Hi folks, here’s a few reviews of films screening at this year’s Melbourne International Film Festival. Hopper/Welles (Documentary; dir: Orson Welles; 120 mins; unclassified 18+) Dennis Hopper and Orson Welles are two of Hollywood’s most iconic, controversial and enigmatic figures. Hopper, the notoriously wild, rule shattering rebel who was once deported from Australia and Welles the artistic polymath with the
Read moreThe documentary The Sparks Brothers attempts to address the enigma that is the band Sparks. Was their music art rock, pop, new wave or electronica? Why did lead songwriter and keyboardist Ron Mael have a toothbrush moustache reminiscent of a certain 20th century dictator? For a band that has been around for 50 years, created at least 300 songs, had
Read moreThis Friday on ‘Built For Speed’ we take a look at some music-related films. We’ll review musical ‘In the Heights’ which comes from ‘Hamilton’ co-creator Lin Manuel-Miranda. We’ll also tell you about the new documentary ‘The Sparks Brothers’ which looks at enigmatic synth-pop, art rock etc….band Sparks. Just for something different we’ll also have a look at the Chilean documentary
Read moreThe rousing and often funny documentary King Otto recounts Greece’s against-all-odds win in the 2004 European Football (ie soccer) Championships and the battle for acceptance by the team’s German coach, Otto Rehhagel. The film’s title refers to 19th century monarch, King Otto of Greece who was himself a Bavarian import. Rehhagel was a famously rugged and aggressive player and a
Read moreDocumentary Girls Can’t Surf recounts the history of women’s surfing, the competitor’s battle for recognition, respect and equal pay and the personal stories of the sport’s pioneers and modern stars. The film introduces us to women who may well be legends to surfing fans but apart from Layne Beachley, were almost unknown to this reviewer. Some of them, like Americans
Read moreFrank Zappa, musician, composer, band leader, producer, visual artist, the list goes on, was a perplexing and brilliant figure and perhaps appropriately but still frustratingly, the lengthy and detailed documentary, simply titled Zappa, doesn’t allow us to gain a complete handle on that brilliance. The film comes from director Alex Winter, yes Bill from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure who,
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