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Undoubtedly, the film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, that was filmed in 1994 in Australia and directed by Stephan Elliott. In the film, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, it illustrates a story about two drag queens and a transgender woman, as they travel across the Australian Outback from Sydney to Alice Spring in a bus named “Priscilla”, along the way they encounter a wide-range of groups and individuals. During the journey, they face less accepting attitudes and subjected to homophobic abuse, violence, but overcome all of negative attitudes and learn to accept hate. When comparing this film to other international films during the 1990’s and the story it told it showed that Australia was not like other international …show more content…
films because of the cultural disconnect, which homosexuality and supporting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Following this further, the film, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, is referred to as a road film, because of this I think that the director allowed the audience to see how the LGBT community is perceived around the world. In addition, the film illustrates how the LGBT community is considered a reject, queers, and drag queens, while learning lessons or things about themselves along their journey. However, this allows a transition or change to happen, in front of seeing how the characters evolved from the beginning of the film. Nobody denies, that the film, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, illustrated a positive portrayal of the LGBT community, which was accomplished by introducing the LGBT theme to mainstream media. In addition, the cultural impact and legacy; and bringing awareness of the issues of racism and sexism controversy within the LGBT community. This paper examines the how The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, impacted the countries all over the world, when discussing the racism and the sexism controversy in the LGBT community. Throughout the years, there has been many films demonstrating how the LGBT community is perceived as and the controversies surrounding the topic of being part of the LGBT community, but The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is one of the earliest films surrounding this topic. Unquestionably, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and other films such as Young Einstein (1988), Sweetie (1989), Strictly Ballroom (1992), Muriel’s Wedding (1994), O’ Regan author of Australian National Cinema, suggests “provided Australian cinema with a reputation for "quirkiness", "eccentricity" and "individuality" across the world” (O'Regan,pg 49).
O’ Regan (1996) demonstrates that The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert played a role in shifting the cultural norms/ideas about the LGBT community is perceived outside Australia. In addition, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, influenced the closing ceremony of the 2000 summer Olympics, particularly Priscilla, the ceremony in Sydney, had a refurbished and decorated 1980 Ford Denning, which was inspired by scenes in the film. This tribute to Priscilla, helped show the film’s international success and the local Sydney gay community ("The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert"). The film, Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, changed the cultural norms/ideas about the LGBT community due the racism and sexism controversies that are displayed in the film. The web article The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: Why it Still Survives, written by Nathan Smith in 2014 argues “When the film first premiered, Priscilla was a welcome change from other queer texts, offering a more intimate and incautious account of one lovable band of queers from Sydney” ("The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert: Why It Still Survives"). Smith (2014) demonstrates that the film impacted Australia in their way of perceiving the LGBT
community. Generally speaking, Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, brings awareness to controversial issues such as sexism and racism in a comedic drama in 1994. During their journey traveling to Alice Springs, to perform at a casino hotel, they meet various individuals, who have friendly and negative encounters. For instance, in the town of Coober Pedy, they were subjected to homophobic abuse, violence, and their tour bus was vandalized with the words ‘AIDS Fuckers Go Home’, which shows how some people perceive the LGBT community. Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, illustrates how the being part of the LBGT community, you may address conversational issues and how deal with these issues of sexism and racism. For example, during their journey, Adam was going to be beaten up by homophobic gang, but saved by Bob and Bernadette, Adam was shaken and Bernadette comforted him and gave Adam advice on how to deal with homophobic individuals. Another example, is when Tick has an eight-year-old son, Benjamin, who Tick is nervous about revealing his homosexuality and his drag profession. Admittedly, this issue of revealing our sexuality to someone close to you like a family member, friends, you do not know how they are going to react. In the film, Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Benjamin already knows about his father’s profession and fully supports his sexuality and career choice. However, not everyone is fully supports homosexuality at first because of their religion or personal beliefs. Following this further, Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, is like most road trip films, that try to illustrate a transition or change in a viewpoint. Road films are popular in international cinema because of the stories of change are emotionally and grab the audience attention to sometimes controversial topics. Smith (2014) argues “Priscilla proves no different and has our hero/heroines involved in familiar and emotional suburban stories, […] while battling the unforgiving and unaccepting homophobic and transphobic communities across the Australian landscape” ("The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert: Why It Still Survives"). Smith (2014) shows that the director, Stephan Elliot, decided to film, Priscilla, in a road style to illustrate the change in our culture in the LGBT community. In final consideration, Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, was a film that impacted our cultural understanding and perception of the LGBT community by discussing the issues of sexuality and being rejected by others. Smith (2014) argues “the trauma and strength that the rich gay male (drag queen or otherwise) culture can offer for the transcendence and psychic relief from the pain of daily stigmatised life” ("The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert: Why It Still Survives"). When examining, the why Priscilla was successful in changing the world’s view on the LGBT community and changing the international film industry. Without this film, I would argue that the LGBT community would not bring awareness to the daily issues they face in a comedic manner, that brings light to a dark and controversial issue.
