Representing class dynamics in Baz Luhrmann's Australia

Abstract

This article explores the class dynamics in Baz Luhrmann’s Australia and discusses how both the narrative and the characters in the film are surrounded by constant change, movement and transitivity. It analyzes the multi-layered narrative of the film in order to determine the class dynamics between the characters and to discover their shifting positions. Throughout the analyses, the article refers to how social inequalities, colonial exploitation and cultural imperialism are represented in the narrative of Australia and questions how Baz Luhrmann’s cinematic approach and the features of Hollywood historical epic as a genre are related to the representation of those issues in the film.