The Man Whose Mind Exploded

Last updated

The Man Whose Mind Exploded
The Man Whose Mind Exploded poster.jpg
Film poster
Directed by Toby Amies
Produced byToby Amies
Rob Alexander
Kat Mansoor
StarringDrako Oho Zarharzar
Toby Amies
CinematographyToby Amies
Edited byJim Scott
Production
company
Succulent Pictures
Distributed by Dogwoof Pictures
Release date
LanguageEnglish

The Man Whose Mind Exploded is a 2013 documentary film directed by Toby Amies. The film depicts the strange relationship between Toby and Brighton eccentric Drako Oho Zarharzar. It was first premiered at the Sheffield Doc/Fest and pitched in the 2008 MeetMarket, and was also shown at the Cork Film Festival, Revelation Perth International Film Festival, Cambridge Film Festival, Brighton's Cinecity Festival, and was an official selection at the East End Film Festival.

Contents

The Man Whose Mind Exploded started life as a BBC Radio 4 programme described by Miranda Sawyer in The Observer as "the best documentary of 2008". The reception to it was so positive that the director was encouraged to turn it into a film. The film was produced by Rob Alexander, Kat Mansoor, and Toby Amies. Executive producers were Daisy Asquith and Dunstan Bruce while the editing was done by Jim Scott.

Synopsis

Drako Oho Zarharzar can remember modeling for Salvador Dalí and hanging out with The Stones. But he can't remember yesterday. Following a severe head injury Drako has serious brain damage and terrible memory loss. He can access memories from before his accident, but can't imprint new ones. As he puts it, "the recording machine in my head doesn't work". As an antidote to depression he chose to live "completely in the now" according to the bizarre mottoes delivered to him whilst in his second coma. A tiny flat completely filled with a collage of memories, reminders and erotic art, Drako's house acts as a metaphor for his extraordinary mind.

Filmed over four years the director starts off making a film exploring Drako's lurid and exotic back story including work with Dalí, [the Factory], Les Folies Bergère, and Derek Jarman. But he is forced to stay in Drako's never ending now and soon a line is crossed, and the documentary maker becomes caretaker.

Soundtrack

The film music was composed by Adam Peters who made his debut as a solo movie score composer on Savages (2012) directed by Oliver Stone.

Reception

The Man Whose Mind Exploded gained 4 star reviews from The Times , The Guardian , Time Out and The Independent in the UK.

Related Research Articles

Toby Amies is a filmmaker and broadcaster who specialises in making programmes about art, music, and travel with an emphasis on fringe culture and alternative perspectives. He is best known for his feature-length documentary The Man Whose Mind Exploded and his broadcast work on Radio4, MTV Europes's Alternative Nation, FilmFour, Lonely Planet Six Degrees and The Rough Guides. In addition, Toby is a widely published portrait photographer and writer.

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

Sheffield DocFest, short for Sheffield International Documentary Festival (SIDF), is an international documentary festival and Industry Marketplace held annually in Sheffield, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Plester</span> British actor, playwright, and filmmaker (born 1970)

Timothy Marc Plester is a British actor, playwright, and filmmaker, best known for the documentaries Way of the Morris and The Ballad of Shirley Collins - plus a multifarious number of cameo roles for film and TV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Steinbauer</span> American film director

Benjamin Jeffrey Steinbauer is an American director, writer and producer, who is best known for directing the feature documentary Winnebago Man (2009). Steinbauer has directed other documentaries, including Chop & Steele (2022), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, Brute Force (2012) and Heroes From The Storm (2017), as well as episodic television for the PBS show Stories of the Mind and the CBS show Pink Collar Crimes.

<i>The Imposter</i> (2012 film) 2012 British film directed by Bart Layton

The Imposter is a 2012 documentary film about the 1997 case of a French confidence trickster Frédéric Bourdin, who pretended to be Nicholas Patrick Barclay, an American boy who had disappeared in Texas at the age of 13 in 1994. The film was directed by Bart Layton. It mainly includes interviews with Bourdin but also with members of Barclay's family, as well as archive television news footage and reenacted dramatic sequences.

