Product Description
-------------------
They came. They conquered. They looked fabulous. This
wonderfully inventive, visually stunning and incomparably funny
Australian import about three drag performers braving the vast,
rugged outback won the 1994 Academy Award(r) for Costume Design.
Veteran actor Terence Stamp (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace), Hugo
Weaving (The Matrix), Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential) all give
hilarious ? and heartfelt ? performances in a
three-fishes-outta-water story that's "one of the wildest movies
ever made" (Rex Reed, New York Observer)! With a contract to
perform a drag show way out in the Australian desert, Tick
(Weaving), Adam (Pearce) and Ralph (Stamp) each has his own
reason for wanting to leave the safety of Sydney. Christening
their battered pink tour bus "Priscilla," this wickedly funny and
high-drama trio head for the Outback...and into crazy adventures
in even crazier outfits. You go, girls!
.com
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A surprise hit in America, this 1994 Australian comedy is
anchored by Terence Stamp as a transsexual who, in the company of
two drag queens, travels to a remote desert location to put on a
lip-synch performance--to the amazement of the locals. Getting
there on a pink bus named Priscilla, the trio stop and play for
people all over the Outback, getting the same phobic,
bewildered responses. The weak link in the film is dialogue that
seems to have been pulled from "Queer Movie Banter for Dummies,"
all bitchy and cliché-ridden but fortunately salvaged by strong
acting. The most fun comes whenever the three are performing;
fans of Abba will be particularly pleased. --Tom Keogh
The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert Extras
Watch Director Stephan Elliot talk about the film's iconic
costumes.
( http://mfile.akamai.com/17650/wmv/comh3.download.akamai.com/17650/wm..usa/dvd/20th/priscilla_costumes_hi.asx )
An Interview with Priscilla Costume Designer Tim Chappel
How much of costume design is your own inspiration / how much is
inspired by the character?
I rarely have creative free reign like I had on Priscilla.
Priscilla was one of those rare situations where the powers that
be said "Go for it". The characters are my babies. All design is
meant to build character and help move the story along.
Fortunately Mitzi, Felacia, and Bernardette were outrageous drag
queens so that was not only easy bit great fun. Hard as it may
seem, there are nuances that aren't obvious. For example when the
queens are climbing Kings Canyon each of their headdresses are a
distillation of their individual personalities. Bernardette is
the Evil Queen, Mizti has lipsticks, rollers and pacifiers, and
Felecia has Cupie dolls that are staring at themselves in little
mirrors.
What is the process of physically rendering the costumes? Do you
build them by hand? Work with a team? Hit vintage stores?
I usually begin by sketching roughs. Then once everyone has had
their input - or cocked their leg as it seems more of the time, I
do the finished sketches. These get signed off on literally
becoming a visual contract. Then they get handed to the Costumier
that builds a toile (a practice one). That gets fitted on the
talent and we all um and ah--hopefully more ooh and ah if it's
working well. Then we have a second fitting to perfect the fit
and a final fitting to see the final project.
On Priscilla however I simply grabbed whatever I had around or
worked out which costume could be sacrificed and started gluing
and sewing and hoping for the best. If something started to break
there was always the hot glue and a handful of glitter to
disguise any lumps and bumps. The costumes were literally
finished when they would tear them out of my hands.
Did any of the actors on Priscilla have any costume concerns?
Was anyone concerned the costume would overpower their
performance?
The actors were all good sports. Terence told us he wanted to
look like Holly Golightly but he soon gave up on that idea. He
actually looked quite beautiful at times I thought. There was a
moment at Kings Canyon when Terrence said that something was
bothering his forward and I looked over to see a single drop of
blood run down his brow--whoops, with only $12,000 US there was
no room for comfort.
What's the difference between cinematic fashion and street (real
people) fashion? I.e., does it have to be "bigger" if it's on the
screen?
There are lots of differences between what you wear on the
street, on stage, or in stills. Each medium requires special
attention. For example in film you have to find out what kind of
film stock is being used, what kind of filters and the general
visual feel that the production designer and cinematographer are
trying to go for. Of course the Director is trying to convey very
specific ideas and using texture, color and contrast your job is
to build, along with your team, that visual statement.
The use of detail is also vital; sometimes you can't even see it
but the actor will know its there and much detail, even though
you can't literally see it, becomes absorbed in a more
subconscious way.
In your opinion, who looked the most beautiful (lead roles) in
drag, who was the most fun to work with?
They were all beauties. Guy Pearce had a background in musical
theatre so he was prone to stealing the show. They were all great
fun and still people I count as good friends.
Any idea the film would take off to become an enormous hit and
cult classic as well as meaning so much to fans around the world?
We thought we were basically making a home movie; it wasn't
until we had the 15-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film
Festival that we knew we had created a DRAG MONSTER!
Where did you get the inspiration and know-how regarding
costumes? Was there research involved? How did you get involved
in doing this movie?
I started with the music and let it send me in a delirious
creative free fall and took notes as I spun. We got to have a
buying trip to NYC in '92--WOW. I got to meet Girlina and Lasdy
Bunny and all the voguing Queens--we were doing something totally
different but Queens are trick everywhere aren't they.
I got involved because Stephan needed a Costume designer who
could do everything: design, sew and wear--if necessary. I was
working as one of a pair of male backup dancers (an "earring")
for a drag-queen troupe called Glamourworld. I used to make all
our costumes and we were pretty successful. We even toured Asia
going to Hong Kong, Shanghai and Ho Chi Mihn city--all on DragOn
Air. How funny is that?
What inspires you--what movies stand out to you as having great
costumes?
It all goes in and just comes out this way. I don't consciously
look for inspiration. I like to think of myself as a creative
distillery.
If you could dress O (of the Academy Awards) - what would
you have him wear?
My O was on display in Australia's National Gallery in an
Exhibition called "The s and Sounds of Australian Film."
O had purple hair and a disco tube dress. I butchered a Rock
and Roll Barbie. She didn't seem to mind 'cause O looked
roool perty!
Beyond The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Cross-Dressing 101 (
/gp/richpub/listmania/fullview/R3P83BCOSLRRVH/ref=cm_lm_pthnk_view/103-2909227-7455060?ie=UTF8&lm%5Fbb=
)
The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert: Original
Motion Picture Soundtrack (
/dp/B000001DZM/ref=pd_sim_d_3/103-2909227-7455060?ie=UTF8&qid=1183505576&sr=1-1
)
More from MGM (
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Stills from The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert