Mister Organ

When we watch a film or a documentary we have an expectation that the end brings us to a logical conclusion ; a natural close ; not so with this documentary so don't expect one because like a virus , the main antagonist of this documentary lives on to do what he does ; slowly destroying the lives of all those he involves himself with. Farrier looks into the strange world of an ego centric madman lost in his own reality; there's no happy ending , no conclusion and like a shark the main antogonist just carries on doing what a shark does. If you've never seen intot he mind of a human being that manipulates, destroy lives and brings chaos to all around them then this is an insight into an uncomfortable man who brings misery to all whose lives he invades.

This guy is the antipodean Louis Theroux. He has a great knack of developing a story and making you want to join him on the journey. I love documentaries and came across "Tickled" and loved his style of production. That first documentary was weird and intriguing and there was a taster of this one at the end but it went out of my mind for a while because it wasn't going to be released for a while. So I came across it recently while looking for a documentary to watch and again was not disappointed. I hope he goes on to produce plenty more of this type of this in the future because - like Theroux - he has found a formula that works.

In 1977, Michel Foucault - who at the time was France's foremost intellectual - wrote a preface for a book that never materialised. His essay was called "The life of infamous men." The book was to be a collection of excerpts from so-called lettres des cachets - complaints that 18th Century French citizens could submit to the king about the behavior of a relative, spouse, neighbour or acquantance. From his Paris apartment, Foucault spoke about these lives rising up through the centuries. Lives condemned in a few words. Despicable personages. Scriveners. Lecherers. Fantastical usurers.

Foucault admited to being more moved by these characters than by the canonical tomes of official history. In their blasted and blighted lives, he found points of fascination, and one could say more; he appeared to find a wellspring of uncanny understanding, about the human condition, about human life, about the architecture of knowledge and power that envelopes and saturates all of us, and about the straight and narrow line that runs through the decades, and around which human life gathers as it veers toward an unnameable norm.

I was reminded of this essay and Foucault's feeling towards these extra-ordinary figures while watching David Farrier's documentary. It is a glimpse into a substrate of human life that reverberates almost as the mirror opposite of the branded celebrity culture we all know. A substrate of disorder and fanastical absurdity, and that is as colored by malevolence as it is quaint and incredible mundanity.

Lachlan Anderson's soundtrack is perfectly pitched. It captures an emotional landscape that magnifies the question marks thrown open by the film. But what deserves more praise still is the gentle openness of Farrier himself, as a protagonist in this entire work. He seems to share something with Foucault that allows the film to be made at all. Because whereas many might back away from the subject of the documentary, Mr Organ, or respond aggressively to his behavior, Farrier approaches him as something curious and worthy of being known. And yet that does not constitute condoning Mr Organ's apparent actions. So it is less about passing judgment as it is putting into the spotlight one unique and troubled character, and yet letting that character have their say.

What emerges is beyond fascinating. It's a true document that casts light on many things it would be impossible to express in words alone. In the editing, in the camera work, in the narrative, a consciousness about what is so remarkable in this story appears evident. It is this consciousness that deserves recognition. Because there is a humanism here that goes beyond mere gesture. It's real, and it brought something to light that we can all ponder, and probably learn from. What do we learn exactly. There is wonder everywhere, even amid what is distasteful and disturbing. We share this world with multiple worlds, and amid tremendous latent chaos.

Holy crap, I went into this the same way I went into David Farrier's other documentary Tickled...without knowing much at all about it. And I was again in awe by the end of it.

In parts I was cackling so hard (the whole cinema was). In other parts I gasped so loudly. In others I felt dread. I felt scared, sad, bewilderment. Basically anything and everything you can feel.

The subject of this documentary is just plain impossible to explain. We saw David trying to explain him and he couldn't either. But he's narcissistic, manipulative and downright strange. He's also the most boring hilarious person in the world. All of this combined made for a very interesting story with lots of little twists and turns.

I don't know how David finds these people but he manages to make the most insightful documentaries while putting himself in danger, and I commend him for that!

I can't wait for his next movie!

If someone hasn't ran into someone like this they will never ever understand this documentary. People that have ran into these types with personality disorders will get it. I have never wrote a review I just wanted to let people know what's up about this film.

So the best way of putting this are men like Michael are also known as con artists, and unfortunately that is the best way of describing him. I doubt we will know much about his family history unless he does something very bad and gets out behind bars. Then they might be able explain it if that happens. Maybe there will be a part two. That would be very interesting to say the least.

People like Michael confuse people on purpose to make themselves feel more lifting up.

Once you have seen this personally you will never unsee it by doing tons of research. FYI.