Eternally Wild With The Power.
Making every moment come alive, 'Mystify' is a groundbreaking documentary on the life of the frontman of frontman's on a King, Freddie, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Queen, Mercury level, Michael Hutchence. The late, great Australian ruling rock God who once turned down the iconic cover of iconic U.S. music magazine Rolling Stone because like almost every woman on the planet they just wanted him and not his band of brothers INXS. That's just the type of guy he is. And INXS were exactly the kind of 80's new sensation wave that lives baby lives in fond nostalgia like a sun or a God coming into your room now that the day is over. And 'Live Baby Live' you can see it in their remastered for the big screen around the world's Wembley gig in London 1991 at the "peak of their powers" at the twin towers coming home to DVD and a BBC 2 Christmas time documentary double-header after its theatrical run like football this fall to New Year. Legends should never be called has-beens. This writer won't join the Twitter party calling former Oasis singer Noel Gallagher a c### for something he said at the Brit Awards 20 years ago (after accepting an award from a fist pumping Hutchence happy for him, Noel obnoxiously "stated", "has-beens shouldn't present f###### awards to gonna-bes"...prick). Instead how about the instant, unrehearsed grace and dignity with how Michael Hutchence handled the humiliation that clearly hurt him right at a time when he was going through a tabloid celebrated turmoil to not only his personal made public life, but his physical one too as the long lasting effects of the permanent brain damage that had robbed him of his sense of taste and smell was also taking his life and the lust for it too. He pats a visible embarrassed for him host Chris Evans (no... not that one Cap) on the back. "It's OK mate. It's good to see you". Actions speak a million mountains and times louder than words and Michael's after what one of the Gallagher's said for a gag were the ones of the peak performance of a man much bigger. Even whilst dwelling in the ebbing valleys of the perplexed pain in mourning his previous life which he didn't need reminding of.
All those stars will shine upon you. A previous physical and personal life however. Because his celebrity was still part of the 90's golden era culture, kissing you every night. And we're not talking about the spectacle made by what would be tomorrows chip shop wrapper (wise word to the girl power of Spice Girl, Geri Halliwell...yeah I'm quoting the groups 1996 annual. What of it? You OK hun?). Listen like thieves, the band may have never quite topped 'Kick', although they came close ('X', 'Welcome To Wherever You Are' and so on), but did Prince ever top 'Purple Rain' released three years before (and I mean no disrespect, Prince is my king)? But they never kicked their hardworking habit. Their last album with Hutchence on a five year comeback ('Elegantly Wasted') was an unheralded classic of modern rock music and maybe artistically and cohesively in its completion just as good as 'Kick' (bold statement for an album as such) and just as good and underrated as the sliding away, flesh and blood of Michael Hutchence's self-titled solo album, which in black and white reveals so much more than even this documentary does, which in turn is just as good as his much maligned second wind and band Max Q, whose album you need to dig up last year, forget about yesterday. And you'll see all about it here like streets of blue, or almond looks that chill divine, this mystifying docu lifts the lid on all the veils and misty. In 'Mystify' to quote even more classic lyrics of the iconic song this film is named after some silken moments really do last forever as this story is told by the broken hearts the soul of this man never quite left behind. A concept which was a working title, work in progress whilst this documentary couldn't get the stage setting rights to this bands music video until the 11th hour cutting room floor. But it's turns out this was a genius move by the hands of fate as this tell all with respect and dignity, personal project reveals so much more behind the scenes like some "none have your beauty" moments in the legendary music videos of 'New Sensation' and 'Never Tear Us Apart' that captured on camera and evoking every emotion live baby live in love forever.
Prague, Czech Republic. You know the setting scene. The classic music video filmed there along with 'Sensation' and the revolving open door concept of Richard Lownstein directed art for the visual MTV generation. Michael Hutchence long black hair, coat to match. Cold hand gloves rubbed together in a moment of blowing through the wind clarity. Tucks them under his arms with vulnerability before sauntering along the river walk, with an orchestra behind the fog as his company. "Don't ask me. What you know is true. Don't have to tell you. I love your precious heart" he begins to say on the beautiful, best ballad of all time. Its heartbreaking to find out that Michael wrote this song about a love he lost so young. A woman who described his personal touch as "really listening is the greatest aphrodisiac". Do you hear me? What was that Dave Matthews and his self-titled band said about how "someone's broken heart becomes your favourite song". Funny the way it is. And as he hurt sings about "they could never tear us apart" like living for "a thousand years" if that doesn't make wine from your tears I don't know what will. I guess even some of us that have wings really don't get to fly. But as INXS and their popularity spread their wings around the world, Hutchence's love soared from Helena Christensen (who describes like the 'Full Moon, Dirty Hearts' sessions shows how this man's mind changed permanently after the brain injury caused by a Copenhagen cab drivers fists) to Paula Yates and their daughter Tiger Lily, despite the war with the press and Bob Geldof. But just ask my Dad as I watched this documentary with my parents-my mums fandom being what got me into who remain my favorite band, INXS-there's just something about Kylie. And as she's camcorder, "Kyliiiie, Kyliiiee", naturally smiling with her singing "they call me the wild rose" with Nick Cave scored over a train trip across the Orient Express enters this life story, this looked like a love as two worlds collided in Kyoto a thousand years couldn't murder. And as she says one that took a long time to get over. Sometimes when it's true, you never do. They'll always be in your heart, never to depart. Just like heart and soulful spirit of the stage presence of Hutchence. That still lives and still in effervescent essence still lived in his final days behind the glasses and hair tied back look of an understandably guarded man who subdued shared with a reporter about the dark side of the Big Smoke, London and how he wanted to go back home to Sydney forever before he took his own life. Or the one who laughed with paparazzi outside his door before turning around and instantly changing his whole expression to one much more depressed and downcast...because getting along to get along was a survival strategy against those bone picking headline vultures. It still lives like 'Live Baby Live' live in London almost 30 years later that no restoration for the cinemas could really master quite like the moment. Where this Aussie band played Great Britain with Hutchence's charmed charisma like the pubs this one man and his band used to play and went back to humbly and heartfelt in the hallowed last days, but all to the Freddie feeling rhapsody of Wembley for stadium shows even living on a prayer Bon Jovi couldn't hope to rock then like this. And as Michael sleep baby sleeps, resting peacefully and we need to wake up the spirit to get us past the sobering end to this documentaries story as we cry baby cry, watching this live show next is what will bring you right back to those perfect moments. You know, the ones that are impossible to refuse. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Dogs In Space', 'Western Stars', 'Above Us Only Sky'.
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