<i>The Big Melt</i> 2013 British film

The Big Melt is a documentary film about the Sheffield steel industry which combines archive footage with a live soundtrack. It was produced by Heather Croall and Mark Atkin and Martin Rosenbaum and directed by Jarvis Cocker and Martin Wallace for the 20th annual Sheffield Doc/Fest in 2013, to celebrate the centenary of the steel industry. The film was made using footage from the BFI National Archive. The film was commissioned by BBC Storyville and BBC North in association with the BFI, using public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

<i>From the Sea to the Land Beyond</i> 2012 British film

From The Sea to the Land Beyond: Britain's Coast on Film is a documentary feature film directed by Penny Woolcock, with an original soundtrack by British indie-rock band Sea Power. The project was produced by Heather Croall and Mark Atkin of Crossover to premiere at the Sheffield Doc/Fest as part of The Space project from the BBC and the Arts Council England. The film was edited by Alex Fry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heather Croall</span>

Heather Croall is an international arts festival CEO and artistic director and documentary producer, best known for leading Sheffield Doc/Fest and Adelaide Fringe, and her work on live music / archive films including The Big Melt, From the Sea to the Land Beyond, Girt By Sea, From Scotland With Love, Atomic, Living in Dread and Promise

<i>The 50 Year Argument</i> 2014 film directed by Martin Scorsese

The 50 Year Argument is a documentary film by Martin Scorsese and co-directed by David Tedeschi about the history and influence of the New York Review of Books, which marked its 50th anniversary in 2013. The documentary premiered in June 2014 at the Sheffield Doc/Fest and was soon screened in Oslo and Jerusalem before airing on the British Arena television series in July. It was also screened at the Telluride Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival and was seen at the New York Film Festival, in September, and at other film festivals. It first aired on HBO in September 2014 and was given other national broadcasts. It had a limited theatrical release in Toronto in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Atkin</span>

Mark Atkin is a British filmmaker and director at Crossover Labs. He has directed and produced films, including co-producing The Big Melt and From the Sea to the Land Beyond, and organized film festival events.

<i>Shadows of Liberty</i> 2012 film by Jean-Philippe Tremblay

Shadows of Liberty is a 2012 British documentary film directed by Canadian filmmaker Jean-Philippe Tremblay. The documentary examines the impact of corporate media and concentration of media ownership on journalism and the news. It is based on the book The Media Monopoly by Ben Bagdikian. The film’s title is borrowed from a Thomas Paine quote: "When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon."

<i>Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah</i> 2015 documentary short film by Adam Benzine

Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah is a 2015 documentary-short film exploring the life and work of French director Claude Lanzmann. The film was written, directed, and produced by British filmmaker and journalist Adam Benzine.

<i>Almost There</i> (film) 2014 American film

Almost There is a 2014 independent documentary film, produced by Kartemquin Films. It was directed by Aaron Wickenden and Dan Rybicky.

<i>A Syrian Love Story</i> 2015 British film

A Syrian Love Story is a 2015 British documentary by Sean McAllister, detailing the hardships of a family in modern-day Syria.

<i>In the Rearview</i> 2023 film

In the Rearview is a 2023 documentary feature film directed by Maciek Hamela. It is about a van, that traverses the roads of Ukraine with the driver-director and evacuated people, following the Russian invasion. The vehicle becomes a fragile and temporary refuge of exiles whose only objective is to escape the war. It is a co-production between Poland, France and Ukraine.

<i>Mike Wallace Is Here</i> 2019 biographical documentary film by Avi Belkin

Mike Wallace Is Here is a 2019 biographical documentary film directed by Avi Belkin. It was produced by Rafael Marmor, Peggy Drexler, John Battsek, Avi Belkin, and Chris Leggett, under the banner of Drexler Films, Delirio Films and Rock Paper Scissors Entertainment. The film follows the life and career of American journalist Mike Wallace, using never-before-seen archival footage of the journalist preparing for and speaking about his work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophy Romvari</span> Canadian actress and director

Sophy Romvari is a Canadian film director, writer, and actress. She attracted widespread acclaim for her short film Still Processing (2020). The film premiered at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival and was later released online by Mubi. A collection of Romvari's short films, including Still Processing, were subsequently released by The Criterion Collection on their streaming platform in 2022.

Generation Revolution is a 2016 British documentary film directed by Cassie Quarless and Usayd Younis. It follows the stories of Black and Asian activists in London who aim to change the social and political landscape in the capital. The film preceded the inception of the UK's Black Lives Matter movement.

<i>Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me</i> 2022 documentary film by Alek Keshishian

Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me is a 2022 American documentary film that follows singer and actress Selena Gomez during a six year period of her career. The film documents her struggles with physical and mental well-being in the wake of her diagnosis with lupus and bipolar disorder. It was directed by Alek Keshishian, produced by Lighthouse Media & Management and Interscope Films, and released to Apple TV+ and select theaters on November 4, 2022.

<i>In the Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson at 50</i> 2022 British film

In the Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson at 50 is a 2022 music documentary film about the British progressive rock band King Crimson. It was directed and co-produced by Toby Amies. The film follows the final eight-piece incarnation of the band throughout their 50th anniversary tour from 2018 until 2020, complimented with interviews with past members and archival footage of TV broadcasts and concert performances throughout their years of activity.

References

  1. "Amnesiac Drako oho Zarhazar the man whose mind exploded" . Retrieved 4 June 2020 via www.thetimes.co.uk.