| Trannies in the outback - Bay Area Reporter (2007) |
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David Alexander Nahmod
July 19, 2007
This grand re-release of the Australian drag/trans road-movie classic features tons of new extras not seen on the film's earlier DVD release. This Extra Frills Edition is said to be for the film's 15th anniversary, making it a year or two early. Good movies don't age. Priscilla remains fresh, vibrant, funny, and moving after all these years. Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce are wonderful as Tick and Adam, two bitchy but lovably kind drag queens traveling across the Australian outback with their friend Bernadette (Terence Stamp). A post-op male-to-female tranny, Bernadette is tough but has a heart of gold. Hearing her referred to as a transsexual, the nearly forgotten word that predated the now commonly-used transgender, gives the film an added quaintness. As the trio heads toward a performing gig at a resort, we follow their mad adventures. Shots of Pearce lip-syncing opera on the roof of their bus as his 50-foot cape blows in the wind are unforgettable. Beautifully choreographed musical numbers include the gay anthem "I Will Survive" and the hilariously campy 1982 hit "I've Never Been to Me." More than 10 years before Graham Greene fell in love with Felicity Huffman in the Oscar-nominated Transamerica, Stamp and the gruff yet tender Bill Hunter were given a love story of their own. Like Greene in the later film, Hunter's straight character does not see a tranny when he looks at Bernadette. He sees a beautiful woman he's fallen in love with. MGM's print of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is vibrant. Some of the most fabulous drag ever preserved on film looks as colorful as the Land of Oz. There's a commentary with writer/director Stephen Elliot, several making-of documentaries, a blooper reel, deleted scenes, and a stills gallery. You can choose English or French audio tracks, or English/Spanish subtitle options.
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