The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

Two drag performers and a transgender woman travel across the desert to perform their unique style of cabaret.

Director:

Stephan Elliott

Writer:

Stephan Elliott

Stars:

Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, Terence Stamp

Won 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hugo Weaving	...	Tick / Mitzi
Guy Pearce	...	Adam / Felicia
Terence Stamp	...	Bernadette
Rebel Penfold-Russell	...	Logowoman (as Rebel Russell)
John Casey	...	Bartender
June Marie Bennett	...	Shirley
Murray Davies	...	Miner
Frank Cornelius	...	Piano Player
Bob Boyce	...	Petrol Station Attendant
Leighton Picken	...	Young Adam
Maria Kmet	...	Ma
Joseph Kmet	...	Pa
Alan Dargin	...	Aboriginal Man
Bill Hunter	...	Robert 'Bob' Spart
Julia Cortez	...	Cynthia Campos

Storyline

Two drag-queens (Anthony/Mitzi and Adam/Felicia) and a transgender woman contract to perform a drag show at a resort in Alice Springs, a resort town in the remote Australian desert. They head west from Sydney aboard their lavender bus, Priscilla. En route, it is discovered that the woman they've contracted with is Anthony's wife. Their bus breaks down, and is repaired by Bob, who travels on with them.

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Plot Keywords:

bus | desert | drag queen | on the road | homosexual | 

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Taglines:

It's the Australian film that blitzed overseas box offices. It caused a near riot at the Cannes Film Festival. It won an Academy Award®. It's fun, daring, over-the-top and unforgettable. It's a road movie with attitude and the occasional frock.

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Genres:

Comedy | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sex-related situations and language

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

Australia

Language:

English Filipino

Release Date:

10 August 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Priscilla

Filming Locations:

The Breakaways, Coober Pedy, South Australia, Australia

Box Office

Gross USA:

$11,220,670

Company Credits

Production Co:

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment,Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC),Latent Image Productions Pty. Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Terence Stamp, he had gotten into character by imagining himself as a beautiful woman. But Stephan Elliott told Brian J. Breheny to make Stamp look as bad as possible. Stamp never watches his dailies so he had no idea how he looked until the premiere and was shocked. Breheny apologized to Stamp at the premiere.

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Goofs

When Mitzi and Felicia wake up the morning after they left Bernadette and Bob to get drunk, if you look at the shot out of the bus window of Bob and Bernadette, Bernadette's face is next to the cake. Once Mitzi and Felicia are out of the bus, Bernadette's face is on top of the cake.

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Quotes

Cynthia: Me perform for you. Me dance too.
Bob: My wife used to be in the, uh... entertainment business.
Cynthia: Yeah. You perform here?

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Crazy Credits

A scene after the credits finish shows an Asian garden where a blow up doll (released earlier in the movie in Australia) lands on a man, who looks quite puzzled.

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Connections

Referenced in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

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Soundtracks

I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine
(uncredited)
Written by Mack David
Performed by Guy Pearce

User Reviews

FANTASTIC MOVIE

This film goes down in my books as one of the best. The emotion involved with everything that happens is just heartwrenching. One moment i was laughing the next in tears. I would reccomend this film to anyone who wants a realistic look at gay life in the 80's. It's amazing how narrow minded people can be, but these people show us the true meaning of life, love, fatherhood, and most of all friendship and loyalty. Using humor and good natured prodding of controversial issues, the filmmaker is able to break through the barrier of bias, and get to the core of these three magnificent people. Fantastic Job!

Chris Rogers