The Last Impresario

Last updated

The Last Impresario
The Last Impresario Theatrical Poster.jpg
Official release film poster
Directed by Gracie Otto
Produced byNicole O'Donohue
Starring
Cinematography Gracie Otto
Edited byKaren Johnson
Music by Michael Yezerski
Production
companies
  • Wildflower Films
  • Ralf Films
Distributed by
Release dates
  • 13 October 2013 (2013-10-13)(London Film Festival)
  • 26 June 2014 (2014-06-26)(Australia)
Running time
85 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

The Last Impresario is a 2013 documentary film about prolific British theatre impresario and film producer Michael White. The film was directed by Gracie Otto, and made its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2013, [1] [2] where it was positively received by critics. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

The film features interviews with Michael White and many of his close friends and colleagues, including John Cleese, Naomi Watts, Kate Moss, Rachel Ward, Yoko Ono, Barry Humphries, Wallace Shawn, Andre Gregory, John Waters, Jim Sharman, Peter Richardson (British Director), Nigel Planer, Nell Campbell, Lorne Michaels, Jeremy Thomas, Jean-Jacques Lebel, Brian Thomson, Anna Wintour, and Lyndall Hobbs. [6]

Story

The film examines Michael's life and legacy, from his birth in Glasgow in 1936, to his early childhood and education at Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz in Switzerland and then at the Sorbonne in Paris, to his rising success as a young theatre impresario in London's West End, where he staged over 100 productions, including Oh! Calcutta! , The Rocky Horror Show , A Chorus Line , and Annie . Michael's success as a feature film producer, responsible for Monty Python and the Holy Grail , The Rocky Horror Picture Show , Jabberwocky , and My Dinner With Andre , among many others, is also detailed. The film documents Michael's recent heart attack, bankruptcy, and the sale of his life's collection of memorabilia in 2011 at a Sotheby's auction. The film explores the strong relationships Michael has forged with some of the most famous and influential artists, musicians, actors, filmmakers, comedians and celebrities of the twentieth century, including Kate Moss, John Cleese, Jack Nicholson, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Mick Jagger, Pina Bausch, Andy Warhol, Naomi Watts, and many more, through a combination of interviews, narration, archival footage, home video, location photography, excerpts from his plays and films, letters, and candid personal photographs. [7]

Production

Director Gracie Otto began working on the documentary in 2010. She befriended Michael White in Cannes, France, at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, and became intrigued by his life story. [8] Gracie began conducting and filming self-funded interviews and shoots with friends and colleagues of White throughout the world, and spent considerable time following White around London, documenting his life. [9] In October 2012, a crowd funding campaign was launched online through Indiegogo to finance the film's post-production and completion, successfully raising US$48,341. [10] During production the film was originally titled Chalky: The Michael White Story. [11] The film was completed in 2013 and renamed The Last Impresario ahead of its world premiere in October at the BFI London Film Festival. [12] [13]

Release

The film world premiered at the 57th Annual BFI London Film Festival on 13 October 2013. [14] [15] Michael White attended the premiere and after-party, along with many of his friends and colleagues, including Nigel Planer, Rupert and Candida Lycett Green, Lyndall Hobbs, Bill Oddie, Jean Pigozzi, Greta Scacchi, Barnaby Thompson, Joshua White, Liberty White, Miranda Darling, Staffan Ahrenberg, Rupert Everett, Jeremy Irons, Joel and Nash Edgerton, Richard Young, and Peter Eyre. [16] The after-party was held at the exclusive The Arts Club in Mayfair, London. [17]

The Last Impresario has played at a number of other international film festivals, including the 10th Dubai International Film Festival in 2013, and in 2014 at the 10th Glasgow Film Festival, the 10th Biografilm Festival in Bologna, Italy, and the DocWeek Film Festival in Adelaide, Australia, where it was the Opening Night film. [18] The film screened at the 61st Sydney Film Festival in June 2014, where it competed for the Documentary Australia Foundation Award official competition. [19]

The film was released theatrically in Australia on 26 June 2014 by local distributor Umbrella Entertainment, [20] screening in cinemas in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra. A UK theatrical release was planned for late 2014 by the film's British distributor and international sales agent, Dogwoof Pictures. [21]

Reception

The film received positive reviews from critics and currently holds a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Rabbit-Proof Fence</i> 2002 Australian film by Phillip Noyce

