Australia grieves for Elizabeth Taylor

(AAP) March 24 - Australian film critic Bill Collins has spent a lifetime interviewing Hollywood's biggest and brightest stars.
But "Mr Movies" still pinches himself when he remembers meeting for the first time the biggest and brightest of them all, Elizabeth Taylor.
"I'll never forget the first time I met her," Collins told AAP on Thursday, hours after news broke that the 79-year-old actress had died.
"I was just struck by how beautiful she was.
"Her violet eyes were just stunning. She was absolutely gorgeous, and she was charming, she was a lovely lady.
"On that same day I met Rock Hudson, Angela Lansbury, Kim Novak and Tony Curtis. But I will always remember first and foremost Elizabeth Taylor."
Taylor died at Cedar-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles on Wednesday, six weeks after being admitted with congestive heart failure, a condition she had struggled with for years.
After a seven-decade career in the spotlight, Taylor was arguably the last great star of Hollywood's golden era - as well known for her eight marriages to seven husbands, expensive jewellery and celebrity than she was for her acting roles.
She only visited Australia once, for the Sydney premiere of her third husband Mike Todd's 1957 film, appropriately titled Around The World In 80 Days.
Taylor's passing has prompted a flood of tributes from friends, family and fellow stars from all over the world, including Australia.
Aussie pop princess Kylie Minogue took to Twitter to express her condolences: "RIP Dame Elizabeth Taylor.....Like a pure white diamond you'll shine on and on and on."
Russell Crowe also tweeted his response to the news: "RIP Elizabeth Taylor, Goddess."
Former prime minister Bob Hawke called Taylor one of the greatest actresses of the 20th century.
"She provided so much pleasure to millions and millions of people," he said.
"She was a remarkable woman and a remarkable actress."
Taylor won two best actress Academy Awards, for BUtterfield 8 in 1960 and the 1966 classic Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The latter was one of many films in which she played opposite husband number five and six Richard Burton.
But Collins says one of his favourite performances by Taylor was in the 1943 version of Jane Eyre, in which the child star didn't even get a credit.
"She wasn't even given billing. It was before she became a name, she was just under contract to MGM," says Collins, who still hosts films on Fox Classics.
"A big turning point for her was National Velvet (1944). It established her as someone who loved animals and it established her as an actress and a personality - and that's what she was, a personality, a star.
"(Hers was) my favourite version of Little Women, I adore it. I liked her in The Last Time I Saw Paris, I enjoyed seeing her with Robert Taylor in a thriller called Conspirator, and of course she was outstanding in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. That's one of her best performances - the star and the role were right."
But not every role was a success for Taylor, says Collins.
"Sometimes it's almost ludicrous to think of her playing Cleopatra," he admits.
"(It should have been) her ultimate achievement - by then she was a big star.
"But she was miscast. Stars do get miscast."
Taylor's stardom might have acted as a curse on her acting career, says Collins.
"It swamped what she had already achieved, and I think that's a pity," he says.
"You take someone like Katherine Hepburn - right to the end she was still on top ... a great actress and a great interpreter of dramatic situations.
"Elizabeth Taylor falls a bit short when it comes to that. I'm not saying she couldn't do it, but only if the circumstances were right, was she right.
"She made some arguable decisions, and I think she lived part of her life too much in the open...
"I'm saddened by the fact that she has gone, but maybe she is at peace now, after a rather hectic life."