As a nation, the Australian people have respected the “underdogs” in many events throughout history, an example is KERRYN McCann, the 38-year mother of two from Bulli, winning the 2006 Commonwealth Games marathon, two years before dying from cancer. Now in 2017, The Australian people have the chance to celebrate the work they have contributed to the film industry and to show the world what it means to be Australian, and with the Australian Film Festival coming up they can do that. Personally I am not of Australian nationality, but I have come to notice the importance for the Australian people to acknowledge their work in the film industry, as it gives them a chance to
The movie in which I have chosen to study and evaluate is The Sapphires, the movie was released on the 9 August 2012. Written by Tony Briggs and Keith Thompson and based in the Murray River in Albury, Sydney and in Vietnam. It is set in the era of the late 1950 and 1960’s. In this speech I will talk about the plot, how the movie challenges the Australian stereotype and the literary techniques used by the film makers, while also linking to the ‘Ture Blue Aussie’ topic we are currently studying.
In Australia the Aboriginals face discrimination daily. The film opened with four young Aboriginal girls singing on a makeshift stage facing their community. When the camera panned to show the smiling faces in the crowd it gave a feel of unity and love. Later it showed two sisters who were trying to hitch a ride into the city from the main road. Yet every vehicle passed them by; once they saw who they were, frustrated the older sister. Gale stated it was because they ‘were black’. When in the town playing their song on the stage in a bar, the youngest sister turned up and took
Since the revival of Australian cinema in early 1970s, Australian films have focused on certain themes of social perceptions and representations of masculinity. We see dominant, recognisable male images in our cinema – the bushman, the larrikin, the ‘mate’, and the ‘battler’. Masculinity stereotypes are projected in both Two Hands (1999) and Strictly Ballroom (1992) to varying degrees. Australia has a reputation for aggressive masculinity. This has its roots when the first settlers, mostly male convicts landed in Botany Bay who raised ‘hell’ when drunk.
All three authors recognize that difference constructs discrimination. The concept of othering (Hall 1997) and Anglo dominance presented by Moreton-Robinson (2015) help understand Judith Butler’s findings as to why oppression and exclusion cannot be reduced completely. It is same fear of the ‘other’ and white dominance in Australia that keep Australian institutions from reaching integration and equality—film being one these institutions. The filmmakers of The Sapphires attempt to tell the Aboriginal narrative. The scenes mentioned in the previous paragraphs, educate a diverse audience about Aboriginal discrimination in Australia in the 1960s. However, even though the filmmakers reveal some truths of Aboriginal discrimination, they do it in a way which the Aboriginal narrative is suppressed and Anglo dominance is maintained. “The Sapphires” plot is not centered on Aboriginal discrimination, rather a story of how four Aboriginal girls learn about love and friendship. Aboriginal discrimination in the 1960s forms only a small part of the journey to entertain American Troops in Vietnam. By presenting a musical comedy-drama film, the filmmakers sugar coat Australia’s dark past. The movie also ends on a good note. Cousin Kay who at some point rejected her Aboriginal roots, overcomes her prejudice and gets more in touch with the Aboriginal culture by partaking in an Aboriginal ceremony. By the end of the film the audience barely recalls the discrimination scenes and only remembers a happy ending. This is dangerous, as the film deceives its white Australian audience to believe that racial inequality in Australia is an issue of the past not the present. Therefore, promoting the idea that the Australia does not continue to privilege white people over Aboriginals
A person’s identity develops from birth and is shaped by many components, including values and attitudes given at home. We all have a different perspective about who we want to be and what fits better with our personality. However, is our identity only shaped by personal choices or does culture play an important role here? It is a fact that the human being is always looking for an inclusion in society. For instance, there is a clear emphasis in both, “Masks”, by Lucy Grealy, and “Stranger in the Village”, by James Baldwin that identity can be shaped by culture. Grealy does a great job writing about the main issue that has made her life so difficult: her appearance. Cancer has placed her in a position where people,
Aboriginal history and family values have been an integral part of Australian history. Radiance is a fresh influence to sensitive Aboriginal political issues that were overdue for addressing. For someone to state this movie has a strong cultural and political underpinning would be appropriate in relation to the film. In the perspective of this submission, it is my opinion that there was definitely an abundance of issues concerning the structure of Aboriginal culture and politics in this film.
