Fox Does it Again: Luhrmann Forced to Alter 'Australia' Ending
Hey, look, Fox has no idea what's going on...
Photo: 20th Century Fox
I recently had an idea to post an article headlined "Guess the Studio". I was going to then describe a series of situations based on actual events while hiding the true identity of any film or person involved and see if people would guess it was in fact 20th Century Fox that was being described. Here is a studio that seems to have zero respect for artistic opinion and the suits over there seem to believe they have the answer to everything. This year Fox has delivered such piles as:
- Deception
- Jumper
- What Happens in Vegas
- The Happening
- The X-Files: I Want to Believe
- Max Payne
And those are just the titles I saw. They wouldn't even screen Babylon A.D., Shutter or Mirrors and I wasn't even going to brave 27 Dresses or Meet the Spartans. As it stands Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! is their best film this year and when that title is given to an animated feature you know there is trouble, at least when we are talking about one of the majors.
The Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman starrer, Australia, is Fox's last chance for a winner was in the hands of Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!) and it seems Fox decided to take it out of Baz's hands only to give it back to him after pressure to change the ending.
News being reported by both The Guardian and News.com.au tells us Luhrmann agreed to rewrite the final scenes to keep alive The Drover, Kidman's love interest, played by Hugh Jackman. The decision came "after 'intense' discussions with officials at 20th Century Fox" reports Richard Luscombe at "The Guardian".
The decision is said to have been made after negative responses following initial test screenings in which one reviewer is quoted saying, "There is no reason to kill off Wolvie." Considering the person being quoted refers to Jackman's character as he is known in the X-Men franchise of films leads me to believe they are not the target audience for an epic drama, but what do I know? I am not some egomaniacal studio executive who shits gold.
The Herald Sun story is far more harsh on the film from the perspective of those that saw the test screening, which apparently was met with what the article refers to as "disastrous reviews." One person referring to it as "an action-filled tragedy."
As with all decisions made at Fox nowadays the move came since they felt it would bolster box-office to play for a happy ending. Strangely enough the film is being compared to Titanic in size, scope and content. A film where the boat sinks and just about everyone dies. Perhaps Paramount should have kept it afloat and changed history. Now that would have been interesting.
It will be HILARIOUS if the original ending is made available on the DVD. Fox LOVES those Unrated DVDs, but if you have a choice between watching a version where Jackman dies at the end and one where he doesn't which one do you choose? "Now on DVD, the Australia too intense for theaters. Choose the fate of The Drover, his life is in your hands!!!!" With Don LaFontaine deceased who do we get to read such magical lines?
I recently learned I am seeing the film next Wednesday and I truly hope it is as good as I want it to be. It would be nice to have another epic love story and hopefully Fox didn't ruin this one completely. The film opens in theaters on November 26. For more information click here.
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