Eight weeks after its release, Baz Luhrmann’s epic movie Australia has become the third biggest Australian film of all time. The film has already taken $32.87 million at the box office, surpassing Happy Feet’s $31.7 million. Only Crocodile Dundee ($44.7 million) and Babe ($36.7 million) has grossed more to date.
Starring Nicola Kidman and Hugh Jackson, the film has been slated by many critics overseas, yet remains popular with Aussie audiences.
Australia has become a smash hit Down Under
The most expensive movie ever made down under, costing a whopping $197 million, with Australia Day weekend coming up, Twentieth Century Fox is expecting patriotic audiences flock to see the film. There will be a number of special screenings at Moonlight Cinemas around the country, and at the St George Open Air Cinema in Sydney.
“The Australia Day long weekend is traditionally a peak period for cinema-going in our country, and Australia is the perfect film for people to watch together and celebrate,” said Marcos Oliveira, managing director of Twentieth Century Fox.
However, the film has been surrounded by controversy, with Coleman recently causing a stir when she told Australian radio station 2dayFM that she wasn’t proud of her performance in the film. Stating that it made her feel uncomfortable to watch herself on screen, she revealed that while watching the film premiere, she asked her husband Keith “Am I any good in this movie?”
Kidman, who recently hit the headlines when she defied Aborigine traditions to play the Didgeridoo live on a German TV show, revealed that she fled Australia as soon as the premiere was over, so she didn’t have to read reviews of the film. She said “I don’t usually she my films, but because of Baz I had to see is.” She added, “I saw Moulin Rouge. I’ve only really seen that and this in my whole career. It gets worse as I get older.”
Stating that she thought Brandon Walters and Hugh Jackman were wonderful, she continued “It’s just impossible for me to connect to it emotionally at all.”
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One Response to “Success for Australia the Movie”
Comment by Mike — January 22, 2009 @ 3:08 pm
I’ve never heard of an actress that can watch themselves on screen – think that’s just part of their makeup.
I must admit I haven’t seen the film yet but plan to – it must have had a positive impact on people thinking about visiting.