Muriel's Wedding: The Dancing Queen of Porpoise Spit

Hi and welcome to a Dingo ate My Movie, a podcast that features classic exploitation and other weird, wonderful, overlooked and underappreciated Australian films from the 70s, 80s and beyond. My name is Pete and I'm your host.

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How are you?

I'm good. I'm really excited to be here to talk about this with you because this is a movie that's uh that I've watched a lot of times throughout my life.

It's a bit of a departure. I think I mentioned at the top of my last episode that I'm changing things up a little bit with the podcast now and and kind of generalizing a little bit more, but we'll still keep with the cult stuff and and all those other sorts of things. But uh I just thought it'd be nice to you know look at some of these other movies that uh just sit a bit outside of what we've been doing uh in the past, which is great. Muriel's wedding follows awkward misfit Muriel Heslop, played by Tony Collette, I think in her second role. Uh yeah, second role, right? I think she did Coszy, was it Coszy, I think was her first role. And she did some TV, I think. Yeah. Anyway, Muriel Heslop, played by Tony Collette, dreams of escaping her small town life in Porpoise Spit and having the perfect wedding. After stealing some money and heading to Sydney, she forms a life-changing friendship with the bold and funny Rhonda played by Rachel Griffiths. As Muriel reinvents herself and chases her dream of getting married, she starts to realize that being true to herself matters more than any wedding. Funny, heartfelt, and full of ABBA, it's a classic Aussie coming-of-age story. It is heartfelt, but it's also very depressing.

It is really, really sad and in places, but I think it does a great job of showing kind of the the breadth of uh and depth of life where there are fun times and there are you know absurd things that happen to you, and then there's also some really sad and and hard things that happen to you too.

It resolves well, which is nice.

Yes, yeah.

The uh cast for the film was Tony Collette, as we mentioned, playing Mueller Heslop, and Rachel Griffiths playing Rodna Eppenstall, I think it is. Bill Hunter plays Bill Heslop, and Jeannie Drynen plays Betty Heslop. There's a lot of other casts that are fantastic as well, uh especially like her, I suppose, uh inverted commas girlfriends.

Yeah.

Yeah, which are which are very well played and uh really enjoyable as well.

Yeah.

It was directed and written by PJ Hogan, and the cinematography was by Martin McGrath. Editor was Jill Billcock, uh, music by Peter Best, not Pete Best from The Beatles, but another Peter Best. Uh the budget was approximately uh $9 million Australian and it made over 57 million USD worldwide, which is not bad on a $9 million investment.

Yeah, definitely. I think it was kind of a surprise hit, especially in America.

Where I've watched it, I have the there's a 20th anniversary, even though it's I think 30 years old now, um Blu-ray or DVD, which is available, I think, still, because I bought mine, I think it was late last year. You can see it locally streaming on Stan in Australia, and you can rent or buy it on Prime, and I'd say probably Apple and a few other places.

Yeah, I think it might be available on Netflix here in the States because I know I w I watched it not too long ago on Netflix. I did end up getting rid of Netflix, but I I also own a copy of it too.

Okay, yeah. I think it's one of those things you'll always should always be able to buy on Blu-ray or DVD.

Yeah.

Yeah. When I look at the movie, when I see Porpoise Spit where they where they base the movie, um, you could tell it was filmed in Queensland. Well, a local could tell you that. Um, that was filmed in Queensland and Tweed Heads and Cool and Gatta, which is all Tweed Heads is kind of like the very northmost point of New South Wales, right on the Queensland border. So you can basically be in one part of Tweed Heads and be, especially in Daylight Saving Time, it gets quite confusing because you'll be in one part of Tweed Heads and you'll be stepping across uh to the other side and you'll suddenly be an hour behind.

Oh wow. Okay.

So they shot in other areas, Morton Island, and I think they also shot in Hamilton Island, which is where they they set the um Oh Hibiscus Island. Yeah, Hibiscus Island, yeah. So Hamilton Island is pretty well was very well known in the 80s and 90s as a bit of a getaway for those sort of things. I think what they're portraying in the movie is pretty close to a lot of that sort of thing.

Okay, yeah.

The story is based on PJ Hogan's own family dynamics. Apparently, his his sister's experiences with his father, uh, particularly, where she actually did, from what I read, uh, steal $15,000 from the family and and came to Sydney. He asked her if he could make, you know, write a screenplay based on that. And she said, sure, just as long as you don't name me in the screenplay. So that's where the idea came from, which is interesting that it comes from like a real life situation because it's quite an odd situation.

So yeah, definitely. And you kind of think of it being sort of out there, but knowing that it's a real thing, I mean I guess I could see that happening, but wow, that's that's pretty intense.

The other bit that was quite interesting is that uh Tony Collette apparently gained 18 kilos. So what's that, 40 pounds, uh, in seven weeks to play this role. That's a lot. That's a lot of weight.

Yeah.

I think I was listening to a review somewhere about the movie. Uh, might have been a YouTube video or something, and someone was kind of disappointed that you know, that they made her add the weight on to do the part, and they could have maybe got somebody that was already that size.

Yeah, she did an amazing job. And I think, especially at that time, they were far more likely to hire somebody and be like, oh yeah, can you gain weight for this movie?

I think so.

Than they would be to. I mean, um, plus size actresses weren't really a thing unless it was comedically oversized.

