Backbencher

"The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" is an Australian film which was made in 1994. It is about a group of transsexuals and their travels across the Australian outback. Anthony "Tick" Belrose or Mitzi Del Bar is a transsexual male living in Australia. He is one day contacted by a casino located in Alice Springs which wants him to perform for them in their casino. Mitzi does not want to go alone. He recruits a group of his friends together, all of which are transsexual, to travel and perform with him. Brenadette Bassenger and Adam Whitely decide to go with him. During their travels the trio faces several trials which test them physically and emotionally. Including things such as car trouble and an unforgiving Australian terrain, the three must face ridicule from the rural Australian residence. This movie reminds me a lot of the film "To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar." That film stars Patrick Swayze as a transsexual and is joined by two more transsexuals played by Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo as they travel across the United States. In my opinion, the Australian landscape is personified in this film. It seems to be unforgiving and non-coopoerative to the travelers and will do what it takes to stop them. The film is also a crusade for homosexuality. They go town to town "defeating" homophobia. I did enjoy the twist ending that I did not see coming. This film would benefit us studying Australia because it shows both city and rural Australia ideas. Sydney is considered the second "gayest" city in the world behind San Francisco and this just shows its openness to ambiguity. It is not always the same after venturing away from the city and things become more conservative.