The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
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Three performers travel across the Australian Outback on a bus named Priscilla.
The story
The film follows three performers—a drag queen, a younger drag queen, and a transgender woman—as they embark on a four-week tour across the Australian Outback. Traveling in a large tour bus named Priscilla, the trio travels from Sydney toward the remote Alice Springs to perform at a casino. Along the way, they navigate the harsh landscape and encounter various groups and individuals, including a local mechanic. The journey serves as a vibrant exploration of their identities and camaraderie as they face the challenges of the road and the prejudices of the rural landscape.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Anthony 'Tick' Belrose, performing as Mitzi Del Bra, accepts a gig at a casino in Alice Springs. He is joined by Bernadette Bassenger, a transgender woman, and Adam Whitely, a flamboyant drag queen. They travel in a bus named Priscilla, facing homophobic and transphobic abuse in Broken Hill and a breakdown in the desert. They are eventually aided by a mechanic named Bob. The journey takes them through Coober Pedy, where Adam is attacked by a gang but saved by Bob and Bernadette. Upon reaching Alice Springs, it is revealed that Tick is married to the casino's manager, Marion. They discover that Tick's son, Benji, is supportive of his lifestyle. Before the final shows, they fulfill Adam's dream of climbing Kings Canyon in full drag. Bernadette decides to stay in Alice Springs with Bob, while Tick and Adam perform their final shows. The film ends with a celebratory performance and a post-credits scene featuring an inflatable dummy on a kite.
- First release year
- 1994
- Runtime (minutes)
- 103
- Production countries
- Australia
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Stephan Elliott
- Writers
- Stephan Elliott · writer
- Cast and characters
- Terence Stamp · Bernadette Bassenger; Hugo Weaving · Tick; Guy Pearce · Adam Whitely; Bill Hunter · Bob
- Genres
- comedy; road comedy; adventure comedy
- Themes
- LGBT identity; friendship; acceptance
- Tone and mood
- comedy; bold; tender
- Premise and plot tags
- road movie; drag queens; transgender; outback
- Source material / true-story basis
- Based on the lives of three actual drag queens—Cindy Pastel, Strykermeyer, and Lady Bump.
- Franchise connections
- Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
- Reception
- The film was a surprise worldwide hit and received predominantly positive reviews, becoming a cult classic in Australia and abroad.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 94% · scale: percentage · review count: 47; Metacritic · score: 70 · scale: 100 · review count: 20
- Awards and nominations
- Best Costume Design · Academy Awards · win
- Production trivia
- The film's title was used for a musical that opened in 2006.; The original bus used in the film was rediscovered in 2019 and is being restored.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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