But it was amazing that like this was only Tony Collette's second film. You can see it in it. Yeah, you can see her like as as a young actress in it. She's gone on to an amazing career.

Yeah, it's it was interesting to having seen this as a kid, and then having her show up uh in things like The Sixth Sense, or she was in a show that um got really good reviews in the United States of Tara, where she played someone with uh dissociative personality disorder. And then, of course, she was in things like hereditary and a bunch of other stuff. And people were like, Oh wow, you know, she's so she's so good. And they're like, I knew that way back in the day. Exactly.

And she's pretty funny. I I was watching some interviews with her, and and she just she doesn't mind swearing, doesn't matter where she is, it's quite funny.

Um yeah, she reminds me of Kate Winslit in that where you she kind of just just swears with n with no thought to it just because that's how she talks normally.

And she seems pretty down-to-earth, so it's quite good.

Very much so, yeah.

Um it's interesting that also her fiance in the movie, Tim Sims, is apparently a playful nod to two popular Australian snacks, Tim Tams and Dim Sims. You know what a dim sim is, right?

Is it like a like?

It's a bit like a dumpling. Okay, yeah. But it's it's kind of yeah, it's a bit like that. Um yeah, so that's where they came up with that name, which is kind of funny.

I thought it she just thought of it because it rhymed. I was just kind of like, oh.

But it's funny how it was thought of. I think uh you could see that character coming up with that name that way.

Yeah, definitely, definitely. Yeah.

Um, and also Bill Hunter was working on this film and uh Priscilla Queen of the Desert at exactly the same time.

Which I don't know how he did. He's another per person where um like I saw him in this. I said uh he's also in is he in um Strictly Ballroom as well?

Yeah, I think so.

Yeah, I saw him in Strictly Ballroom, and so I was very familiar with him. Um and and seeing him pop up in other movies, you're just like, oh yeah, I've seen him in in so many things. And also, obviously, Adventures of Priscilla, but that I didn't see that until a little bit later.

I still haven't seen that.

Oh I did buy the Blu-ray.

I've got the Blu-ray, so it's coming.

If you're looking for somebody to do that with, and you're not tired of having me on the show, I would love to.

That'd be great. That'd be great. Now you'll be my first pick for that, I think. So thank you. So yeah, it's um it's amazing, and and he plays that role so well in this movie. Like you you don't like I didn't like him at all.

And and that's obviously the way it's meant to be, but right, and he's so he's so likable in Adventures of Priscilla. It's uh it's like a 180 from this character.

Yeah, exactly. And and I think in this, like when when I see this guy, and especially thought it when I watched the movie again last night, he I'm pretty sure he hates his whole family. Like, like literally hates his whole family. Uh it's quite awful.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And his poor wife, like, I know we'll talk quite a bit about the mom and and how wonderful that performance is, but um that's as an adult, that's what I pay attention to, I think, the most. Just because you you don't really think about that as a kid, but as an adult, you're like, oh, you can see exactly what's going on.

Absolutely. Um, we can't talk about this movie. I'm trying not to say um, can you hear me? I don't know, but I'm saying it anyway. We uh can't talk about this movie really without talking about the music, right? And I've actually kind of got quite a bit of stuff that I wrote down and and had a look at and had a think about, but this movie is so totally connected to ABBA, it's not funny, right?

Yes, definitely. Yeah.

And it was interesting to learn that uh he was looking to get permission to use ABBA's music, and initially they were like, No, you can't, and then he flew to England, uh, to Europe, and they, you know, sort of said yes, and if you can share some of the profits with them, etc. etc. And and then I think the music then became really entrenched with the movie. And and it plays a really important role in the film, I think, too. Like when you think about where Muriel kind of whenever she's kind of down and out, she's playing ABBA, and there's a line in the movie uh where she sort of says to Rachel, you know, my life's good, you know, um, as an ABBA song because I haven't listened to any ABBA songs lately, sort of thing. So that's kind of good, yeah. And I and I think it also paved the way for general interest. And they everything I've read said that this led to, you know, uh Mamma Mia, etc., for that as well.

I I could totally see that. And even in when you look at the especially the um picture that uh is on the playbill for Mamma Mia as a play, it's very similar to the the poster for uh for Muriel's wedding, where she's kind of got like confetti all around her and is holding her arms out. So that makes sense. I never would have thought of that, but as soon as I read this in the notes, I was like, oh, that makes so much sense.

Absolutely. Yeah. And and of course, uh you you might you're probably aware of this, but I sent you a link last night to the music. But there's a in 2016 they they premiered uh a musical about Muriel's wedding, which I was kind of aware of at the time, but at the time I wasn't really thinking about it. But uh it was like had extra songs written for it. There's a whole soundtrack out there on Spotify for it, and uh some of the reviews I read were really good, some were kind of like not great because they wrapped it up too happily, and they sort of you know passed on a few of the stories and and etc. But I guess that's how you go going from you know screen to stage rather than the other way.

Yeah, I I think you know it's probably stuck in in with a bunch of other musicals made of of movies, because that's kind of a thing right now where people are like, why does this need to be made? But I from the trailer, because I did watch the trailer, um, it looks very fun. Uh like I would I honestly I would rather see this than Mamma Mia, I think. Um but uh I think it probably gets lumped into stuff like Mean Girls, the musical and and and things like that, where it just feels those kind of feeling things feel like a cra uh almost like a cash grab.

