Strictly Ballroom

Part 1: Film Information

Director

Baz Luhrmann

Producer

Tristram Miall

Production Company

M & A Film Corporation

Year

1992

Principal cast

Paul Mercurio – Scott Hastings

Tara Morice – Fran

Bill Hunter – Barry Fife

Pat Thomson – Shirley Hastings

Gia Carides – Liz Holt

Peter Whitford – Les Kendell

Barry Otto – Doug Hastings

Credits

Executive Producer: Antionette Albert

Line Producer: Jane Scott

DOP: Steve Mason

Writers: Baz Luhrmann, Craig Pearce

Editor: Jill Billcock

Art Director: Catherine Martin: David Hirschfelder

Costume Design: Angus Strathie

Choreographer: John O’Connell

Sound Recordist: Ben Osmo

Sound Editors: Wayne Pashley, Julius Chan, Antony Gray

Mixers: Roger Savage, Ian McLoughlin, Phil Judd.

Awards

AFI Awards: Best Film, Direction, Supporting Actor (Barry Otto), Supporting Actress (Pat Thomson), Screenplay, Production Design, Costume Design, Editing; Australian Cinematographers' Society Awards, 1992 - Highly Commended, Steve Mason, Feature Productions, Cinema Section; Australian Guild of Screen Composers' Awards, 1992 - Best Soundtrack Album - David Hirschfelder, Best Score featuring Adapted Music for a Feature Film - David Hirschfelder; Australian Motion Picture Exhibitors Assoc. Convention Awards, 1993 - Gold ABA - Australian Box-office Achievement Award - Ronin Films; BASF Australian Video Awards, 1993 - Highest Selling Australian Video, Rental Section, Double Platinum Sales, Rental Section; British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1993 - Best Costume (Angus Strathie), Best Production, Best Feature Film Score (David Hirschfelder); Cannes Film Festival, 1992 - Prix de la Jeunesse (Chosen by Youth Jury), Un Certain Regard Section; Honourable Mention, Camera D'Or (First Feature) Section; Chicago International Film and Video Festival, 1992 - Best First Feature, Audience Choice Section; Film Critics' Circle of Australia, 1993 - Best Film, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress (Pat Thompson), Best Supporting Actor shared (Barry Otto and Bill Hunter), Best Adapted Screenplay; Fort Lauderdale International Film Market, 1993 - Alamo People's Choice Award; Melbourne International Film Festival, 1992 - Most Popular Feature, Audience Vote Section; NSW State Literary Awards, 1993 - Best Script for Film (Craig Pearce and Baz Luhrmann); Palm Springs International Film Festival, 1993 - Most Popular Film Prize; People's Choice Awards, 1992 - Favourite Australian Movie; Sydney Film Festival, 1992 - Most Popular Feature, Audience Vote Section; Toronto Festival of Festivals, 1992 - Carlsberg People's Choice Award; Vancouver International Film Festival, 1992 - Air Canada Award; Most Popular Film.

Running Time

94 minutes

Release dates

Theatrical Release: 12th February 1993

Video Release: 19th March 2002

DVD Release: 19th March 2002

Budget

~ US$1.5 million

~AUS$3 million

Box Office Figures

Australian earnings: ~$21,760,400

American earnings: ~US$12 million

Worldwide: ~US$70 million

Interviews with filmmakers

The following are a sample of various interviews with the filmmakers:

Reviews

The following is a sample of reviews the film received both at the time of release and subsequent to the completion of the Red Curtain Trilogy.

Strictly Ballroom’s On-line presence

Placing the title Strictly Ballroom in an Internet search engine gives endless web page hits relating to Baz Luhrmann and his Red Curtain Trilogy. It is very difficult to separate the well-known director and his three films, which have all become masterpieces on the international film scene. It begs the question whether this was the case when Strictly Ballroom was his one and only film. The abundance of information available on the Internet aboutStrictly Ballroom today is primarily a result of the successful trilogy that Luhrmann has been able to create with his high aspirations and remarkable visions. Most of the on-line literature about his films occurs as a comparison of the trilogy rather than dealing with each film on its own. Strictly Ballroomwas primarily aimed at the Australian audience so it is not as accessible online as the latter two films, which received more international recognition. Another factor is the prevalence of the Internet which, at the time of Strictly Ballroom, was not as widespread or influential as it is today and as it was upon the release of Romeo and Juliet and especially Moulin Rouge.

