There is no way I could review this without coming out looking like a smart arse and I know Lorin isn’t too keen on some people saying “our Lorin” as I said in the review of the book she wrote, I never actually knew who her dad was and even if I did that last name is a common name and it would have been rude to ask! Like asking if her mum was related to the former NZ Prime Minister it is just a coincidence!
Pretty much all I wanted to say on the matter I mentioned in the review of the book. While there are actual interviewees reading from the book in this movie there are also expanded bits with more of John Clarke’s life story and recollections from people who knew and worked with him and also who were influenced by him.
Lorin is indeed very Lorin like even doing one of the interviews in Carlton Gardens whilst practicing her frisbee as it is about 5 minutes’ walk from her house. A lot of the interviews seem to have been conducted around the same time as Lorin has the same big blue jumper on.
Was funny leading up to this when I mentioned someone had already seen the movie, causing much consternation until it was revealed to be someone who works for MIFF at a private screening! I did not mean to do that honest! I did try and book the very first screening only to find out it had sold out on presales and due to not wanting to give MIFF an extra $80 a year for no reason I missed it. I think I may have been the one to tell Lorin it had sold out when I was complaining about it as the box office did not get back to me until the next day.
While not absolutely everything John Clarke was in is featured in the documentary it does cover the breadth of his career including some stuff that some people who only know his Australian work would know about.
I did like the Q&A after the screening with Lorin Clarke and will no doubt try and make one of the screenings at Cinema Nova after the festival – the movie opens 4th September nationally. Where I am sure Lorin could be persuaded to walk 5 minutes down the road for a Q&A. Maybe a choc top and a glass of wine?
Well worth seeing if you are a fan of Australian comedy over the past few decades or indeed comedy in general as there is some mention of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore and their influence on a young John Clarke including Peter Cook’s original encouragement to him.
Film details:
Director: Lorin Clarke
Producer: Richard Keddie
Editor: Aleck Morton
Featured Subjects: Lorin Clarke, Andrew Denton, Andrew Knight, Anne Edmonds, Ben Elton, Phillip Adams, John Barnett, Scott Blanks, Lucia Clarke, Owen Cullery, Bryan Dawe, Ernie Dingo, Cathy Downes, Greg Field, Robert Glenn, Robert Goldblatt, Roger Hall, Wendy Harmer, Paul Horan, Wayne Hyett, Richard Keddie, Oscar Kightley, Don Lukton, Tim McBride, Ginette McDonald, Helen McDonald, Michael McDonald, Shaun Micallef, Simon Morris, B J Ritem, John Ruane, Thomas Sainsbury, Ross Stevenson, Ian Stuart, Kate Torney, Erin Vincent, Bruce Wallis, Jana Wendt, Catherine Wilkin, Robyn Williams, Helene Wong
Genre: Documentary
Country: Australia
Language: English
Length: 103min
Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LogCA5MSim4
