Australian director, Baz Luhrmann (aka Mark Anthony Luhrmann) is one of the most imaginative directors in the movie industry. Thanks to his unique eye for detail, his creative flair, and his ability to mix strong storytelling with stunning visuals, Luhrmann has come to be regarded as an auteur and the most commercially successful Aussie director of all time.
Luhrmann’s motion pictures have ranged from musicals and dance films, to historic features and sweeping epics. He has also turned his hand to Shakespeare, in order to bring one of the Bard’s most famous plays to a whole new generation, and has tackled a film about a rock ‘n’ roll icon.
In this post I am taking a look back at Baz Luhrmann’s film portfolio with a list of all his movies. Although this list may be pretty small, as you will come to see, it includes some fantastic pictures.
Ever wondered what all of the Baz Luhrmann movies are? Well, wonder no more!
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List of Baz Luhrmann directed movies in order
Luhrmann came to prominence in the 1992, when he released his romantic comedy, Strictly Ballroom. The film – based on a stage play – told the story of a professional dancer and a ‘beginner’, who find love on the ballroom floor.
Thanks to its quirky characters, its humorous dialogue, and its romantic storyline, Strictly Ballroom was a hit for Luhrmann, and from here he went on to direct Romeo + Juliet (1996). The movie was conceived as a modern-day retelling of the classic play, and counted Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes amongst its cast.
Romeo + Juliet was a huge success for the director and this propelled him onto his next project, the jukebox musical, Moulin Rouge! (2001). The film followed the story of a penniless writer, who falls in love with a courtesan, with Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman taking on the lead roles.
Once again, Moulin Rouge! was another huge hit for Luhrmann, and was the final entry in his ‘Red Curtain trilogy’ – a trio of pictures (Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!) which were centred around performance. From here it was time for the director to tackle something a little more personal.
In 2008, Luhrmann released his fourth feature film: Australia. The movie – which starred Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman – was set during the events of World War II, and told an epic adventure story, which highlighted significant historical events from Luhrmann’s home country.
Australia opened to mixed reviews from critics, and was not as well-received as his previous movies. However, the film was (and still is) severely underrated, and stands as another fine entry in his portfolio.
Five years after the release of Australia, Luhrmann’s next film was an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby. For this film, he called upon Leonardo DiCaprio to take on the title role, with Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan cast as supporting players.
From here, Luhrmann’s next movie project was Elvis – a biographical musical, about the life of legendary rock ‘n’ roll singer, Elvis Presley. Austin Butler took on the title role, while Tom Hanks stepped into the shoes of Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
If you have never watched a Baz Luhrmann movie, then you don’t have many to watch. Luhrmann takes his time to get his movies just right, which is why there are relatively few, but they are worth checking out when you have the time.
Here is a list of all Baz Luhrmann’s movies, presented in chronological order:
- Strictly Ballroom (1992)
- Romeo + Juliet (1996)
- Moulin Rouge! (2001)
- Australia (2008)
- The Great Gatsby (2013)
- Elvis (2022)
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Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about Baz Luhrmann movies – I hope it proves useful. For more movie-related content, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
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