AUSTRALIA..

[long stroke]

I'm not shore if there has been a thread on this already, is the movie Australia worth waching!!!

TIM.

[goldey]

G'day

Went out for a "date night" with the cheese 'n' kisses and we decided (against my initial judgement) to go and catch "Australia" on the big screen.

I have to admit that I did enjoy the movie, some beautiful scenery and some great acting, mostly by Brandon (the young aboriginal kid) and the other lesser known aussie actors. For me, Nicole and Hugh were big name actors who failed to live up to their hype (more so for Nicole Kidman than Hugh Jackman).

The history, I am lead to believe, is pretty accurate. If so, I was completely unaware of how much of a pizzling Darwin took in the Japanese air raids (Bloody hell :eek::eek:). The movie does suffer some typical Hollywood gloss that takes away from the authenticity of the time the movie was set in, but it still rates above the typical 'B' grade crap that largely comes out of the USofA movie industry.

This is all my own opinion, so take it or leave it, but I have been recommending it to my friends and family.

Cheers
Goldey

[long stroke]

G'day

Went out for a "date night" with the cheese 'n' kisses and we decided (against my initial judgement) to go and catch "Australia" on the big screen.

I have to admit that I did enjoy the movie, some beautiful scenery and some great acting, mostly by Brandon (the young aboriginal kid) and the other lesser known aussie actors. For me, Nicole and Hugh were big name actors who failed to live up to their hype (more so for Nicole Kidman than Hugh Jackman).

The history, I am lead to believe, is pretty accurate. If so, I was completely unaware of how much of a pizzling Darwin took in the Japanese air raids (Bloody hell :eek::eek:). The movie does suffer some typical Hollywood gloss that takes away from the authenticity of the time the movie was set in, but it still rates above the typical 'B' grade crap that largely comes out of the USofA movie industry.

This is all my own opinion, so take it or leave it, but I have been recommending it to my friends and family.

Cheers
Goldey


Thanks Goldy:thumbsup:
I think i'll have to go see it;)
I've heard plenty of mixed opinions:)

TIM.

[vnx205]

I enjoyed it.

As long as you realise that everything is meant to be larger than life, there is a lot to like about the film. It is not meant to realistically represent people, places or events. It is meant to be entertaining and I believe it succeeds on that level.

Some of the scenery is stunning, some of the action breathtaking, some of the humour is very clever. It has some real tearjerker moments, some great characters, a good plot.

There are some keenly observed characters and some pertinent observations about life at that time in Australia.

I have this feeling that it doesn't quite look like $154 million worth, but it is still a very good film.

I would happily go to see it again.

[Hymie]

G'day

The history, I am lead to believe, is pretty accurate. If so, I was completely unaware of how much of a pizzling Darwin took in the Japanese air raids (Bloody hell :eek::eek:).
Cheers
Goldey

Most people don't know that more bombs were dropped on Darwin in the first raid than were dropped on Pearl Harbour.

I can't remember the exact figure but I believe the Top End, including W.A, copped over 80 Aerial Attacks from the Japanese.

[Bundalene]

We saw it last week and really enjoyed it. Agree that the real "star" of the show is young Brandon, the scenery is wonderful.

You really need to see it on the Big Screen to get the impact of the movie - especially the rumbling of the cattle stampede and the bombing sequences - the whole theatre seems to shudder. It will definitely not be the same when it comes out on DVD.

There have been some criticisms, but we liked it and would recommend it.:thumbsup:

[stevo68]

We watched it last night with all our children.......loved it, superb acting, Hugh and Nicole did a ripper job, the young Brandon was fantastic and what a gorgeous kid, my kids just adored him in the movie. Some genuine laughs and emotions....think ol dad teared up a few times , made me proud to be an Aussie and also learnt a bit as well. I think you would have to be a cynical old bastard to not enjoy a movie like that :).....10/10 from us,

Regards

Stevo

[Tank]

I really believe that the only one's that have bagged the movie are the so called Critics, it only takes one influential Critic to waffle on and all the other cronies jump on the bandwagon, because they want to be trendy.
What they don't seem to grasp is that the acting, esp. by Nicole and Hugh was of the same style of how actors acted back in the 30's and 40's, everything was a bit overdone, a sort of carry-over from the Silent Movie days, esp. the scene where Hugh was showing off for Nicole in the camp shower scene.
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole movie and as "stevo68" said, it made me proud to be an Australian, Regards Frank.

