The latest film from Australian director Richard Lowenstein, a documentary that explores the life of the late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence, has finally been screened after years of delays.
Mystify: Michael Hutchence premiered last week at the Tribeca Film Festival. And while not much has been written about it yet, the reviews have so far been very positive.
Graham Fuller, the critic for Screen Daily, described it as a “standout documentary.” He wrote:
“Commercial and awards prospects are promising for Mystify, which premiered in the Tribeca Film Festival’s Documentary Competition. What lifts it above the majority of documentaries about celebrities and artists is its extraordinary intimacy.”
And here’s what Katherine Turman from Variety said:
“Mystify — a portrayal of charismatic INXS singer Michael Hutchence, who committed suicide in 1997 at the age of 37 — makes powerful use of family and personal footage to tell the story of a talented man beset by personal demons.”
According to Turman, the film contains some new revelations. Including that it “illuminates the influence of a serious head injury that he (Hutchence) hid from the public.”
She says it also suggests that “Hutchence’s suicide was exacerbated by his brain injury, and possibly Prozac and other prescription drugs found in his system.”
Mystify: Michael Hutchence will arrive in Australian cinemas on July 4.
