Much has been written about the big budget blockbusters of the 1980s with particular attention being given to super producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer along with one of the decade's biggest stars, Mr. Tom Cruise. On one hand, they were dubbed "high concept" films that repackaged gay culture's "conflation of fashion, movies, disco, and advertising" for straight audiences which "were star vehicles comprised of little more than a series of movie moments set to a pounding score," by author Peter Biskind in Easy Riders, Raging Bulls (pg. 494). On another, they were simply attributed with raising "formula films to a science" by Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers. Yet, whichever way you slice it, the bottom line is they knew how to capture an audience.
Ultimately it was this science which was analyzed by Roger Ebert in his witty and surprisingly highly complimentary review of Days of Thunder as a quintessential "Tom Cruise Picture," which blends together "most of the same elements that worked in 'Top Gun,' 'The Color of Money' and 'Cocktail'" as the critic describes this set-up with numerical and alphabetical labeling step-by-step along the way.
Of course, for brevity sake, the main man for this was Travers who wrote it best in that you take "the producers' top gun, Tom Cruise-- mix in fast planes, bikes, cars, or anything that makes a deafening noise, add a sexy woman, a few fights, a few laughs, a rock soundtrack (flashdance, what a feeling), and presto, you've got a critic-proof blockbuster."
Hoping to cash in on even a fraction of the astronomical success experienced by the producers, director Tony Scott and star Tom Cruise with the one of the decade's oft-quoted and most definitive films-- Top Gun-- Cruise used his own interest in automobile racing as fodder for this tale of an impulsive, young and wild, naturally gifted racer who learns that you can't simply take the fast lane to NASCAR victory.
Collaborating with Chinatown screenwriter Robert Towne whose antihero pictures of the '70s which as he shared were "about revealing the disparity between what the country said it was, and what the filmmakers perceived it to be," had left audiences with an appetite for "steroided-out superheroes... [where characters] would re-fight the Vietnam war, and win... [and ultimately where we] needed a fantasy where [our country] was not impotent, where it was as strong as Arnold, as invulnerable as Robocop," (Towne as quoted by Biskind, 495).
And of course, the ideal thing about Tom Cruise was that as handsome as he was and still is with that instant charm, insanely appealing smile, and conversational ease-- he offered us a superman we not only believed in but felt that we would actually be friends with, date, or with the right dentist and plastic surgeon could possibly be ourselves-- of course, without all that wacky Scientology nonsense.
On the surface, it's fairly easy to label-- as countless critics and audience members have-- Days of Thunder as simply "Top Gun in a car." This is especially the case considering the similarities in roles as we have Nicole Kidman filling in for Kelly McGillis (and taking over for Mimi Rogers as Cruise's wife in real life), his eventual buddy Michael Rooker filling in for Anthony Edwards' Goose, the shady villain Cary Elwes trying to fill the homoerotic shoes of Val Kilmer who repeatedly bumps Cruise's car instead of delivering that creepy line about being his wingman along with Randy Quaid and Robert Duvall taking the spot of his Gun mentor Tom Skerritt.
Although they were apparently sizzling off-screen, the noticeable lack of chemistry between the very young and poorly written female brain surgeon character played by Nicole Kidman and Cruise's impetuous, temper-ridden, Peter Pan like driver Colt Trickle (dig that phallic name that of course calls attention to his ahem... stick shift) is a major detraction from the film but the romances in the Simpson and Bruckheimer blockbusters were never the highlight. For they packed so much "bromance" in them that in the end they're all about male bonding and brotherly love.
Duvall has some terrific scenes with Cruise as his racing team leader and stock car designer which finds him as that venerable older and wiser worldly enigma we first were introduced to with Cruise in Martin Scorsese's great Paul Newman and Cruise film, The Color of Money.
As I'm completely out of my element in the world of racing, I was oblivious to the amount of factual overlapping and ESPN personalities and NASCAR drivers involved in the film shoot but was especially fascinated to learn more about the oft-cited inspirations for the main leads including the late Tim Richmond (for Cruise's Trickle), Harry Hyde (Duvall), Rick Hendrick (Quaid), Dale Earnhardt (Rooker) and Rusty Wallace (Elwes).
Initially released as a thunderous summer blockbuster in late June of 1990, it's since developed a steady following of Cruise and racing enthusiasts, despite its inferiority to many of the actor's other films of that particular era. Moreover, it perhaps gained even greater interest after Will Ferrell and Adam McKay lampooned the world of racing in their hilarious take Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby which shares numerous plot-points, the "slingshot" technique, and even costar John C. Reilly in common with Thunder.
Recently released onto Blu-ray by Paramount with zero bonus features, I was prepared to be blown away by the roar of the engine of the Oscar nominated sound and speed of the cinematography yet was extremely unimpressed by the technical quality of the transfer which seemed on par with the DVD release. Perhaps in its next Blu release, it won't be as rushed as Cole Trickle always was and the studio will deliver a more solid digital transfer, but overall, the look of the film was surprisingly grainy with poor flesh tones, lackluster special effects (comparatively speaking for the Blu-ray format) and negligible difference from watching it on cable or DVD.
