Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann is easily one of Hollywood's most unique stars. His films are always unconventional and loaded with color, style, and memorable music. To date, Luhrmann has actually only had five theatrical releases, but despite this, his box-office total is more than $945 million.
On top of that, his films have been nominated for numerous awards (including Best Picture), the soundtracks to his movies have gone one to be bestsellers themselves, and two of his movies have even been turned in stage musicals. And now, audiences are looking forward to his film, Elvis, a biopic based on the tumultuous life of the famous singer, which is set to release sometime next year. In the meantime, here are his five films, ranked according to Rotten Tomatoes. The order might surprise you ...
The Great Gatsby (2013) - 48%
Despite being one of the biggest films of the entire decade, The Great Gatsby didn't actually appease critics. The movie, based on the famous book of the same name by F Scott Fitzgerald, starred Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire, and Isla Fisher.
While many critics bashed the film for its poor adaptation of the book and its so-so acting, audiences were hooked. The epic soundtrack, shiny metallic shimmers, flapper skirts, dancing, and stunning mansions captivated the imagination of theatergoers around the world. The movie even created a whole Roaring 20s fad around the country and people started throwing their own 1920's-themed parties. It went on to gross over $353 million at the box office and the soundtrack peaked at number two on the Billboard charts. It's currently Luhrmann's highest-grossing film.
Australia (2008) - 55%
Australia is Luhrmann's least-known film. The movie is centered around the Japanese bombings of Australia during World War II and stars Hugh Jackman. The film was supposed to recapture the glory and romance of old movies like Gone With the Wind, where a love story played out in a time of war.
The reception, however, was about 50/50. Some people loved the film, with Newsweek calling it "shamelessly entertaining," while others, like the Australian paper, The Age, said, "One wonders if there are any tablecloth cliches about Australia that have been missed ..." For viewers, one of the main complaints about the movie was its runtime, which was a grueling 165 minutes.
Romeo + Juliet (1996) - 72%
Romeo + Juliet was the film that really put Luhrmann on the map ... not to mention it was also the film that made Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes famous, as well. The movie is an adaptation of (obviously) Romeo and Juliet and Luhrmann made the odd decision to keep the Shakespearean dialogue. This didn't seem to hinder the film's performance though, despite the fact that its main audience was teenagers and young adults.
Originally, Natalie Portman was to play Juliet, however, she was only 14 at the time, and DiCaprio was 21. They felt the sex scene between an adult and a minor would be too perverse, so they replaced Portman with Danes. There were numerous other problems during filming, including when a hurricane destroyed the set and Luhrmann got severely ill. One of the film's hairstylists was even kidnapped during filming and Luhrmann had to pay $300 to get him back! During an interview, Luhrmann stated it was "a bargain" and the movie went on to be a box office hit.
Moulin Rouge! (2001) - 76%
Perhaps the film that best encomes all that Baz Luhrmann is, Moulin Rouge! was a smash hit when it was released. The film, a jukebox musical that mashed up current and classic hits, centers around a fictionalized version of the Moulin Rouge in Paris. A writer (Ewan McGregor) looking to create the next great love story meets a prostitute (Nicole Kidman) and the two fall in love, creating the inspiration for his story.
However, the movie ended up being more famous for everything besides the storyline. The music was the main draw. The soundtrack sold over 3 million copies in America alone and was certified double-platinum. The album's lead song, "Lady Marmalade", became its own cultural phenomenon. The costumes and cinematography also enamored audiences, with Variety calling it "a dazzling pastiche of musical and visual elements."
Strictly Ballroom (1992) - 93%
Luhrmann's first film, Strictly Ballroom, follows Scott Hastings, the son of two ballroom dancers. His parents want him to dance in the traditional style, but Scott refuses -- he has his own style and wants to show it off. The movie is loaded with epic dancing and mixes mockumentary with narrative scenes. It was the first time audiences saw Luhrmann's unique style and the world took notice.
Though the movie began as a little Australian production, it soon gained global attention. Before long, it was at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival and ended up receiving global distribution. In America, the movie earned almost $12 million at the box-office and was nominated for Best Picture at the Golden Globes. To this day, it's still referenced heavily, most notably on Dancing with the Stars.
