Priscilla crowned queen of Aussie movies

The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert has been crowned the most popular Australian movie of all time, according to a recent poll carried out by LoveFilm.com, the UK’s largest online DVD rental service and entertainment website, in association with Tourism NT.

Priscilla won 19 per cent of votes followed by Muriel’s Wedding in second place, while Crocodile Dundee bagged the third spot in a survey of over 1,000 film fans.

Priscilla (1994) is a feel-good Aussie movie following the journey of three drag queens as they take a road trip through the Australian outback in a silver school bus, ‘Priscilla,’ to play at an Alice Springs hotel. The film, like many other films featured in the poll, showcases the iconic red desert landscapes of the Northern Territory Outback, with scenes from Kings Canyon.

The poll was conducted to mark the DVD release of Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Australia’ set in the Northern Territory. ‘Australia’ wrapped up sixth in the poll.

Hot on the heels of Priscilla was hit comedy Muriel’s Wedding, which gained worldwide success. In third place was much loved 80s classic Crocodile Dundee. This quintessential Australian flick remains one of the best loved Aussie films ever epitomising true Aussie humour, and a sense of what the Australian Outback is really like, acting as a travel brochure for the Northern Territory’s Top End and Kakadu National Park.

The Territory’s rich and varied landscapes have proved a natural choice as a setting and backdrop for films over the years. Other films shot in the Northern Territory include Ten Canoes, Yolngu Boy, Rogue, Jedda, and We of the Never Never.

The latest production set in Central Australia, Samson and Delilah, is creating a buzz even before its release in late 2009, recently picking up an award at Cannes. Its success is set to throw Alice Springs into the limelight. Set in a remote Aboriginal settlement in the Northern Territory, it tells the story of two teenagers growing up in a community outside Alice Springs and the challenges that young people face.

The top 10 iconic Australian flicks, according to their ranks are:

1. The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert
2. Muriel’s Wedding
3. Crocodile Dundee
4. Strictly Ballroom
5. Mad Max
6. Australia
7. Rabbit Proof Fence
8. Chopper
9. The Castle
10. Dead Calm

Three of the top 10 films featured contain landscapes from the Northern Territory.

George Christakis, Sales and Marketing Manager for Tourism NT commented: “We were delighted to work with LOVEFiLM to conduct this poll celebrating the very best of Aussie movies. It engaged film buffs with Australia and our epic outback landscapes. The NT is a unique destination boasting dramatic, beautiful and varied scenery and awe-inspiring natural icons. Classics like Priscilla project the wild, epic landscapes onto the big screen and throw the NT into the forefront of consumers’ minds.”

For more information, visit Australiasoutback.com.