It's a very funny Australian movie about some drag queens going on a journey across the Central Australian Desert. It was later turned into a very successful and popular Broadway musical.
The movie has some really great disco songs from the 1970s (and some really funny dancing). This is the opening to the movie. The song is 'I've never been to me' by Charlene.
Useful Information:
transvestite = a person (usually a man) who likes to dress in the clothes of the opposite sex and pretend to be that opposite sex
drag queen = a gay man who likes to dress up very colourfully in woman's clothes and perform jokes or songs
transexual = a person who has had a sex change operation
transgender = a person who combines any of the above characteristics
The Song:
Hey lady, you lady, cursing at your life
You're a discontented mother and a regimented wife
I've no doubt you dream about the things you'll never do
But, I wish someone had talked to me
Like I wanna talk to you.....
Oh, I've been to Georgia and California and anywhere I could run
I took the hand of a preacher man and we made love in the sun
But I ran out of places and friendly faces because I had to be free
I've been to paradise but I've never been to me
Please lady, please lady, don't just walk away
'Cause I have this need to tell you why I'm all alone today
I can see so much of me still living in your eyes
Won't you share a part of a weary heart that has lived million lies....
Oh, I've been to Niece and the Isle of Greece while I've sipped champagne on a yacht
I've moved like Harlow in Monte Carlo and showed 'em what I've got
I've been undressed by kings and I've seen some things that a woman ain't supposed to see
I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me
[spoken]
Hey, you know what paradise is?
It's a lie, a fantasy we create about people and places as we'd like them to be
But you know what truth is?
It's that little baby you're holding, it's that man you fought with this morning
The same one you're going to make love with tonight
That's truth, that's love......
Sometimes I've been to crying for unborn children that might have made me complete
But I took the sweet life, I never knew I'd be bitter from the sweet
I've spent my life exploring the subtle whoring that costs too much to be free
Hey lady......
I've been to paradise, (I've been to paradise)
But I've never been to me
(I've been to Georgia and California, and anywhere I could run)
I've been to paradise, never been to me
(I've been to Neice and the isle of Greece while I've sipped champagne on a yacht)
I've been to paradise, never been to me
(I've been to cryin' for unborn children that might have made me complete)
I've been to paradise, never been to me
(I've been to Georgia and California, and anywhere I could run)
I've been to paradise, never been to me
Vocabulary:
- regimented wife = a wife who has to follow her husband's orders, like a soldier
- preacher man = priest
- run out of = have nothing left
- sipping = to drink something very slowly with little mouthfuls
- yacht = a small private ship
- I moved like Harlow = Jean Harlow was a very famous and sexy movie star in the Golden Age of Hollywood movies. You can learn more about her here.
- Monte Carlo = is the capital city of the tiny city state Monaco, in Europe. It's a place where very rich people go to live and party
- ain't supposed to see = 'ain't' means 'isn't' or 'hasn't'. The whole thing means respectable women shouldn't see these things
- might have = this is is the past of 'might'.
WOW! It's a classic movie I've heard in my film study class!
回覆刪除Hey kang, can you tell us a bit more about what your professor said about this movie?
回覆刪除:)
Hi. I remember that we talked about the film as an example of how queer theories be shown in movies. I have an impressive image of the movie because of the pop songs and the nation it be produced although I haven't seen the whole film.
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