Instrument: Producer, Executive Producer, Director
Representative Album: "Something for Everybody"
Biography
While best known as a filmmaker, Baz Luhrmann also reached the pop charts in 1999 with the spoken-word novelty hit "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)." A native of Australia, Luhrmann attended the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Arts in Sydney, making his film debut in front of the camera in 1982's The Winter of Our Dreams; a role in The Dark Room followed two years later. In 1986, he wrote and directed the stage play Strictly Ballroom, which his independent theatrical troupe the Six Years Old Company revived internationally on numerous occasions in the years to follow; additional Luhrmann stage productions of the period included an update of La Boheme and the musical Crocodile Creek. In 1992, Luhrmann wrote and directed the film version of Strictly Ballroom, an international smash which earned eight Australian Film Institute Awards, three British Academy Awards and the Cannes Film Festival's Prix de Jeuness.
After first tackling the Bard in 1994 with an Australian Opera production of A Midsummer's Night's Dream, in 1996 he scored another film hit with William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, a hip, contemporary re-telling of the classic love story starring teen heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio. Three years later, Luhrmann released the album Something for Everybody, a collection of ambient-styled recordings of themes from his films; the spoken-word single ""Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)," based on the proclamations of a widely-disseminated e-mail mistakenly attributed as a collegiate commencement speech delivered by author Kurt Vonnegut, became a surprise hit that spring. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Career Highlights: Moulin Rouge, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, Strictly Ballroom
First Major Screen Credit: Strictly Ballroom (1992)
Biography
Though he began his career as an actor, director/writer/producer Baz Luhrmann found his flamboyant talent was better served behind the scenes. Born BazMark Luhrmann in a Sydney, Australia, suburb, Luhrmann returned to Sydney after a rural childhood to attend the National Institute of Dramatic Arts. Though he appeared with Judy Davis in the film Winter of Our Dreams (1982), Luhrmann redirected his artistic pursuits, creating the original version of what would become his future film debut, Strictly Ballroom (1992), for the stage in 1986. He continued to mount musical theater and opera productions throughout the 1980s and early '90s, including a 1950s-set version of Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème in 1990. Working with longtime collaborators Craig Pearce and Catherine Martin, Luhrmann brought his vibrant sensibility to film with the cinematic version of Strictly Ballroom. Full of garish colors, exuberant dancing, and ironic yet sincere sentiment, the romantic fable made a splash at the Cannes Film Festival and became an international, prize-winning hit. Luhrmann next worked his postmodern magic on an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet (1996). As with La Bohème, he re-conceived the story for the 20th century, setting the famed tale of teen love in the candy-colored, Versace-clad milieu of "Verona Beach." With stars Leonardo Di Caprio and Claire Danes delivering Shakespeare's prose as if it were vernacular, an eclectic soundtrack, and editing as kinetic as the Oscar-nominated production design, Romeo + Juliet became a box-office hit. Before he began production on the Nicole Kidman-Ewan McGregor musical Moulin Rouge (2001), Luhrmann put together music from his film and stage work for the CD Something for Everybody (1998). He notched a surprise hit single with "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)," setting the text of a famous commencement speech to music from Romeo + Juliet. Merging personal and professional lives, Luhrmann and Martin married in 1997.