Belonging is described as being a member of a particular group or organisation. The feeling of belonging to a country, nation and a community can influences a person’s sense of identity and how they participate in society, especially for people such as migrants. This issue is highlighted in the novel looking for Alibrandi.
In Hollywood Harems, the oriental woman is portrayed as the object of the fantasies of western males. The film focused on representing Muslim women as a form of sexual entertainment. For example, an oriental woman is seen dancing in a revealing dress and lures men in her past the holiness of the veil through the forbidden territory of the harem. Harem expressed the idea of women as a form of entertainment and repression of women sexuality. The message of the film illustrates the fascination of the east and reinforces derogative assumptions about people in the east in general and women in particular; it also reinforces the idea of cultural supremacy of the Anglo-European world. Hollywood used the term harem in the 1950s as a response to the
I think the film effectively addresses the experience of Aboriginal women because it includes the analysis of different experiences of indigenous women. The film’s did a great job into revealing the struggles of what racialized, or even disadvantaged women in general have to face every day of their lives. Moreover, the interviews with the families of the missing women, gave a depressing and gloomy tone, yet an unfortunate and realistic scope of the torment of how it affects those who care about this issue. The film also did a good job at showing how this treatment towards indigenous women is something normalized or insignificant when it is covered by the
Individuals can create a sense of place where one feels comfortable perceiving at home within a wider society mainly influenced by accountable traits. The implemented contemporary challenges observe on what individual’s perception mainly influences the assimilation of such a foreign society in which enlightens the benefit on rewarding new acceptance and allegiance within a wider community not concerning of certain competition. Poems ‘St Patrick’s College’ and ‘Feliks Skrzynecki’ emphasize the emergence of identity separation and the lost aspirations of affirmed affiliation inside a schooling recognition and a strong cultural origin. Hence, an individuals’ perception is signified to mainly entice the various characteristics of inclusion to operate
Pretty Woman. Dir. Garry Marshall. Perf. Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, and Ralph Bellamy. Buena Vista Pictures., 1990.
The appearance and identity can determine the livelihood and lifestyle of an individual, and potentially place each person in a certain spot in the societal map. In certain cases, part of the higher class consists the whites, while the colored races, for instance the “Negros,” are far beyond the range of the whites’ upper class, creating disputes as to which region and class people would acknowledge “mullatos” to be since they are black in identity, but instead appear to be white; this confusion causes a dilemma as to how and who they would classify themselves as? Hence, overall, who are they? By developing the characters of Doctor Green and Judge Straight, Charles Chestnutt’s The House Behind the Cedars reveals the opposing perceptions of
But things were slowly evolving in the movies. Independent films had been featuring gays and lesbians as main characters, depicting real life and real relationships. Armistead Maupin’s Tales of The City revolved around a homo-hetero pairing.
Zora Neal Hurston’s book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, reveals one of life’s most relevant purposes that stretches across cultures and relates to every aspect of enlightenment. The novel examines the life of the strong-willed Janie Crawford, as she goes down the path of self-discovery by way of her past relationships. Ideas regarding the path of liberation date all the way back to the teachings of Siddhartha. Yet, its concept is still recycled in the twenty-first century, as it inspires all humanity to look beyond the “horizon,” as Janie explains. Self-identification, or self-fulfillment, is a theme that persists throughout the book, remaining a quest for Janie Crawford to discover, from the time she begins to tell the story to her best friend, Pheoby Watson. Hurston makes a point at the beginning of the novel to separate the male and female identities from one another. This is important for the reader to note. The theme for identity, as it relates to Janie, carefully unfolds as the story goes on to expand the depths of the female interior.