New Old-Timey 'Australia' Pictures

There's a bunch of new Australia photos over on the New York Times' website and, as usual, they are jaw-dropping and gorgeous. If you're a history and costume nerd like I am, you'll love this little feature, as the film's costume designer Catherine Martin elaborates on the authenticity and art behind some of the outfits. If you can tear your eyes away from Hugh Jackman's biceps, you might like to learn all about the shirt and belts encasing his ridiculously impressive frame. Says Ms. Martin: "The T-shirt he is wearing is, in fact, a shearer's shirt, a traditional shirt that has been in that style since the late 19th century. These are very traditional, classic Australian clothes, as is the plaited belt. Most of the stockmen made their own leather goods around the campfire. The second, so-called hobble belt is used to tie together the legs of horses to keep them from wandering off. The pants are the equivalent of Australian jeans. They are made from moleskin, and weirdly, in Australia, we wear it with the furry side in."

Moleskin facts aside, I can't get over the production value. Even the costume stills have been tweaked to look like they're from the 1940s. There doesn't seem to be a single area of this film that they haven't lavished an incredible amount of work and detail on. Let's hope the story and the script are as up to snuff! Australia opens November 26th.