[stevo68]

I think it comes out on DVD this month too Yep, already out...a week I think. Will definately watch again....some really memorable scenes. Without ruining one of the moments.....but when "Lady Ashley" is being driven to Faraway Downs and comments on how beautiful the kangaroo's are....bought us all down in fits of laughter :D.......plus the Wizard of Oz scene with Lady Ashley plus +++.

For me it also gave me a sense of pride not just in our "convict" heritage....but also our cultural heritage in terms of the aborigines....and to think that some of the aspects in the movie are only 70 odd years ago. If you haven't seen it....do yourself a favour and go see it.....great stories are told and like some I was a little hesitant to see it...hence why I didnt go and see it at the movies.................wish I had now,

Regards

Stevo

[subasurf]

If you want to watch predictable rubbish Hollywood cliche's then watch Australia. If you want to watch something good, then give it a miss.

The film is pure rubbish.

[The ho har's]

In our trip up Nth in '07 we were in Bowen where a lot of the filming was done and we have a great Vid of the sets etc......haven't seen the movie would like too though..


When in Darwin '08 we went to the museum and I sure didn't realise how much Darwin did cop it in the war....and the cemetery at Adelaide River with all those graves and the Post Office family and staff.....just unbelivable


Mrs ho har

[4x4x2]

We watched it as a family thing -kids loved it -but they suffer from disney syndrome anyway-i though it was a load of B*** S***.It could of been so much better -its not hard to see it was made for the US market with their odd way of distorting history.

[long stroke]

I found it to be alright, but wasn't overly keen on how they computered in sections of land scape that don't exsist in oz;)
Still a pretty good movie:)

[Bushie]

I found it to be alright, but wasn't overly keen on how they computered in sections of land scape that don't exsist in oz;)
Still a pretty good movie:)

I believe most of it was shot on blue screen in studio and then post processed (from talking to an acquaintance who worked on post prod).


Martyn

[olbod]

I couldn't sit thru it all, about half way I retirered to the computer room.
What a load of crap. If it was an american movie, it would be one of the worst !!!
They couldn't even source authentic Aussie stock sadles and the trainer
who taught them to ride must have been an ex jockey.
Australian stockmen dont ride with short reins and crouch over the sadle,
although the george street cowboys might.
I hated to see it.
The little black kid done good but and I liked the old black fella ( they are
my favourite people ).
Over all, YUK PEW.

[vnx205]

I wonder whether some of the people criticising the film would complain after watching a musical that it was unrealistic because people kept bursting into song or would criticise a Western because a cowboy actually hit someone with a shot from a revolver at 100 metres.

If you go to a musical, you expect even people like Meryl Streep in "Mama Mia" to burst into song at the drop of a hat. If you expect anything different of course you will be disappointed.

If you went along to see "Australia" expecting meticulous historical accuracy, realistic characters and dialogue and expecting to see the stitching on the drovers' belts, hat bands and boots done exactly the way it was done in the '40s, then I expect you will have been disappointed.

If on the hand you went along expecting a grand spectacle where everything and everyone was larger than life and were prepared to suspend disbelief for a couple of hours, you probably had a wonderful time.

The fact that a film, a book or a vehicle does not live up to your expectations may simply indicate that you didn't do your homework and you had unrealistic expectations.

