Beautiful write up, Brent. You captured it all perfectly. It brought back memories of watching it back in the day. I even vaguely recall having to write an essay on it for English!
I remember seeing Muriel’s Wedding at the cinema. It marked, as you say Brent, an Australian film renaissance and of Australians heading back to the movies after many years of staying home and watching movies on the VCR. Thank you for the reminder!
In 1994, when this film came out, I was at a crossroads in my life. I saw this movie, and it struck a chord in me. There were only a few people in the theater the night I went to see it. I loved it so much that I came back a few days later to see it a second time because I knew it would be leaving town after playing just one week to such light attendance. I was the only one in the theater the second time I went. The scene where Muriel puts the wedding ring on the table was a pivotal moment for me. Also, the bridal Dancing Queen theme still gets me to this day. I saw Priscilla during that same period of ABBA resurgence, and while I loved it, it didn’t quite touch me the way Muriel’s Wedding did (Muriel not Mariel.) When Muriel goes back home to Porpoise Spit, you can feel that she’s a changed woman. I absolutely love the closing moments of the film. I wanted it to go on forever. Can you imagine a sequel? I don’t think that magic could be captured again. But then, if ABBA can improbably reunite, maybe Muriel and Rhonda have one more story left in them, too.
I saw this movie 30 years ago living in Australia and have been a fan of Aussie movies. I have seen it numerous times and have recommended it to my movie friends. One of the best!!
As someone who’s not “up” on the lingo of cultural critique, I love how well you manage to blend that lingo in with—you know, real words—to capture and communicate the essence of creativity.
Watching the clip you included, I sighed with relief once again that although I was never in any in-crowd or click, watching those phenomena from outside of them gave me a sense of perspective I might not otherwise have gained. And what I saw made me glad I was not on the inside of any of it. Even so, I could feel Muriel’s angst, her despair; so now I want to see the whole film.
This one's been on my "I need to watch that again" list for a long while, since I only hazily remember it from way back when. I'll bump it up the queue!
Incidentally, on the topic of Australian film, one of the unpopular opinions I loudly stick by is that Strictly Ballroom is ten times better than Dirty Dancing. Hill I am dying on.
Beautiful write up, Brent. You captured it all perfectly. It brought back memories of watching it back in the day. I even vaguely recall having to write an essay on it for English!
I remember seeing Muriel’s Wedding at the cinema. It marked, as you say Brent, an Australian film renaissance and of Australians heading back to the movies after many years of staying home and watching movies on the VCR. Thank you for the reminder!
In 1994, when this film came out, I was at a crossroads in my life. I saw this movie, and it struck a chord in me. There were only a few people in the theater the night I went to see it. I loved it so much that I came back a few days later to see it a second time because I knew it would be leaving town after playing just one week to such light attendance. I was the only one in the theater the second time I went. The scene where Muriel puts the wedding ring on the table was a pivotal moment for me. Also, the bridal Dancing Queen theme still gets me to this day. I saw Priscilla during that same period of ABBA resurgence, and while I loved it, it didn’t quite touch me the way Muriel’s Wedding did (Muriel not Mariel.) When Muriel goes back home to Porpoise Spit, you can feel that she’s a changed woman. I absolutely love the closing moments of the film. I wanted it to go on forever. Can you imagine a sequel? I don’t think that magic could be captured again. But then, if ABBA can improbably reunite, maybe Muriel and Rhonda have one more story left in them, too.
I saw this movie 30 years ago living in Australia and have been a fan of Aussie movies. I have seen it numerous times and have recommended it to my movie friends. One of the best!!
This is one of my favorite movies of all time!!
As someone who’s not “up” on the lingo of cultural critique, I love how well you manage to blend that lingo in with—you know, real words—to capture and communicate the essence of creativity.
Watching the clip you included, I sighed with relief once again that although I was never in any in-crowd or click, watching those phenomena from outside of them gave me a sense of perspective I might not otherwise have gained. And what I saw made me glad I was not on the inside of any of it. Even so, I could feel Muriel’s angst, her despair; so now I want to see the whole film.
Thank you.
This one's been on my "I need to watch that again" list for a long while, since I only hazily remember it from way back when. I'll bump it up the queue!
Incidentally, on the topic of Australian film, one of the unpopular opinions I loudly stick by is that Strictly Ballroom is ten times better than Dirty Dancing. Hill I am dying on.