287:'s acting in a segment for the video clip for her song "The Lucky One". He said "I suddenly got the idea that if the lead character of “Backstage” was changed to be a pop star wanting to be taken seriously as an actress and her only offer was from a producer in Australia, we had a film that would be modern, relevant, funny and say something meaningful about how we categorise and box artists in and restrict their growth."
276:"and much I didn’t, and understood why Lamond hadn’t moved on it. It seemed to me to be very old fashioned. At that time the lead character was a soap star craving credibility. It was over-written, twee, and read like an Ealing Comedy without the laughs. There was no texture, no hint of darkness, no statement or meaning to it."
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magazine it "could have been a fantastically fun film: it had a terrific support cast... an engaging lead... and an interesting, culturally relevant central theme (whether imported
American stars are good or bad in Australian projects). But then they cast Laura Branigan, who can sing but can’t act,
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Frank Howson originally thought that the involvement of the
Burrowes Film Group would be limited but found they wanted to have more creative control. "I knew very clearly what audience it should be made for", said Howson, "but all of a sudden I found myself dealing with production by committee. To
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Matters reached an impasse when Howson and
Burrowes fought over who would compose the music. Burrowes fired Howson's composer, John Capek, and replaced him with Bruce Rowlands, then Burrowes bought Boulevard out of the film.
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The plot centred on
American pop singer Kate Lawrence (Branigan) wanting to embark on a career as an actress. The only job she can find is playing the lead role in an Australian theatre production of
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called the film " neither funny nor romantic, and will do little for the careers of anyone involved in it." The film received bad reviews generally.
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The film was briefly released theatrically in
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needed to make another film before the end of the financial year and offered to raise the budget.
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and written by
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together, with the story being relocated to the music world. Howson was impressed by
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even make the smallest decision required everyone sitting around the table."
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The
Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry
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calls it an "insipid and cliché-ridden romantic comedy", although
445:. ACT: National Library of Australia. 5 January 1986. p. 12
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The funding of the film was investigated in an episode of ABC's
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Howson later said "There was much I liked about" the script for
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539:. National Library of Australia. 24 February 1982. p. 124
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and got her to play a role where she acts and can’t sing."
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conceded the film was "well crafted in every department".
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239:In 1981 Frank Howson set up a company,
205:. The film was written and directed by
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603:"Is there creative life after 10BA?"
279:Howson and Hardy decided to work on
630:Vagg, Stephen (21 February 2024).
486:Vagg, Stephen (30 December 2019).
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632:"Frank Howson: The Unsung Auteur"
575:Paul Kalina, "Boulevard Films",
566:, Pan MacMillan, 1990 p196-197
305:Filming started 7 March 1986.
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536:The Australian Women's Weekly
364:Noel Ferrier – Mortimer Wynde
707:English-language drama films
702:1980s English-language films
261:had was based on an idea by
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393:as Head Waiter / Reception
590:The Sydney Morning Herald
476:accessed 24 October 2009
382:– Geraldine Woollencraft
697:Films shot in Melbourne
472:9 February 2014 at the
213:, who had also written
137:30 March 1988
687:Australian drama films
579:, November 1989 p42-43
229:The Green Year Passes
592:, 14 April 1988 p 12
190:A$ 8,000 (Australia)
18:1988 Australian film
404:Cinema of Australia
292:Burrowes Film Group
122:Burrowes Film Group
437:"TV.CHESS.X WORD"
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182:A$ 7 million
154:Running time
130:Release date
79:Noel Ferrier
45:Frank Howson
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615:24 December
449:24 December
374:Kym Gyngell
263:John Lamond
58:Peter Boyle
55:Produced by
29:Directed by
682:1988 films
676:Categories
410:References
267:Max Phipps
235:Production
187:Box office
158:94 minutes
141:1988-03-30
114:Production
39:Written by
665:Backstage
654:Backstage
380:Mary Ward
281:Backstage
274:Backstage
259:Backstage
253:Backstage
245:Les Darcy
198:Backstage
166:Australia
100:Ray Daley
97:Edited by
24:Backstage
470:Archived
398:See also
376:– Paarvo
315:Allmovie
209:nominee
171:Language
105:Music by
67:Starring
636:Filmink
543:16 July
492:Filmink
330:Filmink
319:Variety
309:Release
174:English
163:Country
139: (
116:company
179:Budget
659:IMDb
617:2015
545:2013
451:2015
347:Cast
223:Plot
657:at
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