by Alison L. Roberts

Since the dawn of motion pictures, few have taken Shakespeare's words more to heart than Australian writer and director Baz Luhrmann. On the heels of special edition-style releases of his other works (William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and last year's hit Moulin Rouge), it is only fitting that the first installment of his self-described "red curtain trilogy" — Strictly Ballroom — celebrates its tenth anniversary with a DVD release that will be of extreme interest to both longtime and newly-baptized fans of his unique filmmaking style.

Fran (left, Tara Morice) and Scott (right, Paul Mercurio) pause during one of Strictly Ballroom's dance sequences.

An obvious attraction of DVDs, in general, is their ability to provide the supplemental materials that fans crave. Strictly Ballroom is no exception to this trend.

Extras include a hidden-scene "Easter egg," galleries of production materials and a presentation of "From Samba to Slow Fox," the documentary that served as inspiration for both the original stage production of Strictly Ballroom and its eventual film adaptation. The final touch is a newly-recorded, feature-length audio commentary by Luhrmann and his frequent collaborators, production designer Catherine Martin and choreographer John "Cha Cha" O'Connell. Director-driven features are becoming less and less of a novelty with each DVD release, but Luhrmann and company are so enthusiastic about this work — and its ties to their later projects — that the commentary feels less like a film school lecture and more like a conversation among friends at a local watering hole, by turns informative and boisterous.

Bells and whistles aside, in the end, what leaves a lasting impression is the film itself. . . an unabashed fairy tale of a comic-romance that is grounded enough in reality to let audiences believe, if only for 95-odd minutes.

Instead of long ago and far away, Luhrmann stages Strictly Ballroom in a microcosm that may as well be an alien landscape for most viewers: the Australian world of ballroom dancing. With hard work, elaborate costumes and the right moves, anyone can rise from his or her normal workaday role and be a star for at least as long as that night's spotlight dance.

The son of a former ballroom champion, Scott Hastings (Paul Mercurio) was raised to succeed in this world. After years of hard work, the grand prize for which he has been striving is within his grasp. . . IF he dances the meticulously prescribed steps that have been choreographed for him by his mother (Pat Thompson), by the dysfunctional, extended family of her studio and by ballroom dancing's governing board.

A spectacularly creative and rule-breaking performance prompts his partner (Gia Carides) to ditch him just weeks before the big competition, and he finds himself wondering — to the dismay of those around him — if he even wants to win the title. At this low point, Scott is approached by the studio's "ugly duckling," a beginning dance student named Fran (Tara Morice). Unlike all the others, she does not just want to dance with him, she wants to dance with him, his way, despite the obstacles she knows they will face.

Luhrmann and his team, from the actors to the production crew, succeed where others have stumbled in the process of adapting stage works for the big screen. They celebrate theater's trappings — lighting, sound, exaggeration and pageantry — while preserving the intimacy, intensity and humor that accompanies the best live performances. This heightened contrast between "show" and "real life" makes the characters' attempts to bridge the opposing realities as poignant as they are frequently comic.

Will Scott and Fran achieve their shared dream of a "life without fear" and a love of dance, embracing the possibilities that it can bring? As the red curtain closes on their final tableaux, Luhrmann answers the question bravely and decisively, with humanity. . . reminding us that we are all merely players.