Baz Luhrmann

Baz Luhrmann (born Mark Anthony Luhrmann, New South Wales, September 17 1962) is an Australian film director. His films are distinguished by their flamboyant and colourful theatricality.

Biography and career

Baz Luhrmann was born on September 17, 1962 in Herons Creek, a tiny rural settlement in northern New South Wales where his father ran a petrol station and a movie theatre, both of which would influence his filming.

Related Topics:
September 17 - 1962 - Herons Creek - New South Wales

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Theatre and opera

Luhrmann attended the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA), graduating in 1988. While there, he staged Peter Brook's adaptation of The Mahabrata, and also wrote a play, Strictly Ballroom, which would later become his first film. In 1985, Strictly Ballroom was staged at the World Youth Theatre Festival in Czechoslovakia, and Luhrmann won prizes for best production and best director. In addition, Luhrmann directed a musical, Crocodile Creek for the New Moon Theatre Company.

Related Topics:
National Institute of Dramatic Arts - NIDA - 1988 - Peter Brook - The Mahabrata - World Youth Theatre Festival - Czechoslovakia - Crocodile Creek - New Moon Theatre Company

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Upon graduating from NIDA, Luhrmann founded a theatre company, the Six Year Old Company, which revived Strictly Ballroom at the Wharf Theatre, Sydney.

Related Topics:
Six Year Old Company - Wharf Theatre - Sydney

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Luhrmann subsequently became a highly respected director of opera. His biggest success was his extremely popular production of Puccini's La bohème. His other productions included Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, which won the Critic's Prize at the Edinburgh Festival in 1994.

Related Topics:
Opera - Puccini - La bohème - Benjamin Britten - A Midsummer Night's Dream - Edinburgh Festival - 1994

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Film

After his theatrical successes, Luhrmann moved into film, and has directed three so far:

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• Strictly Ballroom (1992), starring Paul Mercurio and Tara Morice
• Romeo and Juliet (1996), starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes
• Moulin Rouge! (2001), starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor

These three films are now formally marketed as 'The Red Curtain Trilogy'.

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Luhrmann was working on a biographical film about Alexander the Great, tentatively starring DiCaprio and Kidman, but the release (and subsequent box office failure) of Oliver Stone's film on the same subject in 2004 has cast doubt over whether the project will be completed.

Related Topics:
Biographical - Film - Alexander the Great - Oliver Stone - 2004

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Baz Luhrmann has listed Bollywood films as a major influence on his work, especially on Moulin Rouge!

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Other work

• In 2004, Luhrmann directed a lavish multi-million-dollar commercial for Chanel No. 5, starring Nicole Kidman.
• Luhrmann is also credited with a 1999 UK number one single entitled "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)".
• He directed a video for John Paul Young's "Love is in the Air" which was re-released to coincide with the release of Strictly Ballroom (in which the song featured promienently).
• He orchestrated the re-election campaign of Australian prime minister Paul Keating.

Personal life

Luhrmann married Catherine Martin, the production designer on all of his films, on January 26 1997. They have one child, Lillian Amanda Luhrmann.

Related Topics:
Catherine Martin - Production designer - January 26 - 1997

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