The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

1994
R
1h 44m

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

57K

YOUR RATING

Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce, and Hugo Weaving in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

Home Video Trailer from MGM Home Entertainment

Play trailer1:01

4 Videos

99+ Photos

Dark Comedy Road Trip Comedy Music

Two drag performers and a transgender woman travel across the desert to perform their unique style of cabaret.Two drag performers and a transgender woman travel across the desert to perform their unique style of cabaret.Two drag performers and a transgender woman travel across the desert to perform their unique style of cabaret.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

57K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 11 wins & 19 nominations total

Trivia
As of 2024, this is still the most recent contemporary-set film (i.e. non-period, non-fantasy, non-sci-fi) to win the Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

Goofs
When they are in the bar in Broken Hill, Old Shirl comes over and slaps her right hand down on Bernadette's. Then, in the next camera shot, it's her left hand.

Quotes
Bernadette: [to Shirley] Now listen here, you mullet. Why don't you just light your tampon, and blow your box apart? Because it's the only bang you're ever gonna get, sweetheart!

Crazy credits
A scene after the credits finish shows an Asian garden where a blow up doll (released earlier in the movie in Australia) lands on a man, who looks quite puzzled.

Alternate versions
The film was "Shown in Dragarama" at select theatres at the time of release. This involved some theatres using a mirror-ball and colored lighting during the "Finally" dance number.

Connections
Edited into Picnic at Wolf Creek (2006)

Soundtracks
I've Never Been To Me
Written by Ken Hirsch and Ronald Miller
Performed by Charlene
Published by Stone Diamond Music Corp. / Jobete Music
Courtesy Motown Record Company LP

User reviews180

Review

Featured review

9/10

Improbably great

...and I don't say "great" lightly. This isn't merely some tired road comedy in drag, it's a fun, at times surprisingly moving story.

Part of my immense surprise comes because I'd never really understood the appeal of drag shows. While I'm not sure I'm any bigger a fan, I definitely found myself drawn into the little universe created here.

The central characters are real people who manage to play to stereotypes without succumbing to them. I was frankly amazed by Terence Stamp, an actor who has made a career playing dangerous, macho types, and made a surprisingly compelling and believable ageing transsexual. The novelty quickly wore off; it was one of those rare performances that was just totally without affect. Honestly, one of the best performances I've ever seen.

Fun, as I expected, but there's a genuine affection and depth here. A very pleasant surprise.