The Adventures Of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert

Along with "Muriel's Wedding," "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" marked the hitherto virtually unknown Australian film industry (with the exception of the nearly equally bold "Walkabout") as a player in world cinema. Watching this on a big home screen in Blu-Ray drives home how profoundly entertaining this ultra-camp romp is.

The movie is so good, you barely notice that the plot borrows from a pretty hoary convention of the ultra-gay man who once plowed a woman and spawned a son, which, above all, allows a mainstream audience to, well, "relate." (Exhibit A: "La Cage Aux Folles.)

Oh, well, who cares when the product is as fabulous as this one? And above all, "Priscilla" is fabulous. It's the film that defines "fabulous." An Oscar for costume design? Hell, it should have won a Nobel!

Like its American counterpart, "To Wong, Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Numar," this is a road movie involving three big-city drag queens in the great Out There. But this is as superior to the Wesley Snipes/Patrick Swayze/John Leguizamo version as "Gone With the Wind" to "Raintree County."

As in the stage musical, currently plying the boards on Broadway, the central character, the queen who somehow (never really explained) got married and fathered a child, now 8, is something of a cipher. As played by Hugo Weaving, he doesn't stand up to his co-stars. Then again, considering who they are, that would have been some feat indeed.

This is the film that turned Guy Pearce into an international star. Seeing this again will remind you that Pearce, who pretty nearly stole "The King's Speech" from Colin Firth as his feckless brother, King Edward VIII, was hot in this film. Seriously!

But the film belongs to Terence Stamp. The venerable British actor (where's that knighthood, Liz?) brings real gravitas to the pivotal role of Bernadette, an aging drag queen who finds love in the improbable arms of an Outback mechanic, played with feeling, sincerity and great good humor by Bill Hunter.

It's those costumes, however, that ultimately take center stage --�that, along with a song selection of disco favorites, a playlist much superior to the Broadway version. The capper of the movie, a multi-costume extravaganza to the tune of Cece Peniston's incomparable happy House classic "Finally," should only be seen in an altered state, legal or otherwise, to do it full justice.

But the film exists on a more profound level, As David Foucher wrote in his original DVD review, the film speaks to the human condition and to human frailty.

There aren't enough good things to say about this film or its gorgeous Blu-Ray colors, precision and scope. Unfortunately, the film is all you'll get on this DVD, which 20th Century Fox decided to release without any extras. I especially don't understand since the original DVD included a feature with Director Stephen Elliott and a voice-over narrative; deleted scenes; and outtakes reel.

Come on, guys! If any film screamed for commentary, deleted scenes or "making of" documentary," it's this film, which took everyday drag and made it transcendental. When Fox wises up and releases a double Blu-Ray package, I'm there faster than Felicia on a blond redneck.