Key Change: Baz Luhrmann on "Time After Time."

Key Change: Baz Luhrmann on "Time After Time."

From Song Exploder by Hrishikesh Hirway

March 18, 2026 · 22 min · Episode 12

About this episode

Baz Luhrmann discusses his career and the significance of music in his films, particularly focusing on 'Time After Time'.

My guest today is Baz Luhrmann, the award-winning director whose films include Moulin Rouge!, Strictly Ballroom , The Great Gatsby, Elvis, and Romeo + Juliet. His newest film is EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert , a critically acclaimed documentary about Elvis that’s playing right now in theaters and in IMAX. Before becoming a massively successful film director, Baz began his showbiz career as an actor, and as a ballroom dancer, in Australia. His first film was Strictly Ballroom , which came out in 1992, and became one of the highest-grossing Australian films of all time. It was originally a play, and there’s a song in the film that was part of the story all the way back when it was first performed on stage. And that’s what Baz and I talked about for this episode. For more info, visit songexploder.net/baz-luhrmann.

People in this episode

Host: Hrishikesh Hirway

Guest: Baz Luhrmann

Topics covered

  • film direction
  • music in film
  • Elvis Presley
  • Australian cinema
  • Baz Luhrmann
  • storytelling

Keywords

  • Baz Luhrmann
  • Time After Time
  • Elvis Presley
  • Moulin Rouge!
  • Strictly Ballroom
  • film music
  • Australian films

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Time After Time, Moulin Rouge!, Strictly Ballroom, The Great Gatsby, Elvis, Romeo + Juliet, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert

Places: Australia

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