So they're forced.

Um yeah, but this this kind of feels a little bit more organic just because it doesn't have the music built into the story already.

Yeah, yeah. So I didn't see it. I I assume if it comes on again, maybe we'll see it. I don't know. May I was talking to May about this movie last night, and she actually doesn't like it very much. Oh, does she not? Okay. And for the main reason is she feels like she feels like she got duped when she saw this the poster and all the other media, she thought it was gonna be just one of those, you know, light and airy kind of you know musical movies, but it wasn't. So and she took it pretty personally, I think. But also, there's a a big connection I just want to really go through here, and I don't know if we'll actually get it to it with any other podcasts we do, uh, because there's not many that have other ABBA songs in them, but there's a big connection uh with Australia and ABBA, and Mamma Mia became a really big hit here before pretty much anywhere else in the world outside of Sweden. And the success it had here kind of like you know, launched the song in other markets and and took it to number one in places like the UK, etc. Um, they released uh Best of ABBA back in 75, near the end of the end, it was November it came out, became one of the biggest selling vinyl records in Australian history. It was 16 weeks at number one, sold over a million copies, which you know, when considering our population back in 75 was only 13 million, that's a lot of records. So it was quite big. I think it's been surpassed, I would say, probably John Farnum's album. I'm kind of thinking of the name of it now, but it's the one with You're the Voice, but that probably surpassed it later on. Um, but there's also a lot of connections, you know. We've got Muriel's Wedding, and then there's an Australian um tribute band called Beyond Again that have been touring like worldwide since 1988.

Wow.

And I was having a look at their website last night, and they're still touring, and they've toured all over the world, which is amazing for an ABBA show. So ABBA's still big.

Yeah, that's that is amazing. I think uh ABBA also plays into the plot line of a little bit of Adventures of Priscilla. So having seen this as a kid and then Adventures of Priscilla as a teenager, I I think I got to a point where I was like, does everybody in an in Australia just really love ABBA?

They did at one stage. And usually if you're at a wedding or something, there'll always be one or two ABBA songs. There'll always be Dancing Queen or or Waterloo or something like that. And uh a cover band I used to be in, we we played Waterloo uh a few times at gigs, and people just go nuts. It's it's crazy. It's like it's like the other thing that really works in Australia is Nutbush City Limits of all things. And they do this there's this kind of weird dance people do to it. And it's and you can't go to a wedding in Australia without someone playing Nutbush City Limits, and everyone gets on their dance floor and does these kind of it's almost like line dancing steps.

Yeah, yeah. We have a couple songs like that here, like um Cha Cha Slide or you know, that kind of thing.

Yeah.

Um Chicken Dance is a really popular one at weddings for some reason.

Well, that used to be here, but not so much. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

The chicken dance, wow. Anyway, let's get on to our thoughts. So, what was your initial thoughts of the film?

So I was introduced to this movie through my mom. Uh, she was always kind of willing to try and do movies if they seemed interesting. And I think she had seen Strictly Ballroom um before she saw this one, really liked it. And and I watched it with her because that one is a little less um not family friendly, let's say. Um and she really liked it. She ended up watching or renting Muriel's wedding and and really loved that one. And and then um, when I was a little bit older and it came on a free preview weekend, uh, we watched it together. Um, she also showed me Priscilla Queen of the Desert. So I, you know, like I had said before, I spent a lot of my teens and early 20s thinking, wow, everybody in Australia really likes Ava. Um, but I think definitely as a kid, I found Muriel and uh and Rondra really relatable in this movie. I think as you get older, you you see how relatable Betty is as well. Uh Betty is Muriel's mom. And I was always really focused on Tony Clett's performance, which is, of course, awesome, but this time watching it through, and the and when I just watched it for fun not too long ago, I was really struck by Rachel Griffiths and Jeannie Drynen and how wonderful they were. And there's so many subtle little things, um, especially that Jeannie Drynen does, that really tells you the story of that character. Um, and I think watching it through the last couple times I've watched it, Rhonda is if you want a hero in this movie, Rhonda is really the true hero of the film. She is kind of always herself, always trying to bring Muriel back to reality. And and it's as much her story of making it out and and making a life for herself as it is Muriel's in the end.

Yeah, it's like she's a moral center almost. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. No, it's great. And and I thought, you know, that as well, especially the second time I watched it, it became it. It's an interesting film because, and I and I guess I'll go into what I was gonna say, is like I said at the top, um, I thought this was gonna be a light-hearted musical romp, and but I thought everyone liked it, so hey, let's do an episode about it, it'll be fun, and and it is fun, it's a fun movie, but I couldn't have been more wrong about what I was actually gonna see. And and this is where I find it really interesting. And if yes, you could say this is a uh inverticomas chick flick, but um, I think if you're a guy, you really should give this one a go. Especially if you like good movies and you like good films and you like seeing um good character, like a good character arc, especially of a few characters, quite a few characters. It's very well acted. Um the movie goes to places I would never have expected, like I said, based on what you see and it's almost like I don't know if they were when they were putting the marketing together for this film, whether or not they were thinking we can get more people in if we do the bright and bubbly, and once we've got them sitting down in the movies and they'll watch it, right? But I'm not sure whether they should have maybe put a little bit more, you know, on the rest of the story, but I guess it's almost like a surprise. But for me, it was like going into Dust Till Dawn.