While ultimately, the need for speed to get Cruise's biggest hits to new owners of Blu-ray players this holiday season probably prompted its rush for a post-Christmas and Hanukkah December 30 release when gift cards will be burning a hole in men's wallets probably, I'd take a cue from the tried and true worldly Cruise mentors like Newman and Duvall that you should hold off and slow down, as hopefully better things will come to those who wait. Plus, unlike Cruise who got busted for going 85 in a 55 zone while working on Thunder, you'll be able to avoid a senseless speeding ticket.
Despite their tendency towards chaos, I frequently find myself swept away by the overwhelming aesthetic beauty of the films from director Baz Luhrmann. And although they are always quite something special to behold, I still must admit that honestly, the filmmaker's Achilles heel continuously lies within the stylistic inconsistency of his problematic openings.
My first introduction to his films was with William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet which gave me such a headache within seconds and was so unbearably campy that I ended up walking out of the theatre after ten minutes. Since then and out of friendly duty, I've viewed the entire feature on DVD. And while granted, it's gorgeous and the emotional core of the film served up by its charismatic leads Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio is undeniably effective-- you couldn't pay me enough money to watch it again without supplying me with ear plugs and a working remote to fast-forward a majority of the picture.
While I heartily enjoyed Strictly Ballroom-- like countless others, I was amazed by his sensuous take on Moulin Rouge. Although again much like Juliet, I typically find myself watching the first few minutes before fast-forwarding through the world's most annoying Sound of Music tribute until the gang ends up at the club for the first time. Yet, the difference between this one and the ridiculously chaotic and ADD addled Juliet is that--again despite the chaos-- I own and love Moulin Rouge for its incredible euphoric visual and auditory feast.
Needless to say, it was with a mixture of incredible anticipation and hesitation that I viewed Australia. Drawn to the work from the moment I set eyes on the gorgeous eye-candy shots from photographer Annie Leibovitz and its countless posters, I tried to ignore the articles I read that seemed to indicate that Luhrmann's opus-- the most expensive Australian film made to date with a whopping nine month shoot-- was in trouble. In fact, less than two weeks ago, word spread that he was still editing the film.
Red flags were raised in the film critic community as this much post-production tweaking usually doesn't mean there's confidence in the product. Likewise, the same was true when we discovered the film had been written with multiple endings (going as far as to learn that a few were shot) and it was rumored that possibly the ultimate finale was chosen to appease the studio bringing the movie to the screen.
However, while it indeed is a bit of a mess and admittedly, it could certainly stand to spend much more time in the cutting room, it's still a sweepingly old-fashioned spectacle. Additionally, it draws from so many sources ranging from The Wizard of Oz (unlikely indeed save for the fact that the setting is nicknamed Oz) to Out of Africa, The African Queen, and even South Pacific that it's sure to appeal to audiences looking for escape on an epic level.
Although, this being said, I wish the release date had been postponed and the first portion of the film had been re-shot as the opening squirm-inducing hour feels incongruous to the rest of the entire film. It's downright painful to watch Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman being forced to gasp, sigh, and duplicate the same phony and over-the-top histrionics that her character employed while trying to seduce "The Duke" early on in Moulin Rouge. Likewise, our first introduction to Jackman seems like they stuck John Ford, John Wayne, Indiana Jones, and Howard Hawks in a blender as he gets into a whopping bar fight that results in Kidman's lingerie being scattered in the dusty, dirt road.
The film is set in the 1940s, just prior to the same Japanese attack on Darwin, Australia from those responsible for the one on Hawaii's Pearl Harbor as the globe found themselves in the midst of World War II. It chronicles a prim and proper wealthy British aristocrat who-- convinced her husband is up to no good down under-- journeys to Australia.
Narrated by a young orphaned half-Aboriginal, half-Caucasion boy named Nullah (a phenomenal turn by newcomer Brandon Walters) who is an outcast in the land where he isn't welcomed anywhere because he's of mixed-race, the boy describes the woman who would become his eventual caretaker Lady Sarah Ashley (Kidman) as "the strangest woman I've ever seen."
As she makes her way to her husband's sprawling cattle station that's on the edge of ruin by scheming and greedy rivals Neil Fletcher (David Wenham) and King Carney (Bryan Brown), she's shocked to learn she's become a widow, but soon pulls together to save her newly inherited Faraway Downs. Despite getting off on the wrong foot when the freelance rancher and stock-man, the Drover (Hugh Jackman) who repeatedly delivers tired monologues about not being tied down or owned by anyone, soon she and the Drover mend fences.
With a group of outsiders of all ethnic backgrounds, Lady Sarah and the Drover lead the riders to drive 1,500 cattle over hundreds of miles of incredibly challenging terrain made all the more problematic when villains try to sabotage them along the way. Predictably, the two who loathe each other from the start-- even going as far as to seal the nail in the predictable courtship coffin when one says the ultimate sappy line that they wouldn't bed the other if they were the last person on Earth-- fall in love amidst breathtaking backdrops.