Rabbit-Proof Fence is a 2002 Australian drama film directed and produced by Phillip Noyce based on the 1996 book Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington Garimara. It is loosely based on a true story concerning the author's mother Molly Craig, aunt Daisy Kadibil and cousin Gracie, who escaped from the Moore River Native Settlement, north of Perth, Western Australia, to return to their Aboriginal families, after being placed there in 1931. The film follows the Aboriginal girls as they walk for nine weeks along 1,600 km (990 mi) of the Australian rabbit-proof fence to return to their community at Jigalong, while being pursued by white law enforcement authorities and an Aboriginal tracker. The film illustrates the official child removal policy that existed in Australia between approximately 1905 and 1967. Its victims now are called the "Stolen Generations".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivan Sen</span> Australian filmmaker

Ivan Sen is an Indigenous Australian filmmaker. He is a director, screenwriter and cinematographer, as well as an editor, composer, and sound designer. He is co-founder and director of Bunya Productions, and known for the 2013 film Mystery Road, its sequel Goldstone (2016), and the 2023 mystery-crime film Limbo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheffield DocFest</span> Documentary festival in Sheffield, England

Sheffield DocFest is an international documentary festival and industry marketplace held annually in Sheffield, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BFI London Film Festival</span> Annual film festival held in London, England

The BFI London Film Festival is an annual film festival held in London, England, in collaboration with the British Film Institute. The festival runs for two weeks every October. In 2016, the BFI estimated that around 240 feature films and 150 short films from more than 70 countries are screened at the festival each year.

Michael Simon White was a British theatrical impresario and film producer. White was responsible for the productions of 101 stage shows and 27 theatrical films over the span of 50 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gracie Otto</span> Australian filmmaker

Gracie Otto is an Australian filmmaker and actress. She made her feature-length directing debut with the 2013 documentary The Last Impresario about prolific British theatre impresario and film producer Michael White. She has also directed a variety of screen content such as television commercial videos (TCVs), shorts, television series, feature films and documentaries.

<i>Three Blind Mice</i> (2008 film) 2008 Australian film

Three Blind Mice is a 2008 feature film written, directed by and starring Matthew Newton, alongside Ewen Leslie and Toby Schmitz. It premiered at Sydney Film Festival in 2008. To date it has screened at over fourteen international and Australian festivals.

<i>Red Dog</i> (film) 2011 Australian comedy-drama film

Red Dog is a 2011 Australian comedy-drama family film written by Daniel Taplitz, directed by Kriv Stenders and produced by Nelson Woss and Julie Ryan. It stars Koko as the title character, Josh Lucas, Rachael Taylor, and John Batchelor. The film is based on the true story of Red Dog and uses the 2002 novel Red Dog by Louis de Bernières as the primary source. At the 2011 Inside Film Awards, Red Dog was nominated in nine categories and won seven, including best feature film. The film was also nominated for seven AACTA Awards and won for Best Film. The film was theatrically released on 4 August 2011 by Roadshow Film Distributors.

Rohan Spong is an Australian documentary film director best known for his films All the Way Through Evening and Winter at Westbeth.

<i>Web Junkie</i> 2013 Israeli film

Web Junkie is a 2013 American-Israeli documentary film co-written, directed and produced by Hilla Medalia and Shosh Shlam. The film premiered at the 2013 Jerusalem Film Festival on July 10, 2013.

<i>Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films</i> 2014 film by Mark Hartley

Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films is a 2014 Australian-American documentary film written and directed by Mark Hartley. It tells the story of cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus who headed The Cannon Group. Those interviewed lay tribute to the brash, unconventional immigrant filmmakers who gave young actors a chance and give unflinching anecdotes of both the hits and the low budget and often crass films created.

<i>The Falling</i> (2014 film) 2014 film by Carol Morley

The Falling is a 2014 British mystery drama film written and directed by Carol Morley. It stars Maisie Williams and Florence Pugh as best friends at an all-girls school. The film also stars Greta Scacchi, Monica Dolan, Maxine Peake, and Mathew Baynton. Production began in October 2013. The film premiered at the BFI London Film Festival on 11 October 2014 and was released theatrically on 24 April 2015 in the UK.

Ellen (Elle) Dawe is an Australian film and television actress, comedian and model.

<i>Set the Thames on Fire</i> 2015 British film

Set the Thames on Fire is a 2015 British science fiction fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Ben Charles Edwards in his directorial debut, based on characters created by Al Joshua. The film stars Michael Winder and Max Bennett, alongside an ensemble cast featuring Noel Fielding, Sadie Frost, Sally Phillips, David Hoyle, and Lily Loveless. Its title is a reference to a line in the song "Anywhere I Lay My Head" by Tom Waits.

<i>Whitney</i> (2018 film) 2018 film

Whitney is a 2018 documentary film about the American singer and actress Whitney Houston. The film was directed by Kevin Macdonald and produced by Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn and Lisa Erspamer. Whitney was screened out of competition at the world premiere as part of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival on 16 May 2018 with a cinema release on 6 July 2018. The film was also released on home media where it debuted at number one on the UK Official Music Video Chart. The film received positive reviews from critics and audiences and grossed $4.7 million worldwide at the box office. In December 2018, Whitney was nominated at the 61st Grammy Awards for Best Music Film.

