Australia - videos, teasers and stills from filming

All videos, teasers and footage from the filming of the film "Australia"

Australia (2008)

Timing: 2:45 (165 min)

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All about film

Video 3

Photo 65

Actors and characters

Trailer

English

2:70

Trailer

English

2:30

Дублированный трейлер

Pусский

1:28

What's left behind the scenes

Russell Crowe was initially considered for the lead male role, however, in the summer of 2006, the actor stated that he "was not going to do charity work and film for little money for a major studio" and withdrew from the project. The role was then offered to Heath Ledger, but he was forced to decline due to his commitment to "The Dark Knight".
The film remained untitled for a long time, until on November 23, 2006, director Baz Luhrmann announced the title "Australia" on an Australian radio show. Other likely titles, he said, were "Great Southern Land" and "Faraway Downs".
The film was shot for two hot months in the small town of Kununurra in Western Australia, in an area known as the Kimberley (which has only three towns with a population over 2000).
The film could be called troubled, given the list of difficulties experienced by the film crew. After 50 years of drought, rains suddenly fell on the scorched lands, washing away the newly built sets and delaying the start of filming. A national epidemic of the Hendra virus ruined the racing season and led to bans on horse transport – a real disaster, given that the film's main characters spend almost all screen time in the saddle. Then there was the incredible heat, when the temperature exceeded 48 degrees Celsius: nurses did not have time to provide assistance to members of the film crew who suffered burns and heatstroke in the sun, and filming had to be constantly interrupted so that the people and animals involved in the film could rest in the shade.
After filming, Luhrmann joked: "It's hard to work with cows, they ruined so many takes by suddenly deciding to have sex!"
"Australia" is already the second project where Kidman and Crowe haven't been able to work together. The actors are long-time friends, and in 2005 they had already begun filming the romantic drama "Eucalyptus," which was halted at Crowe's request due to script flaws.
More than 1500 wild horses participated in the filming.
At the last moment, the film's director, Baz Luhrmann, changed the film's ending. In one version, the character of Hugh Jackman – the Drover – was supposed to die.
Footage from the filming of "Tora! Tora! Tora!" (1970) was used in the scenes with the Japanese air raid.
At the 35th minute of the film, accountant Flynn (Jack Thompson) takes a full bottle of rum from a drawer, but in the next shot he opens an empty bottle, then the bottle in his hand is full again.
Russell Crowe was initially considered for the lead male role, but in the summer of 2006, the actor stated that he "wasn't going to do charity work and film for little money for a major studio" and dropped out of the project. The role was then offered to Heath Ledger, but he was forced to decline due to his commitment to "The Dark Knight."
The film remained untitled for a long time until November 23, 2006, when director Baz Luhrmann announced the title "Australia" on Australian radio. Other likely titles, he said, were "Great Southern Land" and "Faraway Downs."
After filming wrapped, Luhrmann joked: "It's hard to work with cows, they ruined so many takes by suddenly deciding to have sex!"
"Australia" became the second project where Kidman and Crowe were unable to work together. The actors are long-time friends, and in 2005 they had already started filming the romantic drama "Eucalyptus," which was halted at Crowe's request due to script issues.
Footage from "Tora! Tora! Tora!" (1970) was used in the scenes depicting the Japanese air raid.

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