weaving being versatile, Stamp being the hard-drinking moody one, and Pearce being overly camp. The costume designs definitely deserved the accolades they got, they provide most of the vibrant colour, as do the locations, the road movie concept is great fun, and the gay anthem songs (whether mimed to or not) such as Village People's "Go West", Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive", ABBA's "Mamma Mia", ABBA's "Fernando", Ce Ce Peniston's "Finally" and Vanessa Williams' "Save The Best For Last" are great listening, all in all, a must see enjoyably camp comedy drama. It won the Oscar for Best Costume Design, it won the BAFTAs for Best Costume Design and Best Make Up/Hair, and it was nominated for the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music for Guy Gross, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design and Best Original Screenplay, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical. Very good!