Part 2: Critical Review

Synopsis

Scott Hastings (Paul Mercurio) has been dancing since he was 6 years old. He is a Ballroom Champion. But his newfound boredom of ballroom steps threatens to jeopardize his chances of winning first prize at the Pan-Pacific Grand Prix Amateur Championships. Scott first dances his ‘non-federation’ steps at the Waratah State Championships and it results in his dance partner Liz Holt (Gia Carides) abandoning him. Then begins a battle against the clock to find Scott a partner that is a good as him within 3 weeks.

After numerous unsuccessful tryouts, it seems that Scott’s chances of winning are doomed. Fran, a beginner dancer at Kendall’s Dance Studio, approaches Scott asking him if she can be his partner. Scott, who originally laughs at the idea, obliges because Fran is willing to dance his non-federation steps. Scott and Fran secretly practice together without the knowledge of their dance teacher Les Kendell (Peter Whitford) or Scott’s parents Shirley Hastings (Pat Thomson) and Doug Hastings (Barry Otto).

Fran’s Spanish family catch Scott at their house one day and end up teaching him the ‘paso doble’, a traditional Spanish dance which Scott and Fran are able to incorporate into their moves. Fran tells Scott the Spanish proverb, “A life lived in fear is a life half lived” and finally Scott feels he is ready to tell everyone that he has a new partner.

In the meantime, it has been announced that Tina Sparkles partner is retiring. So Scott’s mum assumes that Tina, a brilliant dancer, is the new partner that Scott has been talking about.

Once they have overcome the confusion, there is a backlash from Scott’s family and friends over the fact that he has decided to dance with Fran instead of Tina. Australian Dance Federation President Barry Fife (Bill Hunter) is particularly concerned that Scott will taint reputation of the Federation by dancing non-federation steps and tells Scott that he will not win at the Pan-Pacific’s by doing so. Scott realises that the only way he can win is to dance acceptable steps, so he ends up back with Liz Holt, his original partner.

In a twist to the storyline, it is revealed that Scott’s father was a brilliant ballroom dancer who also had ideas of dancing his own steps. He was however, coerced by Scott’s mother to dance from the rulebooks or they would lose the Championships. In the end, they lost anyway. So Scott’s father convinces Scott to go ahead and dance how he wants even if it means losing, because otherwise he will regret it for the rest of his life. The ‘life lived in fear’ credo is reiterated here.

Scott, in a climactic ending, dances his own moves with Fran at the Pan-Pacific Grand Prix Amateur championships much to the crowd’s enjoyment. Barry Fife is humiliated. In a typical ending, Scott and Fran express the love they have developed for each other through a romantic kiss.

Review

The film is essentially a David and Goliath battle between Scott Hastings and his attempt to change the rulebooks and the Australian Dance Federation President Barry Fife’s need to keep the steps ‘strictly ballroom’. While it is the typical love story, and it has been done many times before, the dancing aspect gives the audience an alternative portrayal of the boy meets girl storyline. Luhrmann is able to integrate elements such as humour, love, passion, culture and conflict into the one film to make an enjoyable viewing experience for all. The film deals with issues of non-conformity and individual expression of both Scott and Fran, who want to introduce their own interpretation on ballroom dancing. It is an uplifting story which shows that winning is not the most important thing and that ‘A life lived in fear is a life half lived’.

Critical Uptake

Strictly Ballroom was well received by both filmgoers and critics alike. It is very difficult to find a bad review of the film online or a person who didn’t enjoy some aspect of the film. Even people who don’t like dancing (and ballroom dancing at that), admit to enjoying the film for its entertainment value. Various reviews of the DVD suggested that Strictly Ballroom is:

--"...Overlaid with a buoyant veneer of spangles and marabou, and with a tireless sense of fun..." - New York Times 02/12/1993

--"...Full of breezy charm..." -- 4 out of 5 stars - Total Film 03/01/2000

--"...Beguilingly eccentric characters..." - USA Today 07/10/1997

--"...Luhrmann is a director with style and snap....Mercurio and Morice are marvels of sensuality in motion..." - Rolling Stone 03/04/1993

--"...What's best about the movie is the sense of madness and mania running just beneath the surface..." - Chicago Sun-Times 02/26/1993

Upon its theatrical release, the film was welcomed by the Australian public as an excellent exemplar of Australian filmmaking at its finest. Subsequent to the release of Romeo and Juliet and Moulin Rouge and upon the completion of the trilogy, the praise for Strictly Ballroom has been re-ignited and comparisons have been made between Luhrmann’s three works. In her online review, Dawn Taylor (number 6 in the above web reviews) begins, “Did you hate Moulin Rouge? Did the hyper-stylized Romeo + Juliet give you an enormous headache? Perhaps you'll find it in your heart to grant Australian director Baz Luhrmann one more chance before you consign him to the "most dreaded filmmakers" list and watch his first film, 1992's Strictly Ballroom, a warm, funny, bizarre love story set in the world of professional ballroom dancing”. She praises Strictly Ballroom as being the best and most accessible of Luhrmann’s films to date.

