The much-loved Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert had its Australian opening on this day back in 1994.
Over the last 30 years the film has become one of the most popular and enduring Australian films. Prior to being available in Australia the film had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, and it opening is the USA a month before it hit Australian cinema screens.
Made with the low budget of just AUD$2.3 million, it went on to make over AUD$18 million at the local box office.
The film tells the story of a transgender woman and two men, who are drag performers, who leave the safe surroundings of inner-city Sydney to head to a cabaret booking in Alice Springs. They make their journey to the red centre on an old silver bus dubbed Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was director and writer Stephan Elliot’s second film after his 1993 debut Frauds.
He’s gone on to create Welcome to Woop Woop, Eye of the Beholder, Easy Virtue, A Few Best Men, Rio, I Love You and Swinging Safari. None have echoed the success of his best-known film. It has been announced that Elliot is now working on a sequel with all surviving stars of the original film interested in taking part.
The film created iconic roles for English actor Terrence Stamp, who played transgender woman Bernadette Bassenger, Hugo Weaving who played Anthony ‘Tick’ Belrose ala Mitzi Del Bra, and Guy Pearce who portrayed the sassy Adam Whitely aka Felicia Jollygoodfellow.
Stamp has previously spoken about how he nearly backed out of the role which was unlike anything he’d previously done in his career.
The film transformed Guy Pearce’s career, taking him from Neighbours heartthrob to the big screen. He went on to find international success with L.A. Confidential, Memento, The King’s Speech and television projects including Mare of Easttown, Mildred Pierce and the Jack Irish detective mysteries.
Since appearing in Priscilla Hugo Weaving has filled many more iconic roles including appearances in V for Vendetta, and The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings films. He’s recently starred in two seasons of the Australian television series Love Me.
Bill Hunter, the actor who played mechanic Bob Spart, passed away in 2011 aged 71. Aside from playing Bob in the film, he also reprised the role in the stage musical based on the work.
In 2006 the work was adapted to a musical which would go to be a success in the West End and on Broadway. It’s been staged around the world ever since.
It’s also inspired a reality television series and the documentary Between a Frock and a Hard Place.
Many different actors were considered for the film. Originally producer had hoped to secure Tony Curtis to play Bernadette, and while he was interested, he was ultimately not available. John Cleese passed on the role, and Time Curry was also considered. David Bowie is also rumoured to have been approached for the role.
At one point Rupert Everett was considered for Anthony, and Jason Donovan for Adam, but when the two actors met, they reportedly didn’t get on. So the producers kept searching. Donovan would later play Anthony in the stage production. Sam Neill recently revealed he turned down the part of Anthony too, saying he just didn’t ‘get’ the movie. Producer hoped to obtain Colin Firth for the part too.
The film immediately left its mark on Australia’s national identity. Just a few years later it was featured in the closing ceremony of the 2000 Olympics, showing the world that drag queens were as big a part of our culture as Kylie, INXS and meat pies.
“Its beyond cult it’s a global statement now.” Elliott said of the film when he last caught up with OUTinPerth in 2018.
“Anything that happens with gay rights now, in every language, it’s the calling card film that they put on. The film makes more money today than it ever did back then. 25 years later it’s the go to celebration film.” Elliot said.
To nail the perfect look for the performers in the film he hired the best drag makeup artists working in Sydney in at the time, Perth’s own Strykermyer. was contacted by Elliott to be part of the make-up team.
“I arrived at the casting director’s interview and was asked to produce a resume of my work. I replied I did not have one. My work is already out there, just ask anyone on Oxford Street, who is the best make-up artist in town.” Stryker told OUTinPerth back in 2008.
“Feeling that I had I flunked out, I put it behind me only to be told a couple of days later that I was hired. I was given the title of Hair/Make-up/Drag Consultant and responsible for Guy Pearce’s look. We did two weeks pre-production and six weeks on location travelling on the bus,” Stryker told Terry Larder.
“There were some great moments on the set, some punch-ups involving stars, but the most touching were the scenes between Terence Stamp (Bernadette) and his love-interest Australian actor Bill Hunter. Stamp only agreed to do the film if his lover was to be Bill Hunter.
“Unfortunately for Bill, he had difficulty in remembering lines, this could be partly due to the hearty appreciation of Fosters, so for the most part, his dialogue and scenes are ad-libbed. The tears were all real. An amazing actor and it was a privilege to witness his technique on set and to see how his character evolved.”
Stryker shared that he never had any formal training in make-up but learned from other drag performers on the Perth scene.
‘Not trained in make-up, I learnt my craft, copied and watched others before developing my own style, but I owe a lot to Miss Audrey Woodstock-Rose.” Stryker said. A year later he was awarded a BAFTA for his makeup on the iconic film.