Oh yeah, where it's you think it's one movie and then it hits a hard left and it becomes something else.

And yeah, and it's really interesting because and I think I've got this for my wrap-up, but I'll say it now that they've they created a character in Muriel that you normally wouldn't like. Like she is like she's a pathological liar for starters.

Yeah.

Um, and she lives in some sort of dream world most of the movie, and it's almost like she came across in part of the movie as as like I don't want to say there's something wrong with her, but but she just came across quite strange and very, very unique and eccentric sort of person.

Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, I think it comes from being in the family she's in, like she's very sheltered um in some ways and and kind of enabled as far as not having to really get out there and and and be in the real world until she kind of just goes uh out of fear of what her dad's gonna say about stealing the money. But um I yeah, I think you know, her situation kind of creates this very unique person that hasn't experienced a lot and is both delighted and scared by everything going on. That's kind of the the scene right before uh Rhonda becomes paralyzed or or loses the use of her legs. She seems both afraid and delighted by what's happening.

Exactly. Yeah. I think one of the things I did want to touch on was the the theme of like uh parental influence and control, especially from the father. Um he's got I would say that he is almost single-handedly responsible for everyone in that family having low, really low self-esteem.

Oh, definitely.

Except for some reason that younger girl.

The really Yeah, she seems she seems to have made it out, you know.

But everyone else in the family, like, they're just they have a they have a terrible view of themselves and they they are lazy and they don't do anything. But he doesn't help by just saying to them that you're lazy.

Yeah, and it seems like he they haven't got a lot of support in the sense that you know they're they've got a lot of encouragement. Clearly, like their mom loves them a lot and and takes care of them, but to the point where they're not willing to do anything for themselves almost, you know.

There's always that recurring theme of of getting the backyard clean done and and it never gets done. And um and yes, it's terrible. And that that sort of feeds into the other themes of like I think mental health and neglect of these of these of these kids in this family. It doesn't sound like we're talking about a film that is bright and chirpy and has Aberçones.

Right, right.

Yeah, I think it's it's one of the biggest themes in the film for me.

Yeah, I think when you see the mom, especially when she is told down the line, oh, you have to make tea for dad, and she puts the the just the tea bag in the in the water and then puts it in the microwave and is sort of vacantly staring at it. That was one of the the the small non-verbal things I was talking about that Jeannie Dryan does, where you're like, Oh, I know exactly who this woman is, and I know kind of what she's going through mentally, and she is just so checked out because she doesn't no one does anything for her, and she can't do anything for herself. She's constantly taking care of other people, so she's just sort of zoned out, you know. And she's she's married to a god a malignant narcissist, and who's always go on who is cheating on her pretty openly. Like they they have that succession of thing play succession of times when they show up places, and then his mistress will be like, Oh, hi. And it's always, oh, what a coincidence.

Yeah, that's like a line that gets used all through the movie.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, it is. And I guess, all right, let's talk about let's talk about her mom. It's it's really sad story. I'm gonna get that out of the way, then we can talk about some of the more fun stuff. Her her mother is uh unbelievably downtrodden and obviously has uh lots of mental issues. The point I wanted to make with her is and one of the great pieces of this film is the first time you're introduced to her in the film and she's standing at the kitchen bench and just staring off into space is almost mirrored with the last time we see her in the film when she's doing exactly the same thing. It's so sad. And I think uh for me, I was I was shocked when when she um passed away when she died, and uh obviously from the sounds of it, took her own life. Um and I and I think it was a whole lot of things. It was the way uh she was treated, and then when she oh I was so sad, she got a bus to Sydney to see Muriel's wedding at when she's so just to give you a bit of background she goes through a a singles magazine, which is obviously at the time, and gets caught up with a swimming coach who has a swimmer from South Africa who wants to become Australian so he can swim in the Olympics, and he offers $10,000 for her to marry him, and so it's a whole sham of a marriage. Um but her mother, did you hear that? I didn't just me. Sorry, I thought I had my notifications turned off. Anyway, so it's a sham of a marriage, and uh she uh travels all the way to Sydney on a bus because she can't afford airfair to see her daughter get married. She gets a taxi there, she gets and stands at the back of the church, and when Muriel's leaving the wedding, she walks straight past her and doesn't even acknowledge her. And I'm not even sure she's there, but Muriel's so in the moment I don't think she would know anyone's there really.

Well, I think there's an indicator later on, after maybe at the funeral, where the Muriel finds out, oh, she was there. She didn't realize she was there.

Yeah, because she happens to be just looking the other way when she goes past her.

Right.

And it's just so sad. And it's I don't the word I want to use is she's such a pathetic figure, but that's kind of insulting. But that's the way it feels to me, right? She's so downtrodden and it's just absolutely awful. And then the way that um Deirdre speaks about her after she dies. Oh my god.

Yeah.

When she's saying she she basically did it for her father.

Well, yeah, like at least her life means something because now he can he can kind of get off with some sympathy, I guess. And he he does not care that she's gone, other than the fact that he got a a letter from the prime minister, the former prime minister, and he had to call their office to get it. It's not like the guy sent it to him out of the goodness of his heart, you know.

Yeah. And that scene in the church where he gets one of his sons to turn around and check out the press at the back of the church.

Yeah.

Just amazing. Yeah. Just amazing. Yeah.