The Production

The budget for the production of Strictly Ballroom was around three million Australian dollars. While this seems very low by today’s standards, it was about average for an Australian film in the early 90’s. Both budget and scheduling restraints hindered Luhrmann’s high aspirations for the film. The major challenge of the film was to create the scale Luhrmann wanted on a limited budget. Luhrmann points out that his production team had to continually invent new ways to put value for money on the screen. For example, the final dance scene had to be filmed on the first day of shooting, in the lunch break of a real ballroom dancing championship. Luhrmann and his team were allocated only one hour in which to shoot the entire scene. The Strictly Ballroomcrew had to run around the venue throwing clothing over the empty seats of spectators, to give the impression that the arena was still in fact full. Luhrmann also had to make a financial contribution for the opportunity to film in such an environment.

The train which passes through the back of Fran’s family’s house was one of the most expensive shots in the film. Luhrmann had to pay the rail authority heavily for the privilege of having the train drive past a mere two times during filming. The gold matador coat worn by Fran’s father Rico and later by Scott was the most expensive item of costuming in the film. It was interesting that Luhrmann chose to import the item from Spain rather than have an imitation made which would have proved to be less costly. In the opinion of the Strictly Ballroom team, the use of the Doris Day song, ‘Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps’ was so integral in the film that they were willing to pay the copyright owner a large fee for the rights to the song.

It is sad to note that actor Pat Thompson who played Shirley Hastings (Scott’s mother) in the film, tragically passed away before the release of Strictly Ballroom and never got to enjoy the fruits of her labour.

The Filmmakers

Baz Luhrmann – Director and Co-writer

Baz Luhrmann’s career in film dates back to 1981, when he had an early acing job in the Australian film Winter of our Dreams, alongside Judy Davis and Bryan Brown. A year later he had a smaller role in the film The Dark Room, which was also an Australian film. It wasn’t until Strictly Ballroom in 1992, that the public would be able to observe his promising talents as an upcoming director.

Strictly Ballroom was the first installment of Baz Luhrmann’s Red Curtin Trilogy. It launched the theatricalised cinema style, which is now characteristic of Luhrmann films. Pitching such a highly stylised film would not have been easy for Luhrmann, considering that such a film was quite unusual in the Australian cinema environment at the time, and he himself was a relatively unknown individual. Luhrmann’s mother is a Ballroom Dance Teacher and Luhrmann from a young age was a ballroom dancer. It was the close relationship with the films subject that helped make the film the success it is today.

His second film, William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, was made in 1996 and Luhrmann gave it a more international appeal by casting renowned American actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. Audiences were invited to witness the development of the Luhrmann style that had been introduced in Strictly Ballroom. The film showed Luhrmann maturing as a director.

He concluded the Trilogy with his latest masterpiece Moulin Rouge (2001), which was even more visually spectacular than the former two. By this time, Luhrmann had made a name for himself as a director, which was reflected in the enormous US$52.5million budget for the film. He was able to achieve all the ambitions he had for the film, from the casting of Australia’s own Nicole Kidman, to the intricate wardrobes and elaborate set which was entirely constructed in the sound stages at Sydney’s Fox Studios. As one of few true Australian musicals to date, Moulin Rouge saw the conclusion of the Luhrmann style that was synonymous with bright distinct colors and fast-paced editing.

Luhrmann describes his films as being ‘audience participation cinema’ whereby the audience participates in the telling of the story through a device. InStrictly Ballroom, the story is predominantly told through dance. In Romeo and Juliet, that device is the heightened language they speak which reminds the audience it is not reality. And finally in Moulin Rouge, it is the fact that they constantly break into song.

In the coming years, Luhrmann is planning to direct a trilogy of historical epics. The first of which, Alexander the Great, is already in production.

Tristram Miall - Producer

Tristram Miall was the producer of the Australian films Custody (1987), Prejudice (1988), Malpractice (1988) and after Strictly Ballroom he also produced Billy’s Holiday (1994). Strictly Ballroom remains his most well renowned film.

