News > Baz Luhrmann talks 'Australia' and 'The Great Gatsby'

Baz Luhrman is having a rough time with the super disaster that is Australia and while even fending off claims that he is the "black hole of cinema,"  Luhrman is still moving forward with "The Great Gatsby" film adaptation.  The Hollywood Reporter had a chance to sit down with Luhrman and discuss the reasons why Australia is having such a tough time at the box office and why Gaysby would be a great follow up movie.

"A lot of reviewers like 'Australia.' And we're making people cry; I know because they write to us," he said. "But there are those that don't get it. A lot of the film scientists don't get it. And it's not just that that they don't get it, but they hate it and they hate me, and they think I'm the black hole of cinema. They say, 'He shouldn't have made it, and he should die.' "

Asked why he thought the reactions were so passionate, he replied: "I know what it's about." The movie's detractors were used to movies that were neatly defined, he said. "This is not (simply) a romantic comedy for 40-year-old women or action movies for 17-year-old boys, and that's not OK with some people. It's not OK for people to come eat at the same table of cinema. But you look at movies like 'Gone With the Wind' and Old Hollywood classics, and they don't fit in any box.

Ultimately, Luhrmann said, the movie's verdict will be written by many of those he feels have not yet begun to speak. " 'Moulin Rouge' was supposed to go away," Luhrmann said. "Not only has it not gone away, but you can't read about modern musicals without reading about it. 'Australia' will not go away."

He said that he wants to move quickly on the "Gatsby" project because of that timeliness. "I'm going to move faster than I have before. I'd be surprised if it's another seven years," he said, referring to the period between "Rouge" and "Australia."