And and you do see the mom being so supportive of the kids, and and it's like she's invisible to everybody because she will talk about when when they think him Muriel has been really successful selling the cosmetics, she's like really talking her up to his business associates. And nobody's paying attention to her. And you know, it's it is really sad all the way through. And you can see, like, she used to be a very with it loving person, and and this has sort of beaten her down. And I think that's also um seeing how passive and how sweet she is through the whole movie when she gets mad at her son after Bill says he's gonna divorce her. Um you see how much she's been holding back, um, and and and how like how stepped on she really is, because it's the first emotion we really see out of her.

Yeah, and it's shocking too, right? When you see it. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

It's it's a very sad character and it's perfectly acted. Like she just does such an amazing job in that role.

Yeah. One of the other really poignant things things is when she is shopping and her feet are hurting and she's like, I'm just gonna put these shoes on. And I fully believe she intended to pay for them. She was just kind of um kind of kind of daydreaming in line and didn't really think about the fact that she had put those on during her shopping trip. And and that's kind of the last straw, or or is uh an excuse for it to be the last straw for Bill. And I think she feels really badly about that, but I also think she didn't intend to steal them.

No, I don't think so either. So it's uh it's it's pretty sad, but um yeah, yeah, and to me that's there's two parts of this movie that were really shocking. One was the treatment of the mother and what happens in the end, and the second is um is uh is it Rachel? Oh my god.

Uh Ron.

Rhonda. Rachel's the actor, I think. Uh Rhonda is is is her injury comes out of nowhere. So as well. So those sort of things really uh change the whole uh mood of the movie in in that part. The the other thing I want to talk about that might be more fun is Muriel's friends. So there's Taniel, Cheryl, and Janine, I think.

So there's and then you also have Nicole, who is like Tanya's friend, but not really not really uh Muriel's friend.

And they're like, to me, they look like uh middle class bogans to me. Oh because the way they talk and and the what what everything they do, and and Sophie Lee is really good in this. She's Tang plays Tanya. She also plays the daughter in the castle, and uh she's really good in that. Have you seen The Castle?

Oh, okay. I have a lot of things.

Oh, the castle is amazing, it's really good. It'll make you feel really good if you can see that. It's great. Um it's a great movie, and she's in that as well. I think it's funny how well it's not funny, but the way they treat Muriel at the start and and try to push her out of group, but I love that scene in the restaurant when when they're going to like when they're talking about um about her husband, Tanya's husband, who she's just married, we see in the first scenes of the movie, uh, what's his name? Um Chook. Oh, Chook. And uh straight away we get that scene at the beginning of the movie where she's he's screwing, is it Cheryl?

Nicole.

Nicole, that's it, yeah. In the in the laundry, and Muriel sees that and uh that sort of comes back a bit later.

Um but well he's also having uh an affair with someone else. Yeah, yeah. We can find out later.

And and I always I'd mark these as explicit these episodes anyway, but like she talks about um sucking him off or something like that, and and and that uh this other girl sucked Chook off, but she didn't do anything else out of respect for her, and yeah, that sort of stuff is crazy.

But yeah, and then later she gives that girl's husband a blowjob, and so she understands like people make it hilarious.

So they're really good, they're great, and then there's the big fight at the at the uh Holiday. Oh that's great. So yeah, which is fantastic. Um let's talk about that scene because that's a great scene, like the whole the water lube dancing and the and the time where where Rhonda meets up with Muriel at the at the uh at the resort, which is which is really cool.

Yeah, it's like back-to-back amazing scenes because you get the scene where uh Rhonda sort of acts like acts very friendly to them and then gets to tell them off. Because for a split second, you think she's gonna leave Muriel to go hang out with them, and you're like, no. And then she pulls out that I'm not alone, I'm with Muriel line.

Yeah, it's great, it's great. And and it's interesting because that that whole scene, we've got a couple of great scenes, like you mentioned. There's the the scene where they where they dance to Waterloo at the uh what is some sort of talent thing, which they do it though, or they I don't know if they do them anymore, but you know, I know definitely when I was playing resorts in the 80s, they would definitely have those sort of things. So I'm assuming they're still around the early 90s. And that that piece is great. Seeing Barry Crocker there as the compare. Um Barry Crocker, he's only in it for like third three seconds, ten seconds, but I was like, oh great. There's another link to uh another podcast we did because he played Barry McKenzie in the adventures of Barry McKenzie. But uh but yeah, it's a great scene. The dancing is great, the whole choreography of it is fantastic.

Yeah, and you have inner cut between them dancing. Uh Nicole kind of gives Tanya a look, and then Tanya just leaps over the table and they start fighting.

And Nicole's already got a black eye. So he does, yeah. But it's interesting. If you look at that scene, uh I noticed it last night. I was like, there's a scene where you look, uh, they start fighting, and then you have a view from behind them looking at at Rhonda and Muriel dancing, and I'm like, hang on, that's Tanya's little flower hair still sitting there like they're watching him. So it's like it's been cut differently, but anyway, whatever.

Right.

But uh yeah, it's a great scene. And then the scene where kind of you know Rhonda and Muriel are hanging out outside with a bottle of Moe, which is very, very bogan Australian-ish, sort of, even though it's an expensive, well, it's not super expensive wine, but people kind of you know, it's it's in Australia, it's kind of like um oh you if you're drinking moe, you're doing really well, right? Um but uh I don't think it's that expensive, or it used to be, but it's not so much anymore. But anyway, it's a drink of choice of upper class bogans, basically, and like uh like me.