Craig Pearce – Co-Writer

Long time friend of Luhrmann’s, Craig Pearce was co-writer of the three films in the trilogy. After co-writing Strictly Ballroom, he acted alongside Brooke Shields in the film The Seventh Floor. He developed an Australian sitcom House Gang, which ran for only two seasons but was critically well received, before co-writing Romeo and Juliet. He worked on a screenplay Lyle and Jack that hasn’t been produced yet, and finally co-wrote Moulin Rouge.

Bill Hunter – “Barry Fife”

Bill Hunter has appeared in many renowned movies such as Gallipoli (1981) and subsequent to Strictly Ballroom he had roles in both the Australian hit movies Muriel’s Wedding (1994) and The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (1994). He has a rather impressive resume of Australian films he has appeared in to date.

Paul Mercurio – “Scott Hastings”

Paul Mercurio’s involvement in the Modern Dance Company landed him the lead role of Scott Hastings in Strictly Ballroom. Luhrmann was impressed by Mercurio’s ability to express himself through his own invented dance steps, which was perfect for the portrayal of the character of Scott. Perhaps Luhrmann could also relate to Mercurio, having been a dancer from a young age himself. Mercurio also appears in the film Exit to Eden.

Tara Morice – “Fran”

Tara Morice’s first major role was in Strictly Ballroom, but she did land roles in two Australian films subsequent to this, Hotel Sorrento (1995) and Metal Skin (1995). Morice had to convince the financiers of Strictly Ballroom that she was perfect for the role of Fran, even though she was not essentially a dancer. She had played the part of Fran several times in the stage production of Strictly Ballroom.

Strictly Ballroom: Genre and Value

In modern cinema it is common for films to participate in more than one genre. Strictly Ballroom is no exception. While some critics have labeled the film a musical, it employs characteristics more typically associated with romantic comedies. It is the classic story of the ‘ugly duckling’ (Fran) undergoing a transformation to suddenly become gorgeous (by the simple removal of her glasses) and getting the man of her dreams (Scott). It is a storyline that has transcended time. People still pay to see such films, even though they usually have a very predictable outcome.

Various academics have suggested that the only requirement of musicals is that they employ music, song and dance in various measures. Although Strictly Ballroom is a musical film, it is not really a true musical. Music does play an integral role in the narrative development, however it is within a more realistic context. With dancing comes music, so rather than seeing various characters break into song, the audience is invited to watch them dance to music at a dance competition. The choreographed dance sequences within the film are another characteristic of musicals, but again they must be seen within the context of a dance competition in which choreographed dance sequences are a familiar occurrence. Luhrmann is more inclined to call the film a ‘dance film’ rather than a musical (a term he saved for his third film, Moulin Rouge). The attention to detail in the costuming department also contributed to the films categorisation as a ‘musical’ film, as elaborate or intricate costuming is a characteristic primarily associated with musicals.

Nicole Kidman points out Luhrmann’s ability to move the audience through a huge range of emotion and his skills to take a genre and reinvent it. Of course Kidman was talking about Moulin Rouge, a film that had not been made at the time of Strictly Ballroom, but Luhrmann has been able to employ this quality across his three films.

Australians have always accepted Strictly Ballroom as being an Australian film. It is set in suburban Australia and deals with issues of multiculturalism that were prevalent in Australian politics in the early 90’s. The film was certainly a reflection of where Australia was socially and culturally at the time.Strictly Ballroom has become one of the most well renowned Australian films of all time and it is still the fourth most successful Australian film ever made. It is continually compared to films that were equally well liked by the Australian public such as Muriel’s Wedding and The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. Its value as an Australian film has increased upon the completion of the Red Curtain Trilogy and as a result of Luhrmann’s high stature as a director in contemporary cinema. Furthermore, the prominence of Australians in the international film industry, (whether in acting, directing or other film related roles), has added value to the film which originally was enjoyed primarily by a local audience.

By Lana Camporeale

Bibliography

Gillard, Garry. 2004. MED 231 Lecture Wk 7: The Musical. Accessed online at http://online.murdoch.edu.au/MED231s1/107.html.

Moulin Rouge. 2001. Motion picture. Distributed by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, and starring Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor and John Leguizamo.

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. 1995. What is an Australian Feature Film? [CD-ROM]. Australian Feature Films – The Australian Catalogue of New Films and Videos Ltd.

Strictly Ballroom. 1992. Motion picture. Distributed by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, and starring Paul Mercurio and Tara Morice.

William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. 1996. Motion picture. Distributed by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.

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http://www.uln.com/cgi-bin/vlink/786936166712IE.html?ptitle=Strictly-Ballroom-DVD

http://video.barnesandnoble.com/search/Interview.asp?ctr=622158

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