Mystify: Michael Hutchence

A really good documentary of a "rockstar" and a life. It focused a lot more on the subject as a flesh and blood human than as "just a rockstar" or "sex symbol". I do wish the film could have focused a bit more on traumatic brain injury. It's affected so many lives. Just think of what treatment Hutchence might have benefited from if he'd lived longer - or if he'd shared the feelings of trauma with loved ones so that they could better support him.Funny how I viewed this famous person when I was younger and the same age as he and INXS were so hugely popular. Back then, I didn't think of him as a person but as a sort of symbol of what "making it big" meant. As a 60-year-old, I feel sad that Hutchence never got to be my age and experience the maturity and wisdom that (usually) comes to some of us.I almost hate to say this but I felt a lot of contradictory feelings about him and others like him - people who go after celebrity fame or excess success in "ordinary" careers. It's hard not to admire the drive and hard work that takes. In one way, he succeeded. On the other hand, succeeding meant relentlessly going after all the things he wanted until that contributed to his death.I feel the film focused more on the best of the man. In one way, he seemed to have been such a kind, sweet, funny, generous, and loving son, brother, partner, and father. But, again, it seems that he discarded each lover to move on to the next - or was moving on to the next before ending the current relationship. And somehow, these women still loved him as if he'd never hurt their hearts. Why does no one talk about the way he (as some other men and women do) sort of absorbed everything a partner had to give of their heart, then moves along to a newer partner?It's sort of touching that he seemed to be most loyal to the men who momentarily ruled the music scene with him. There is something about friends becoming "family" for each other. And yet, from what it looks like, he was most loyal to the one woman who didn't love him as well as others had. I don't mean to disparage Paula Yates, but I'm just pointing out that she seemed to have more of a hold on him that the women who seemed more loyal to him. We are all damaged but these two each probably needed someone just a bit less damaged to balance them out. It had to be absolutely devastating for her to lose someone she loved so much and who fathered one of her babies.The filmmaker obviously loved this man as a dear friend and this work was a tribute of loving remembrance. At the same time, it never did (and maybe rightly so) look at the potentially darker sides of Hutchence. It seemed to soften the ambition and downplay the hunger for fame - or at least make it seem only admirable. I guess that was intended because this seemed to be meant to only peek at certain parts of a person's life.This is a great film for true fans. It's also a good reminder that one man's mistakes can be lessons for someone else. Mostly, what a wonderful thing for his now-adult child to see and have as a whole sort of picture.Honestly, as an older woman now and a fan of the band in their heyday, I just am left feeling kind of empty. I enjoyed watching this for the previously unseen footage but I'm mainly left with a reminder that we all die and how we live moment to moment is really important. I know that sounds rambling and maybe a little obvious but I just feel so sad for the way this man's life ended. And not just his, but others who end up feeling lost enough to just die.

I have been meaning to get around to watching this for a while. I enjoyed all of the previously unseen footage and Michael's own comments throughout. I wish more contribution from the band itself had been incorporated into the film. I appreciate that in the end, they didn't spend too much time focusing on his death, but rather his life. Overall the best documentary I have watched about Michael.

I was very taken by this presentation of the rise and fall of this 80s and 90s superstar. I did not invest a lot of time in knowing much about him or his band, INXS, who are just okay. What was very surprising is how the film presents him as, initially, a shy, unassuming guy who wasn't trying to be a star. He was happy, sweet Michael the singer. To the films credit, they use so much archival footage of videos and photos and many voice overs from the inner circle, it does a convincing job of selling this idea. Looking at him, he seems like any other guy, even looks like any other guy.Cut to the arrival of the guru who promises wealth and fame. After working for nearly a decade to arrive at a moment when they could break out of being an Australian pub band, only working locally, their work pays off when they're given a chance to tour America. Michael's on stage presence leads to a shift in focus. By the end of the decade, he's widely considered one of the sexiest men alive, all while masking his real songwriting talents.The documentary pays special attention to the four women who defined each of the eras in his 37 years on the planet. The first is the Aussie girlfriend, the one who got away and played a part in his life long after they ended it. Second is, of all people, Kylie Minogue, and yes, she spills some hot T on their strained relationship, which began exactly at the moment both were becoming world famous, destined to split up due to differing schedules but ending mostly amicably. Third is the supermodel Helena Christiansen, who was with him during the best of the fame days but watched the moment it all fell downhill, after a taxi driver caused Michael to receive brain damage that turned his life into a nightmare from that point forward. The final woman becomes his wife, but her ex, Bob Geldof ends up playing a major part in the final demise of Michael Hutchence, almost supported in full by the ravenous British press who worship Geldof, turning Hutchence's life into full-on chaos.This is a well-researched, well-paced film that covers a lot of ground in a short amount of time. I was entertained from start to finish, even when the story turned sour for him. Much like the Coldplay and Oasis documentaries that came out prior, this film does a solid job of capturing a time and place and series of events that define the lives of these subjects. Even if INXS isn't your band, this is still a fantastic documentary.

Michael Hutchence is probably my favourite musician; both from a technical point of view, and a personal point of view. A lot of people focus on his charisma onstage; his pure, carnal power - and not the lyrics he wrote, or the man he was. Mystify: Michael Hutchence deals with that. It tells the intimate, bare-faced story of what kind of man Hutchence was, his ups and his downs, and his eternal quest to find love; whatever it cost him.It's a beautiful, genuinely well-crafted recollection of his years, from childhood to the origins of INXS, the band's commercial peaks and his work as a solo artist, as well as with Max Q. The last half hour of the documentary/film, however, is just a staggeringly haunting portrait of Hutchence's life as it spiralled out of control and he risked losing everything he had. It's not a movie with a happy ending. But it's one that's been poured over with time and effort. And it shows. I still get goosebumps watching this.Mystify also features the recently-remastered footage of INXS' 1991 gig, as well as other shows, and a plethora of unreleased, archival footage. You feel like you see every aspect of Michael here, including accounts from his friends, family and bandmates. It's not a dull, talking heads kind of documentary. It's arty. It's human. It's real. It's Michael Hutchence - not some hyped-up, glossy facade like people would expect.Absolutely phenomonal film, particularly poignant if you don't already know the story of INXS or its frontman. A genuinely brilliant music documentary.

Superbly put together and clearly a labour of love by long-time Hutchence friend and colleague Richard Lowenstein. Using plenty of archive footage, using no talking heads (all interviews are voice-over) is a great choice and allows the anecdotes to perhaps be more personal and moving than they might otherwise have been (loved Mr Farriss' comment about Michael saying, as a kid, he should take up a musical instrument). A thorough portrait of a man who clearly loved life and wanted to experience everything, this is great fun up to the taxi driver when you know everything is going to go down hill. Very moving, this is a wonderful documentary for a proper force of nature. Well done, Richard Lowenstein and team!

A thoughtful and very interesting account of Michael Hutchence with contributions from the band, Kylie and his father amongst many others. Lots of home movie clips are scattered throughout as well as archive news footage. Ultimately sad but mostly glorious and as a casual fan there are some things I didn’t know. A fan will already have this, others like me will enjoy the ride.

Great hommage to a vulnerable and highly intelligent rock star. Michael Hutchence had too much bad luck and grief in his life. Then you are actually very alone, no matter how rich and famous you are. A beautifully made documentary that you really should see. The 90s would have been gray without Hutchence. The documentary shows what kind of gifted smart and passionate sweet man Hutchence was.

A must for any INXS fan, this DVD shows previously unseen home movie footage and features audio interviews with those people who knew him best. Very moving and so sad to watch, you can really see how very unhappy Michael actually was in his last months.