Jackman gives the golden-haired beauty Kidman a run for her money on who can take most viewers' breaths away, with a downright jaw-dropping eye-candy shot of a bare-chested shower. The effect found this reviewer doing her very best to restrain herself and not yell, "Damn!" as so many male viewers have done in countless other public screenings.
However, at times the film feels a bit overly computer generated and not just in the director's tremendously choreographed action scenes whether it's a stampede or in several war driven sequences in the end. And unfortunately, even some of the enchanting landscapes feel so overly heightened to capture the precise shade of every color that it ultimately keeps us at an arm's length. Yet, to his credit, Luhrmann's epic really gets us involved as soon as the cattle drive begins.
While things slow down considerably once the relationship starts, soon enough-- as screenplays all dictate-- an obstacle must drive a wedge between the lovers. Although, I wished that--of the countless screenwriters who worked on the film some would've given the actors more compelling and memorable lines to say that are worthy of its scope. However, it still remains firmly capable as a knowing "wink wink" blockbuster-to-be, both in length and in homage to dozens of other films that must have inspired the filmmaker as both a movie fan and director.
Ironically, in the end, despite its undeniable beauty, there's a messiness to the structure and meandering tonal shifts and subplots that makes Australia another imperfect "Luhrmann masterpiece." Moreover, maddeningly, Australia touches perfection enough times to make us wish it would've been better yet in giving the audience literally something for everyone whether it's a morality tale, a history lesson, a love story, a western, or an adventure film, he's definitely made something mesmerizing to behold that is one of the truly genuine "big screen" event blockbusters of the year. Especially since you just know that-- like Rouge-- unless you have a TV the size of a drive-in, Australia is going to lose some of its luster at home.
In other words, go see it and if you find yourself looking longingly at the exit for the better part of the first hour, stay with it. After all, once he works out his beginnings, Luhrmann really knows how to deliver a world to get lost in especially when it's his take on Oz filtered through the land of Oz.
Nicole Kidman not only earned a Golden Globe for her fierce portrayal of Suzanne Stone Maretto in Gus Van Sant’s masterpiece To Die For but she also became an internationally respected actress stepping out from the shadow of then-husband Tom Cruise to announce that like Suzanne, she's ready to be taken seriously. Although to misquote Don Henley, unlike the film's flash-in-the-pan bubbleheaded blonde Suzanne, Nicole Kidman’s success was fully justified as she proved repeatedly in her impressive roles following To Die For.
Inspired by true events and based on the satirical novel by Joyce Maynard that was adapted into a wicked script by Buck Henry, the overly ambitious Suzanne, who feels that people are nobody unless they’re on TV, decides to do everything in her power to make her "newswoman" dream a reality. She marries the hunky drummer Larry Maretto (Matt Dillon) and changes him from bad-boy to breadwinner in order to position herself for the lifestyle she feels she deserves as she strives to become a journalist.
Feeling overwhelmed by her loving husband who desperately wants to start a family, Suzanne launches headfirst into her career by fast-talking small local channel head Wayne Knight into letting her work for him. Happy in her new position, Suzanne becomes the station’s golden haired, glamorous weathergirl and begins work on a documentary about issues surrounding teenagers at a local high school. Quickly, she befriends the unhappy, unconfident Lydia Mertz (a heartbreaking Alison Folland), amoral criminal in training Russell Hines (Casey Affleck) and the adoring Jimmy Emmett (an impossibly young Joaquin Phoenix) whose hopeless crush on Suzanne is used as currency by the devious diva when they embark on an affair.
Seeing her family conscious husband as an obstacle to success, Suzanne crafts a horrifying plan for her teenage pals to dispatch the narrow-minded Larry to further her goals. However, to again quote Don Henley’s "Dirty Laundry" (which was used in the memorable trailers for the film), the media loves to “kick ‘em when they’re up, [and] kick ‘em when they’re down.” For as we see in the opening moments of the film, her equally narrow-minded belief that nobody will catch on to what was behind Larry’s murder will be her downfall, even without focusing on whether or not the media driven masses will see fit to sentence Suzanne or set her free.
One of the most provocative films of the 1990’s made all the more timely given the O.J. Simpson trial, To Die For not only paved the way for Kidman and Phoenix to move onto a wider range of memorable roles. Even more importantly as IMDb noted, it also led to Van Sant’s biggest hit to date after To Die For wrapped and young Casey Affleck handed his director a copy of the screenplay his brother Ben had worked on with his good friend Matt Damon, which would earn the two writers an Academy Award for their little film called Good Will Hunting.
Walking Movie Encyclopedia at Film Intuition; 3-Time National Award Winning Scribe; Film Reviewer; "Watch With Jen" Podcast Host; Screenwriter; Movie Discussion Host; BA in Film Studies & Communication.
