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``The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' lovingly portrays a drag queen and becomes a symbol of 90s queer movies
Shining a light on gay films that highlight the tragedy of AIDS
As if to coincide with the main characters' journey, many of the staff members appeared as extras in various locations around Australia during filming, and the bond between the team deepened as it had the feel of an independent film. . Director Stephen Elliott also appears in the film as a hotel doorman. ``The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, and the costumes with a handmade feel became a hot topic, and the "ingenuity and handmade feel" such as a dress made from connected flip-flops that cost $7 is exactly what drag queens are known for. It represented spirit. The scene in which Felicia stands on the roof of a bus wearing a huge silver cloth on her back was even used as a poster for ``The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,'' but during the actual performance, a sudden gust of wind blows out, and the silver cloth flutters beautifully in the wind.This is a miracle like this. I want to believe that this moment is the result of the dedication and love of the creators.
On the other hand, we spent a lot of money on the necessary parts, and prepared five buses for the ``The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.'' They are used for different scenes, such as ones with decorated interiors and ones with only half painted lavender. Director Stephen Elliott also recalls the idea of this film by using widescreen shots from Sergio Leone's ` `Once Upon a Time in the West' ' / 1968). The film pays homage to several scenes, including the beginning, of the same film, and is imprinted with a cinematic feel.
"The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" (c)Photofest / Getty Images
From the 1980s onwards, AIDS became a threat to the gay community, and in the early 1990s films with AIDS themes such as `` Long Time Companion '' (1990), ``Wild Night'' (1992), and `` Philadelphia '' (1993) Many films were being made, and gay films entered a period of intense tragedy. Even on stage, the masterpiece ``Angels in America'' (a two-part series from 1993 to 1994) was created. During such gloomy times, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert's excessive brightness, brilliance, and positive style brought light to the gay community. That light spread to an even more diverse audience, and was later turned into a stage musical.
The success of ``The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' led Hollywood to produce `` Three Angels '' as early as the following year in 1996, starring Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguizamo. However, the story is basically a road movie about drag queens, and has been criticized as a ``complete second-hand version.'' The brilliance of ``The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' is unique, which is why it continues to be loved to this day.
Text: Hiroaki Saito
Became freelance in 1997, contributing movie reviews and interview articles to various media such as movie magazines, theater pamphlets, and movie sites. The column is constantly updated on Yahoo! News.
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