Kylie and Michael Hutchence

This news segment is proof that Kylie mastered the art of reinventing herself early in her career, capturing the moment when she went from TV soap's girl-next-door and pop princess to film star. 

This piece is also a good example of the media’s interest in Kylie’s private life, with the story shaped around vision of her with her ‘new man’ – INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence, whom she dated from 1989 to 1991.  

Two clips from her first feature film The Delinquents (1989) get a fraction of the screen time when compared to the focus on her relationship with Hutchence and her new short haircut. 

The reporter bills the film as a ‘steamy love story’ which is backed by clips that are heavy on kissing and light on dialogue. Their inclusion in the news story is about higlighting Kylie’s sex appeal rather than her acting.  

The Delinquents is set in a small town in Australia in the late 1950s. It’s a coming-of-age love story between two underage teenagers whose parents disapprove of their relationship. Although these clips are very short, they still provide a clear idea of the basic storyline.  

This story was on NBN 3 News, broadcast on 21 December 1989. 

Notes by Beth Taylor