<i>Mystify: Michael Hutchence</i> 2019 documentary film by Richard Lowenstein

Mystify: Michael Hutchence is a 2019 documentary film about the life of musician, actor and singer-songwriter Michael Hutchence, lead vocalist of the Australian rock band INXS. It is written and directed by Richard Lowenstein and relies primarily on rare archive footage, outtakes, private home video and audio commentary provided by friends, ex-partners, band members, record producers and family. An Australian-British venture, the film was co-produced by Ghost Pictures, Passion Pictures with Madman Entertainment and Dogwoof serving as distributors. It is in association with Baird Films and Film Victoria. Mystify: Michael Hutchence had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on 25 April 2019, and was theatrically released in Australia on 4 July 2019. The film was released in the United Kingdom on 18 October receiving generally positive reviews from critics.

<i>The First Wave</i> (film) 2021 American documentary film by Matthew Heineman

The First Wave is a 2021 American documentary film, directed and produced by Matthew Heineman. The film follows a hospital in New York City, as it battles the COVID-19 pandemic. Alex Gibney serves as an executive producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Vergara Moore</span> Australian actress

Michelle Vergara Moore is an Australian actress, best known for her role as Ella/Lily in the NBC TV series La Brea, Roxanne Waters in the Special Broadcasting Service television series The Unusual Suspects, Chai Li Tivoli in The Time Of Our Lives, Carla Tizon in Condor and Black & White & Sex.

<i>Under the Volcano</i> (2021 film) 2021 American film

Under the Volcano is a 2021 music documentary film by Australian filmmaker Gracie Otto. Centered on a 1980s recording studio on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, the film features renowned 1970s–80s musicians such as Sting, Nick Rhodes, Jimmy Buffett in his final film, Verdine White, Tony Iommi and Stewart Copeland.

<i>Lynch/Oz</i> 2022 documentary film

Lynch/Oz is a 2022 American documentary film directed and written by Alexandre O. Philippe that explores the influence of the film The Wizard of Oz (1939) on the American filmmaker David Lynch.

References

  1. SBS.com.au | Gracie Otto's The Last Impresario to premiere at London Film Festival, by Oliver Pfeiffer, 10 September 2013
  2. FilmInk.com.au | 'The Last Impresario' to premiere at BFI London Film Festival Archived 5 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine , by Cara Nash, 5 September 2013
  3. Variety Magazine | London Film Review: 'The Last Impresario', by Charles Gant, 29 October 2013
  4. The Hollywood Reporter | The Last Impresario: London Review, by Stephen Dalton, 13 October 2013
  5. WizardRadio.co.uk | Review: The Last Impresario Archived 5 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine , 14 October 2013
  6. The Last Impresario | Official Website
  7. The Last Impresario | Official Website
  8. The Black Magazine Blog | Gracie Otto's Michael White film 'Chalky', by Thom Kerr, 28 October 2012
  9. The Vine | Gracie Otto creates Michael White documentary, by Alyx Gorman, 9 October 2012
  10. Indiegogo | Chalky The Film
  11. Vogue Australia | Gracie Otto's new film, by Alexandra Spring, 25 October 2012
  12. SBS.com.au | Gracie Otto's The Last Impresario to premiere at London Film Festival, by Oliver Pfeiffer, 10 September 2013
  13. FilmInk.com.au | 'The Last Impresario' to premiere at BFI London Film Festival Archived 5 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine , by Cara Nash, 5 September 2013
  14. SBS.com.au | Gracie Otto's The Last Impresario to premiere at London Film Festival, by Oliver Pfeiffer, 10 September 2013
  15. FilmInk.com.au | 'The Last Impresario' to premiere at BFI London Film Festival Archived 5 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine , by Cara Nash, 5 September 2013
  16. Inside Film Magazine | Gracie Otto's The Last Impresario World Premiere, 14 October 2013
  17. Inside Film Magazine | Gracie Otto's The Last Impresario World Premiere, 14 October 2013
  18. Reuters | DocWeek celebrates festival season with Gracie Otto and Greta Scacchi in Adelaide for Australian premiere 'The Last Impresario', 2 March 2014
  19. Sydney Film Festival | Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Australian Documentary Archived 7 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine , accessed 7 May 2014
  20. Umbrella Entertainment Official Site | The Last Impresario
  21. Screen Daily | Dogwoof signs The Last Impresario, by Ian Sandwell, 5 February 2014