After a long gestation, Moulin Rouge made a splashy debut as the opening night attraction at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. Though critical reception split over Luhrmann's postmodern reinterpretation of the musical, with dance numbers edited into a frenzy and stars Kidman, McGregor, and Jim Broadbent warbling such famous pop songs as "Your Song," "Heroes," "Like a Virgin," and "Smells Like Teen Spirit," his richly colored, sumptuously stylized vision of Belle Époque Paris and the eponymous night spot earned kudos across the board. Seen as a risky proposition for a mass audience unaccustomed to musicals, Moulin Rouge earned ardent fans and respectable box office as a durable alternative to the parade of uninspired summer 2001 blockbusters. After winning the National Board of Review's Best Picture award, several Golden Globe nominations, and Golden Globe statuettes for Best Actress Kidman and Best Picture (Musical or Comedy), Moulin Rouge earned eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Though he was nominated for Director's and Writer's Guild awards, however, Luhrmann did not receive Oscar nods in either category. Still, Luhrmann's wife and creative partner Martin won the Oscars for Costume Design and Art Direction, acknowledging Luhrmann and company's glorious visual achievement. Returning to his live theater roots, Luhrmann followed his Moulin Rouge success by reviving his version of La Bohème for the New York stage in December 2002. Having come full circle creatively with La Bohème and the concurrent release of his theatrically romantic "Red Curtain Trilogy" of Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet and Rouge on DVD, Luhrmann subsequently struck out in a new direction with plans to film an epic biopic of Alexander the Great, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the illustrious Greek conqueror. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
Luhrmann was born in Sydney to a ballroom dance teacher/dress shop owner mother, and Leonard Luhrmann, a farmer.[2] He was raised in Herons Creek, a tiny rural settlement in northern New South Wales, where his father ran a petrol station and a movie theater, both of which would influence his son's film-making career. He attended St. Joseph's Hasting Regional School, Port Macquarie 1975-1978 and Sydney Grammar School. He attended Year 11 at Narrabeen Sports High School in Sydney, performing in the school's version of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1.[3]. His nickname was given to him due to a perceived resemblance to the character Basil Brush.
Luhrmann married Catherine Martin, the production designer on all of his films, on 26 January 1997. They have two children, Lillian Amanda Luhrmann and William Alexander Luhrmann.
Films
After theatrical successes, including the original stage version of Strictly Ballroom, Luhrmann moved into film, and has directed four so far:
Luhrmann received Directors Guild of America and Golden Globe nominations for Best Director - Motion Picture for his work on Moulin Rouge!, but did not receive an Oscar nomination for directing (Academy Award host Whoopi Goldberg joked "I guess it just directed itself"). However it did receive an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.
Influences
Luhrmann has cited Italian grand opera as a major influence on his work including Moulin Rouge! He has also listed other theatrical styles like Bollywood films as having had an influence on his work. Luhrmann was a ballroom dancer as a child, and his mother taught ballroom dancing, which was an inspiration for Strictly Ballroom.
Other work
A young Baz Luhrmann can be seen in an early acting role in the 1981 film Winter of Our Dreams, directed by John Duigan. Luhrmann has a small part playing opposite Judy Davis.
In 1993, Luhrmann staged his interpretation of Benjamin Britten's version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, set in colonial India, for the Australian Opera. After successful seasons in Sydney and Melbourne, the production went on to win the Critics' Prize at the Edinburgh Festival. Music extracts can be heard on his album Something for Everybody.
The CD Something for Everybody was released in 1997 and features music from Luhrmann’s films and operas, including his version of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.[4]
In 2003 Luhrmann brought his production of Puccini's La bohème to The Broadway Theatre in New York City. Originally produced in Sydney in 1990, once in New York it eventually garnered 7 Tony Award Nominations, including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Direction (Luhrmann), Best Orchestrations (Nicholas Kitsopoulos), Best Costume Design (Catherine Martin) and won Best Set Design.(Catherine Martin), Best Lighting Design (Nigel Levings), and the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theater (Principal Ensemble Cast).
In 2004, Baz Luhrmann directed a lavish multi-million-dollar commercial for Chanel N° 5 titled N° 5 the Film, inspired by his Red Curtain trilogy, starring Nicole Kidman and Rodrigo Santoro. Luhrmann told interviewer Charlie Rose on Charlie Rose that he based the commercial on the 1953 film Roman Holiday.[5]
Luhrmann is also credited with a 1999 UK number one single, released by EMI's Catalogue division entitled "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)".
He directed a video for John Paul Young's Love is in the Air which was re-released to coincide with the release of Strictly Ballroom (in which the song was featured prominently).
He assisted in the election campaign of former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating in 1993.
