Review of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) by Nate W — 27 Apr 2010

Dressed to the nines in the most intentionally garish costumes, wigs, and makeup imaginable, three not-always-compatible drag queens head out into the Australian outback in a bus named Priscilla. This rather thin concept is used to put our fab-u-lous trio into a number of sticky situations, at times forcing each them to confront personal demons.

Their acid-tongued repartee is enjoyable and well performed by the three principles â?? Hugo Weaving, Terrance Stamp, Guy Pearce â?? but writer/director Stephen Elliot doesn't know what he wants his film to be; touching dramedy or flamboyant romp? It's easy to see why the movie has a devoted cult following, with its combination of loud colours, drag performances, and general "over-the-top-ness", but that mood is not always kept, especially in the film's depictions of homophobia and the challenges of living the "glamourous" lifestyle of a drag queen.