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Fox Forces Baz Luhrmann to Change Australia’s Ending?

Posted on Tuesday, November 11th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta

The Guardian is reporting that director Baz Luhrmann agreed, after “intense discussions”, to rewrite the final scenes of the Nicole Kidman/Hugh Jackman romantic adventure epic Australia. Apparently studio executives wanted the film to end on a more positive note (We’re not going to discuss the spoiler in question here). Apparently negative feedback from early test screenings prompted the studio’s concerns over the film finale.

I’m told that Luhrmann has final cut on this film, and that Fox could not have forced Luhrmann to change the ending even if they wanted to. That said, there is a lot of other stuff a studio can threaten to do that could have forced Luhrmann’s hand (not to say Fox did such things…).

It’s impossible to make an opinion based on pure hearsay, and I doubt we’ll ever get the real story behind the changes. Some will blame Fox for stepping in and “ruining Baz’s artistic vision” while others may agree that Baz made the right choice in agreeing to the changes. Either way, I’m sure the alternative ending will be available on DVD.

Comments

StoicRomance

Hey, Baz, baby, look, this Romeo movie you're doing? LOVE IT, LOVE IT, but I did have a few thoughts.

The ending. I know, I know. Just hear me out. Look. Ok. They die at the end. I GET that. But death doesnt sell baby.

Look. Remember that movie. The greek one. With a wedding. How about a last minute andidote. Or, OR, OR, FUCKING BRAINWAVE, how about, IT WAS ALL A DREAM. Shit, I should write. I think I will. Wanna be attached? Awesome.

Make it happen, slave boy.

Myles

fuck, I was looking forward to this film.

gah

I was going to type something really angry and long but I'll just summarize it: Fox is the worst movie studio ever. EVER.

Brian

This is why indie films are the last decent films around these days. First off, have anyone seen "Stranger Than Fiction"? Dustin Hoffman said it well, sometimes things need to happen to MAKE the ending.
Now after FOX has stepped in, and given the fact that since FOX is no longer dealing with King of the Hill, it's fair to say I'm not watching their station again. I know different departments, but still same company.
Bottom line is, FOX is full of a bunch of peopel that know nothing about anything. Especially what makes good TV or good movies.
Step aside FOX, step aside. Let the people that know what they're doing DO WHAT THEY DO!

This is garbage. I was looking forward to this film because well Kidman is in it, but now...I don't know. With a "lubby dubby" typical ending it's going to ruin it.

EJIEHI

Hey people thought the ending of Brazil was too depressing "And they where right".
Films need to be covered in happy, idiocy right?

Elissa

UGH! I hate this "positive note" bullshit!

LAME LAME LAME!

DoogleberryWinkler

The biggest, most profitable movie this year... of the past decade in fact (and possibly all time)... did NOT have a positive, smiles all-round Hollywood ending. So yeah, Fox really has its ear to the ground when it comes to public consensus *bitch slaps Rupert Murdoch*. Even a film similar to 'Australia' in scope and style, 'Titanic', did not end on the most positive of notes!! Where is the logic at Fox? Heck, even take one of the more successful romantic films of recent years, The Notebook.

People are more than happy to have tragic and sad endings..

Anyone seen the animated short 'Kiwi' on Youtube???

AJ

If you are referring to The Dark Knight Doogleberry, I believe you are mistaken. The most profitable movie this year? Highest grossing yes, but profitable? Just look at Return of the King for your "this decade" theory. It cost much less than The Dark Knight and grossed more, it also likely had less advertising costs. Speaking of the past decade (meaning 1998-2008) these years, if I am not mistaken, hold the single most profitable movie ever made, The Blair Witch Project. The film grossed 4000 times its production budget, unlike The Dark Knight's 6.5 times.

Jonathan

God.. before, I thought I couldn't hate Fox anymore.. I was wrong.

Mikey M

Oh Ohhh. Does one of them die? Thats what happend in Moulin Rouge.
I dont know. People love Dancing with the Stars and Deal or no Deal so hard to respect most of the public's opinions.

DoogleberryWinkler

Whoops, should've said highest grossing AJ.. still, point aside,
there's no denying TDK's success and record breaking achievements.
Both TDK and Return of the King for that matter, certainly don't
have traditional, chirpy endings. People die, people have to leave..
tears ensue. Frodo doesn't live happily ever after with the rest
of the Hobbits in Hobbiton :( But I wouldn't have it end any other
way.

Joe

I had seen early spoilers, and from what I understand the ending was very bittersweet... if you remove the word sweet.

It was a depressing ending, this one will obviously be more happy.

DoogleberryWinkler

I wonder what the chances are of 'Australia' only having the alternate
ending in the US? With international audiences getting the Baz
original cut. That's what happened with the UK film '28 Days Later'
wasn't it? Not entirely sure. I also remember seeing 'The Butterfly
Effect' in cinemas, but on DVD it had an entirely different ending,
without the option of viewing the original I'd seen. When will the
madness end!!!!

Wallâ€¢E Plays Pong

Let's have a depressing/ambiguous ending once in a while. No Country For Old Men did it and still managed best picture. I don't go to movies all the time to be cheered up. That's what comedies are for right? Looking at the trailers for Australia or even Benjamin Button, if I want to see those films it's not to feel good by the end. I'm interested in the story, characters, the philosophy the film projects, and the world of that movie wherever it leads.

Sean

Well apparently Baz feels differently:

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNew...

His comments are toward the end of the article.

anon

It's Baz's fault. He's been in the industry for years and he should know the rules by now. Never make romantic comedies. Never make movies about the Iraq war. And finally, NEVER make a movie financed by Fox Studios. He broke the third rule.

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