[olbod]

VNX 205, for me it wasn't quite like you described.
I downloaded it and watched it hoping to be entertained.
I wasn't expecting to see a documentry either but if you are going to spend millions making a movie, a little accuracy in the detail makes a lot
of difference. That saddle that Nic had was tailor made for her and cost $5 G, fair enough but how much harder would it have been to do it all properly ? The boys could have looked like Aussie stockmen without
taking anything away from it all.
Every old bushman in the country laughed at it. Its not just us tho,
with your musical, attention to small detail can make or break the thing
if it is watched by musicians or dont they, we, count in the scheme of things at the box office ?
The small,no more expensive detail, has nothing to do with the storyline
that is a different thing altogether.
Most viewers dont care and are easily entertained, thats why american crap is so popular. Give them shoot em up bang bang and ten foot tall
heeroes and they are in heaven. Its escapism, which is necessary but
it can be mixed with a little realism at the same time.
The way it was done it should not have been called ' Australia '.
In my opinion it did the nation no favours

For no more money, it could have been so much better in my opinion.
I was disapointed and that was a huge disapointment.

I really enjoyed the movies Rabbit Proof fence and Ten Canoes, both of which were made at a fraction of the cost and I am proud of the fact
that they were both made here in Oz.
David Gulpilil is my favourite Actor.
Cheers.

[vnx205]

OK olbod, it looks as if I had better cross you off my list of people unfairly criticising the film. :p

I understand your point about it being hard to enjoy a film when there is something bothering you about the way it has been made. I had a great difficulty enjoying "Mama Mia" for example, partly because of the amateurish choreography, but mainly because the idiotic, immature squealing of the young girl and her visiting friends at the start of the film irritated me so much.

However there is an important difference between those two things. The first one is a legitimate criticism of the way the film was made, the second is nothing more than a personal reaction.

I think the film does suffer from the fact that most people have some idea how much it cost and how long it took to make. Those things combined with its title and all the hype surrounding the film meant that it was always going to have an uphill battle being accepted as value for money.

In theory, how much it cost to make should not be a factor in judging the artistic qualities of the film. It should be judged purely by what appears on the screen. In practice, however, I can see why people have trouble ignoring the cost of production because it got so much publicity.

There will always be differences in people's purely personal reaction to a film and there will even be differences between people's assessment of the cinematic qualities of a film.

We agree about "Ten Canoes" and "Rabbit Proof Fence", both of which I thought were exceptional films. We obviously disagree about "Australia".

I am still sure that some people's evaluation of "Australia" is flawed because they are judging it against the wrong standards.

I won't include you in that group if you promise not to harbour a suspicion that I am a fan of mindless Hollywood tripe. Is that a deal? :p

[olbod]

vnx205, yes, fair enough.
I was just venting my frustration due to my disapointment with the movie.

They called it 'Australia' and I read a couple of things about it including
what it cost to make.
I made the mistake of thinking they made a serious attempt to make an
epic Australian historical film that would be deemed to be a classic.
They didn't and it wasn't.
If it had been called something else and had been billed as a larger than
life, fictional, good fun romp, the storyline would have gone over okay and I would have nothing to complain about because I would not have watched it. Those sort of movies are not my cup of tea.

I dont think I am the only one that came a gutsa. The movie was
called 'Australia' and it bombed out world wide because people judged
it by what it wasn't, rather than what it was !!

If they had gotten a few small details right, maybe even I might have
watched it to the end !!!

The last time I actually went to the theatre to watch a movie was in 1986.
We took some kids along to see 'crocodile dundee'. Yuk Pew. I vowed
never to do anything like that again and I havent since.
I am a big fan tho, of Dr Who, eh.

A few weeks ago I downloaded the b/w 1946 movie, 'The Overlanders'
with good ol Chips Rafferty. Again, war in the top end, moving a big
mob of cattle south out of reach of the japs. I thought it was excellent.

OH well.
Cheers.

[BMKal]

We watched it on the plane going up to Thailand a couple of weeks ago, and while we enjoyed the movie, unfortunately the television / projection system on the plane was of pretty poor quality, and the picture was very "washed out" throughout most of the movie.

Will have to see it again, either on the big screen or at least, on a decent TV at home, to get a bit better appreciation of the scenery etc.

[vnx205]

I suspect the film would lose a lot of its impact on a small screen or if the colours of the outback were washed out.

I think it would be worth making the effort to see it in a cinema.