Advanced Portfolio Research Sources

1. RESEARCH CATALOGUE

2. Films1. Strictly Ballroom (1992, Directed by Baz Luhrmann, M & A Productions): Strictly Ballroom is the first film in
the Red Curtain Trilogy. It is also the most basic in the sense of mise en scene, sound and lighting, although features his distinctive
editing technique. It is obvious that this is Luhrmann’s first ever film in how his ideas and style has developed, in comparison to
Moulin Rouge! and The Great Gatsby, this film was more personal and Baz focused on the characters more than the overall
appearance.
2. Romeo + Juliet (1996, Directed by Baz Luhrmann, Bazmark Productions, 201th Century Fox): This is
the second film in the trilogy, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s play but modernised. I aim to find out why was the 20th century
brought into a late 1500’s play, still including the original Shakespearean dialogue. His editing had also clearly developed from
Strictly Ballroom, along with the idea of making films bigger and better attracting a bigger audience. I also aim to find out why he
used the music that he chose along with the mise en scene, and how he started to achieve this style.
3. Moulin Rouge! (2001, Directed by Baz Luhrmann, Bazmark Productions, Angel Studio, 20th
Century Fox): Moulin Rouge is the final film of the Red Curtain Trilogy. I am going to research what influenced this trilogy and
what he wanted to achieve as none of the films really link together other than Luhrmann’s use of style. Moulin Rouge also has
strong performance elements along with the rest of the trilogy, hence the ‘Red Curtain’. His use of mise en scene still has
similarities although you can see that it has developed and there are bigger scenes including more people, which relates to the
party scene in The Great Gatsby, his most recent film.
4. The Great Gatsby (2013, Directed by Baz Luhrmann, Bazmark Productions, Village Roadshow
Pictures, A&E Television, Red Wagon Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures, Roadshow
Entertainment): I’ve chosen The Great Gatsby even though it isn’t a part of the Red Curtain Trilogy because of Luhrmann’s
similar ideas and the development in his style. This is also his second time working with Leonardo DiCaprio (almost would have
been the third), I would like to find out what it is about DiCaprio that Luhrmann is attracted to and why he feels that he is the right
choice for his films. The Great Gatsby is also one of the most classic American novels, I aim to find out why Luhrmann likes to
adapt other peoples work and what it was about The Great Gatsby that relates to his style, is he influenced by F. Scott Fitzgerald?

3. Books
5. eBook: Baz Luhrmann: Interviews, (Conversations with Filmmakers Series),
Tom Ryan:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=8P8aBwAAQBAJ&pg=PT31&lpg=PT31&dq=romance+in+baz+lu
hrmann%27s+films&source=bl&ots=lviZ2p2gvh&sig=t8QKaULGPbRpYWl7MQFpi2C3Vvc&hl=en&sa=
X&ved=0CFEQ6AEwB2oVChMI2uK1m62jyAIVh1AUCh23XQo7#v=onepage&q=romance%20in%20baz
%20luhrmann’s%20films&f=false
This book will be useful for my research project because it is Baz Luhrmann himself answering
questions and talking about his films.
6. eBook: The Visual Aesthetics of Baz Luhrmann’s “Red Curtain Cinema”,
Anett Koch: http://www.grin.com/en/e-book/275231/the-visual-aesthetics-of-baz-luhrmann-s-
red-curtain-cinema
This book is directly about the Red Curtain Trilogy, however it also includes theories and about Baz
Luhrmann’s team ‘Bazmark’.
7. eBook: Baz Luhrmann, by Pam Cook:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PG8dBQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
This book is specifically about Baz Luhrmann behind the scenes and him as an auteur.

4. YouTube Links
8. DP/30: The Great Gatsby, Co-Screenwriter/Director Baz Luhrmann:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2LX8LzC9Ns
9. The Great Gatsby - The Swinging Sounds of Gatsby Series Part 1-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2scCCU9-0g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWJjWnB6qIU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQD1lTliMvs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yEB3qrABzM
These videos develop my knowledge of how Baz Luhrmann uses music in his films and for what effect.

5. Articles
10. Baz Luhrmann’s Eclectic Musical Signature in the Red Curtain Trilogy, Rebecca
Coyle
http://www.screensoundjournal.org/issues/n4/06.%20SSJ%20n4%20Coyle.pdf
This article is very useful as it includes a detailed comparison of Luhrmann’s collaborations throughout the Rest
Curtain Trilogy. It also includes information about his choice in music and sound of which is a key part of his
films.
11. Baz Luhrmann on Romeo + Juliet, Online Interview
http://creativescreenwriting.com/re-revealing-shakespeare-baz-lurhmann-on-romeo-juliet/
This link is on an interview taken by Erik Bauer, which shows an insight to Luhrmann’s creative decisions. He
talks about romance in his films and the use of modernising Shakespeare in Romeo + Juliet.
12. Baz Luhrmann Auteurship, Online Article
http://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/baz-luhrmann-essential-filmmaker/
This is a very simple article in comparison to the others, of which explains the key comparisons throughout
Luhrmann‘s films which make him an auteur. Images are also used to show how these features are displayed.

6. Sight and Sound Magazine
• 13. Sight and Sound Magazine, 1996, Romeo + Juliet
• 14. Sight and Sound Magazine, 2001, Moulin Rouge!
• 15. Sight and Sound Magazine, 2013, The Great Gatsby
I also found the articles of all of my focal films except Strictly Ballroom, in the Sight and Sound Magazines.
These have extra information on