BazLuhrman Tagged Articles at Cinematical

I guess we won't be seeing the first female President of the United States in 2009, but we could at least see the first female cinematographer nominated for an Academy Award (in the cinematography category, that is). In the 80 years of the Oscars there hasn't been one female nominee for Best Cinematography. Shocking, isn't it? But fortunately there's a chance for next year's ceremony: Mandy Walker, who shot Baz Luhrman's war epic Australia, could be a shoo-in for one of the five nomination slots if the film is Oscar-worthy in general.

The Oscar blog In Contention points out the possibility in a recent post celebrating Walker's reception Tuesday evening of the Kodak Vision Award at the Women in Film's Crystal + Lucy Awards (other honorees included Salma Hayek, Sherry Lansing, Ginnifer Goodwin, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Diane English and the ensemble of The Women). Clearly we only need to look at the trailer to see that Walker's work on the film is gorgeous and might have a shot. In Contention also notes Walker's previous achievements, such as her Independent Spirit Award nomination for Shattered Glass.

For those who thought we were getting an April start date for Baz Luhrmann's epic Australia, it looks like we might have to wait a little longer: Australian newspaper The Age just reported that star Nicole Kidman was beginning *seven months of rehearsals for the film, a period story about cattle ranchers in WWII Australia. The film also stars Hugh Jackman as the rough-around-the-edges drover to Kidman's English lady.

News that Kidman had begun work on the film came through her spokesperson having to deny a pregnancy rumor started by the tabloid rag News of the World. Kidman's publicist was quoted as saying, "She is about to get on a horse in the outback and break in brumbies. I hardly think she will be able to do that if she is pregnant," and that the star is "looking forward to ... making a great adventure in Australia."

The production has been closely watched from the beginning, and there has been plenty of speculation on the progress of the film -- casting, location, you name it. Just as long as I'm not writing about a production shutdown due to a horse-riding injury, it looks like we are getting at least a little closer to our first look at Luhrmann's masterpiece.

*Correction: Rehearsals will not last the entire 7 months, shooting is still scheduled to begin in April.

It seems that Baz Luhrmann's Australia is one step closer to kicking into production. Blayney News has reported that the town of Bowen, a coastal town in Queensland, Australia, has been chosen as one the primary locations for the epic starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. The story centers on an aristocratic woman (Kidman) who becomes the owner of a cattle ranch in Darwin, Australia. Aided by Hugh Jackman's "rough-hewn drover," she is forced to take on local cattle barons after her land. The film is set in the 1930's and already construction crews are descending on Bowen to start on some of the period sets. Some of the sets underway are a hotel, and a small Chinatown. Bowen also began hosting auditions for over 1000 extras. The mayor of Bowen is already counting on the boom to local tourism, saying "Once Nicole and Hugh are here there will be thousands (of tourists)".

Blaynay News also reported that the filmmakers had received a $500,000 bonus from the state government to shall we say "encourage" the production to choose Bowen, and it appears to have worked. Filming is set to begin this May and is expected to last for six weeks, and there are still a number of main plot points under wraps, such as exactly how much of the film will be about the invasion of Darwin by the Japanese. Will it be an action extravaganza or just a romantic drama with a big, flashy third act? Australia is currently set for release sometime in 2008.

It's been a pretty complicated road to production for Baz Luhrmann's epic film Australia. Hurdles included delayed shooting dates, rumors of a nervous studio, and a ballooning budget. Then there was the casting switcheroo that took place when Russell Crowe was replaced by fellow Aussie Hugh Jackman as the lead in the period romance opposite Nicole Kidman. The story follows an English Lady who comes to Australia to confront her adulterous husband only to stumble onto a little adultery herself when she falls in love with her hired driver (Jackman). Casting hasn't been completed yet, but rumors are now flying as to who is going to fill the role of Kidman's philandering husband.

Austrailia.net has word that Australian actor Bryan Brown might be the final piece to Luhrmann's period love triangle. They report that Brown *has been seen in Bowen, Australia, one of the film's possible shooting locations and the home of the Nicole Kidman Cup at Bowen's Ben Bolt Park -- who knew the lady had her very own horse race? Most of the cast would also be in attendance at the event, so word naturally spread that Brown was on hand to sign. Luhrmann has said in the past that the final actor would be someone well known, but that hardly seems like proof positive that it will be Brown, since plenty of actors have been suggested. Like everything else with this secretive project, we'll all just have to wait and see.

*Correction: Brown is expected to attend the event in Bowen.