And um it's kind of the whole vibe of hibiscus island. It's like it's it's sort of fancy, but not really, yeah. You know, like sandals here.

But we get we get to hear Fernando and them singing Fernando together and all this. Uh it's it's really cute. And uh it's it's really the start of of their relationship, and it's uh interesting. I think you touched on it. This movie is more it's it's called Muriel's wedding, but the movie is all about Rachel and Muriel and their relationship, which is kind of nice. So it it's good. Um the other notes I had the sex in this movie is really loud.

Yeah.

It's like they're really making the point, right? That they're having sex.

So well, they're kind of balancing out um some of the sadder things with some kind of hyper-real absurd reactions. It's not just the sex, but like the way that the the Muriel's friends talk to each other is very animated and and kind of hyper-real too. Yeah. Um so I think it's it's uh kind of uh to balance the tone a little bit.

Yeah. Um, so we'll talk about what our favorite scenes might be. Do you want to go first?

I think we might have already touched on one of yours, but anyway, I'll just Yeah, we I I was wanted to touch on the Waterloo scene really briefly, which we already did. Um, but I did want to talk about the wedding scene, and I think that that's a really important scene in the movie. Um, because throughout the movie, Muriel kind of as a stress reliever or something to make her feel good, has been going to different um wedding shops in Sydney and trying on wedding dresses, and then she gets the the clerks to take pictures of her because she says a family member is sick. Kind of it starts with uh Rhonda's accident, and she says, Oh, my mom's in the hospital, kind of alluding to what Rhonda's going through, and they offer to take a picture for her, and she figures out she can get other shops to do that too. So she has a whole photo album full of wedding dress pictures of her in different wedding dresses, and she's obsessed with weddings and obsessed with getting married. And so when she does kind of get this opportunity to marry David Van Arkel, who is the swimmer, um you see this very elaborate wedding scene that she's clearly put together, and everybody else is very uneasy. I think partially because they know it's probably not for real, um, but partially also because she has just made um wedding choices that are very specific to her, which I love. It's a it's a complex scene because Muriel's a complex character, and I kind of cheer her on for doing her own thing and having the ABBA song and picking the wedding dress that she likes and and and going for the thing that she wants versus what she should have based on other people's choices. Um, but at the same time, you're just like, no, don't marry this guy. Like, don't marry somebody that doesn't love you. And then also when she talks to Rhonda, you can see how much of it is like, I just needed to show them that I'm good enough. And she always was, and and Rhonda's like the only person that knows that. So it's really heartbreaking for Rhonda to see that too.

Yeah, that's great. And the wedding thing is interesting, and the relationship she has with the swimmer guy is interesting because obviously they start off, they have the wedding, they go back to his his unit or his apartment. He says, This is the kitchen, this is the lounge room, here's the gym equipment, this is my room, and this is your room. And so it's very obvious. Uh, but she doesn't seem to be, she's a little bit disappointed, I think, but she doesn't seem to be too worried. And then uh later on in the film, after his her mother has passed away, he follows her up to Queensland and actually kind of um, he he seems to care for her, genuinely care for her in the film. Yeah, and they admit to each other that they don't love each other, but it seems like they've actually built some sort of relationship there where they have like a mutual respect or something.

Yeah, I think he like you said, he cares about her and and he clearly sees that she's a good-hearted person, which I do think even though she does some some bad things, just like all of us, you know, she is a a good-hearted person, even though she does things she's less than honest or she does things that that hurt other people. So I I think he does care about her, and and it's almost like he cares about her enough to to be like, we could do this, keep keep this going, you know, if you if you wanted to. Um, but she at that point she is ready to start of start being really authentic and stop living in a fantasy world, and she's the one that calls it off. And and he does let her keep the money. He's kind of a dick to her the whole time until that point. And so you get to see some growth from him as well, which is really nice. Really, the only people that don't have an arc are kind of the dad. The dad doesn't have much of an arc, and then the friends. The friends are there to be they're almost comic relief, right? So they don't yeah, exactly.

Which is good because I think this movie needs it.

It does, it does, and you also even have an arc with the siblings who are also kind of there for comic relief. Like her sister is I think the only thing her sister says throughout the movie until the mom dies is, Oh, you're terrible, Muriel, which is so it is really funny. But then you really see a beautiful performance from that actress as well. Like you weren't expecting to get much out of her based on the the rest of the movie, but she gives a really heartfelt performance talking about how she found her mom and how she doesn't know what she's gonna do. And you know, that I I think everyone was cast so well in this film. And the story even even the little boyfriend that Mariel uh Muriel has uh at the wedding, he shows up at the wedding and he looks genuinely sad.

Bryce. I'm like, whatever happened to Bryce?

Yes.

He was at the wedding. I'm wondering, you know, I'm like, hmm, I wonder if in another, you know, whether something happened when she came back to Sydney or who knows. But yeah, it's interesting. It might have been seeing what she did might have been enough for him to go, noop staying away, sir. Yeah. And and I think the other thing that's you're talking about with with her sister, that whole scene is is fantastic the way she, you know, talks about it. And then the the story that she tells where she found the pills next to her in the bed, but the doctor took the pills away and just and just said it was a heart attack. It's terrible. Just uh you know, your father's had enough uh drama or something like that. I'm like, God, he deserves it, right? He should know. But yeah, she's really good. Um for me the scenes I like, there's two right next to each other. So there's the scene in the flat after they go out to the nightclub. So she's with Bryce and uh and uh Rhonda's just on her own, and she picks up two guys, two American sailors at at the uh at the nightclub. And there used to be this thing. I don't know if it still happens, it used to be this thing like if the American Navy came to town, then a lot of girls would go off to a lot of the nightclubs in Sydney hoping to meet one. This is true, this happened.

