Displaying items by tag: Andrew Denton

BUT ALSO JOHN CLARKE

Australia, 2025, 102 minutes, Colour.

Sam Neill, Wendy Harmer, David Wenham, Bryan Dawe, Jana Wendt, Ben Elton, Andrew Denton, Andrew Knight, Ernie Dingo, Philip Adams, Sean Micallef.

Directed by Lorin Clarke.

Australia has produced many outstanding comic writers and performers. Amongst those who stand out, of the many, in recent decades are the back affable Paul Hogan and the satiric Barry Humphreys. And, somewhere in the middle, affable but, developing a strong sense of satire.

Sadly, John Clarke died in 2017 and is already becoming a memory. But, in his heyday in his native New Zealand, with his character, Fred Dag, and then in his topical satirical interviews on television and the series, The Games, he was immediately well known and appreciated. It is important to have a documentary like this to perpetuate his memory.

And it has been made by his daughter, Lauren Clark, herself working in media, the great deal of television and video material available to be incorporated here. And, she has many contacts, sitting down casually to chat with them and their responding with enthusiasm, wholeheartedly, and some very happy memories.

As indicated above in the credits, these are some of the very well-known names of those who appear, chat, and, many of them voicing excerpts from Clarke’s own story, especially Sam Neill, much the same age, who knew him in New Zealand with their studies and work with him over the years in Australia. (There are some excerpts from John Ruane’s comedy, Death in Brunswick, which starred both Sam Neill and John Clarke.)

The early part of the film appeals to the Australian audience, especially with interviews with Brian door, his partner over decades in the conversations, no make up, Clarke just keeping his own mannerisms but assuming the character of the politicians or other celebrities to be interviewed, deadpan responses to all the questions from Brian door.

Then the film goes back to Clarke’s origins in New Zealand, a focus on his parents and their experience of World War II and the consequences, like feeling that he could not live up to his father’s expectations, more than a touch of rebellion, especially manifest at his school, then at University and in his acting and writing, the character of Fred Dag, New Zealand farmer, emerging in the 1970s, some broadcast managers wary, but the public responding well, the possibility of social comment and critique through parody and satire.

Then the advice of a move to Australia, the successive steps in his career, an overview of television comedy, especially, from the 70s to the 2010 is.

So, this is a labour of love for his daughter – and there are some significant interviews with John Clarke’s wife, Helen McDonald, married for 44 years.

For those not familiar with John Clarke, it opens up an interesting and entertaining portrait as well as an overview of comedy on New Zealand and Australia and radio and television.

For those familiar with John Clarke and who admired him, an hour and three quarters happily spent in his company.