Uh oh yeah, it happens in America in port cities too. It's called Fleet Week. Yeah, so or it did it, you know, there's jokes about that in our media as well.

So, you know, she goes and takes two of them home, and that whole scene where where Muriel comes home and hears them, once again, this is going back to the loud sex, but it's it's not even to me, it doesn't even sound sexual, it's just funny the way they're doing it. It's quite funny. Um, and and it becomes almost slapstick, right? When Muriel and Bryce are sort of awkwardly trying to get it on in the living room and he can't get a leather stuff off, and she's laughing, and then instead of unzipping her trousers, he's unzipping the bean bag, and the beans go everywhere. Yeah, and they go and the bird nest goes out, the birdcage goes out the window, and yeah, and then the guys run in fully naked, and she looks up right at their crotches and just starts laughing. It's quite it's hilarious, and then that we get this whole piece where where Rhonda sort of falls down against the wall and sits on the ground, and then when everything's died down, she says, I can't feel my legs. And it's like straight away the whole movie takes a turn, and then we have the next scene where she's in the hospital and they learn what's actually happened to Rhonda about her having this this growth or this cancer on a sp on a spine, I think, and they have to do surgery, and we have a little montage of the surgery, and then we have the the rehab, and then they find that it's gone back again. Um the whole movie turns on those two scenes, I think, to me. I mean, before that, yes, you know that Muriel's different and she's you know doing all this other stuff, but um, I think once you get to that point, that's the um that's the you know the what's the movie I mentioned before? Dusk before well, this is a dusk from dust till dawn that's the from dust till dawn, that's the Selma Hayek dancing scene to me. That's where the whole movie turns and becomes really serious for quite a long time. Yeah, yeah, and and I found it quite quite good. And this is where I'm saying, I don't think this is just a and I hate to use the term, it's not just a chick flick. I think it's a bit more than that. It's actually a film that's that's worth looking at. I was surprised that I liked it.

Yeah, I mean, I think I think that a lot of a lot of guys, especially from the name and the and even the poster, the poster is very centered on the wedding dress and the cell like the wedding celebration. And I think the trailer is probably very, very much focused on uh the coming of age story from Muriel. It would probably be a deterrent for most guys. Um, and I think most people I know that have seen it are have been women. I think it's a really uh like important movie for young women though, and it it surprisingly holds up despite being from the 90s. Um, there's not too much in there that's that's cringy or um or inappropriate for for now.

And and Ab is timeless, right?

Yeah, it's timeless, yeah, exactly. Um but I think that it like we said it before, it's full of great performances, it has a lot of fun music, it has heart and depth, and you don't get too many movies about female friendship. And um I this is a really great representation of that because like you said, it's really about the most of the movie is about Muriel and and Rhonda and the love stories between them. There's not really a love story with uh a like a romantic partner in this movie at all.

It's it's interesting that she's kind of Muriel has this thing in her head about I think she's more in love about being in love than she is about actually being in love. If that makes I don't know if that even makes sense, but she kind of likes all the trappings of it, but doesn't I don't know if she really understands what it is, and then she eventually I think finds finds that love in her friend, which is really interesting.

And she learns to love herself too. I think there's a really cool video where Tony Klott's talking about the different outfits she's worn. They they've done that with a lot of different actors and actresses, and they have a section about on Muriel's wedding, and she really talks about how the clothing in the movie sort of shows the character arc of Muriel. She starts out wearing really unflattering things that don't fit her and don't suit her. And as she discovers more about herself and becomes more self-aware, her her wardrobe changes into stuff that she clearly likes and has chosen for herself because she likes it and she likes the way she looks in it. Um, and I think that's that's a really important visual that you don't probably think about when you're watching the movie, but when she explains it that way, it makes sense. It does. And I think it probably informs how you see the character, too.

I think so. Yeah, she gets her her hair changes, everything changes. Yeah. I did pick up on that a little bit last night, actually. I was thinking those sort of thoughts. I was like, oh, she's changed her hair, she looks neater, tidier.

She's wearing her makeup is a little more style.

She's wearing the leather pants and the you know, and the other stuff. So she's kind of like, yeah, she's feeling better about herself. And then she's kind of dragged back into that life when her mother passes away. And and that's where I think she makes the decision that she's gonna change completely. So I think the only thing it's and I know it's a movie, right? I think Rhonda was really easily sold in the last scene.

Like she was to be fair though, she her if the option was to go back to Sydney with her her friend, who is a very caring person, and stay with her mom in this tiny little town with these other horrible girls. So maybe she didn't have to sell her too hard.

Maybe an easy decision. Yeah, yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Um yeah, so uh that's that's kind of it. I I think for me, I mean, if you've got any final thoughts you want to go through.

Um, I think this is the perfect movie to get into now, especially for younger people that might be listening to your show, because the 90s are kind of coming back for Gen Z and Gen Alpha. And this is a time capsule from the 90s, especially like her friends and Chook are all so 90s it hurts, pretty much. I'm sure you knew guys like Chook. Yeah, yeah.

I know you guys like Chook in the 70s and the 80s, yeah.

Um but it it has a a story that's really timeless and and represents female friendships in a really honest and and well-rounded way that I think we don't see in movies a lot, even now. And it it's just fun. If you like 90s fashion, if you like the 90s aesthetic, this is a great movie to check out that still holds up.

I think so. I mean, for me, it's like if you haven't seen it and you're a guy listening, and I'm sure most of the people listening to this podcast are probably blokes, but I I would say give it a go. You may not like it, it's not for everyone, but give it a go on the basis that it's a good film.

Definitely, it has amazing performance.

Absolutely, you know, they've the director, writer PJ Hogan, like he managed to create this character who's like insecure, she's you know, loose with the truth and comes from a dysfunctional family, but somehow you can't help but like her, even even with all that. Um so if you let if you let the film take you on her journey and her figuring out what she wants to do with her life and and how she wants to, and you know, the changes she has to make, then I think it's a pretty, pretty rewarding sort of m film to watch. Don't don't be fooled by the don't be fooled by the the poster. That's basically what I'd say. Um, you know, it it's pretty much you know, I don't know. I was gonna say it won't be everyone's cup of tea in a microwave, but but I did I did really enjoy it. And it's kind of like for it for me, I I put it up on letterboxes of four out of five. I really, I really liked it.

So that's that's pretty high appraise, yeah. I think it's really well paced too. Where I I haven't seen the Mamma Mia play, but I remember watching the movie and feeling like it drags a lot. Um and and this, not that they're the same thing at all, but this is very well paced. So if you're thinking it of it in the context of, oh, it's a chick flick, it it definitely isn't, but it's also it doesn't drag anywhere.

No, it's it's really tight. Really tight.

Yeah, it's really good.

I loved it. So I'm I was shocked. I was shocked. So and uh it's one of those movies that as a bloke, you sort of like, oh, should I let people know they really like this movie? I'm like, oh fuck it. I liked it. It was it's a good, it's a good movie, it's a good movie, and it's not what people think it is based on. No, it's not, it's not. It's very from Dustal Door. Yeah, yeah. Not maybe not as violent, but but it's uh No. But it is good. It is really, really good and definitely worth the time. So it's great. All right, Tabs. So what are you up to at the moment? What's happening on your in your podcasting life and whatnot?

Uh well, I'm mostly behind the scenes right now. I uh I you can if you would like me to edit your your work, if you have a podcast of your own, I am on Fiverr and Upwork, and I can you can hire me to to do your uh your editing and do transcription for you, and even make little um social media videos for you. I do that for a couple of other shows too. Um I charge really reasonable rates, and if you say that you heard me on Pete's show, I will give you a discount.

How do they find you on Fiverr? Anyone they need to search for?

Uh I think it's just Fiverr in my name. Okay. So, Tabitha, I I can I can send you a channel. Yeah, that'd be great.

Because I can put it in the notes, yeah. Yeah. Be awesome.

Yeah, yeah.

What else? Anything else?

Uh that's pretty much it right now. I'm working on trying to get more Stiletto Banshee's episodes out. That'll that might be a little bit just because I'm I'm also working at Barnes and Novile. It's a great job. Yeah, I get to talk to people about books all day, which I love. Awesome.

Good stuff. All right. Well, thanks so much. Uh it's always great having you on and you make it so easy to do these episodes. It's it's really good. I don't have to I don't have to feel like I'm waiting for someone to talk or anything like that. It's quite it's quite good.

And uh it's great just catching up with you.

So thanks very much for your time.

Absolutely. Great. Yeah, of course. I love I love coming up. Excellent.

Thank you so much. And uh when we return, we'll see what's coming up next.

And now, preview time. When it comes to entertainment, you can't beat a good film. So let's take a look at what's coming your way. This is the counting house. An impregnable fortress, electronically scrutinized, patrolled by an army of guards. They say the counting house cannot be taken. They're wrong. They're 20 million dollars wrong. Once in a while, a thriller dares to be mourned. Money Movers takes a story from today's headlines and brings you the secrets of security, the forbidden of crime and corruption. I've been planning this job for five years. I'm halfway getting in the force. Any 18-year-old Thomas has been listening to you talking asleep. Wasting 20 million bucks. Give it a you. What up the false mister Luton? Piss off the dungeon with the money of the gun, bro. Money movers.

Catch them if you can Thanks for listening to this episode of a Dingo 8 My Movie. If you enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to rate movie the show on Apple Podcasts. It really helps more people find us. You can also find more episodes and info over at dingomoviepod.com. We're also on socials, Blue Sky, Facebook, and Instagram under Dingo MoviePod. Are you interested to hear the music from the films we talk about? Check out our playlists on Spotify and Apple Music. Just search a Dingo at MyMovie. And if you'd like to support the show, you can buy me a coffee over at buymeacoffee.com, Dingo Moviepod. Thanks again, and I'll see you next episode.

As we're coming from that strike, he's better than he was.

You're terrible, Muriel.

Your head and back. We all have a different shape to the head and neck. By sleeping on a pillow that's probably in your shape, you really stress our muscles. You're terrible, Muriel. Hello. It's me, Muriel. You're terrible, Muriel.