Mystify: Michael Hutchence Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Mystify: Michael Hutchence Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 23, 2020

It’s important to note that Richard Lowenstein’s documentary, “Mystify: Michael Hutchence” is almost exclusively about the titular subject. This isn’t an overview of hits and misses from Hutchence’s band, INXS, as I’m certain some potential viewers would like it to be. The group has a presence in the movie, and their music is sparingly used, but Lowenstein, a frequent INXS collaborator, has elected to concentrate on Hutchence and his turbulent life, tracing his days as a child to his 1997 suicide, exploring all the pain, glory, and confusion the man experienced as one of the biggest music stars on the planet.

Lowenstein doesn’t offer a talking heads exploration of Hutchence’s life, instead working through all sorts of footage, from concerts to home movies, to create an understanding of the subject’s development as he went from the reserved young man to the lead singer of INXS. Intimacy is the key here, not necessarily completeness, as chunks of Hutchence’s experience are missing here, along with a defined understanding of his drug abuse, which is often presented as self-medication for other troubles. Not everything is represented in “Mystify,” but there’s impressive access to some of the singer’s private thoughts, including his romantic relationships, with Kylie Minogue permitting use of romantic video messages and vacation films from her time with Hutchence, showcasing a long-distance love that wasn’t meant to be. Also included are thoughts from Helena Christensen, who opens up about her time with Hutchence, witnessing a 1992 car accident in Copenhagen that left her lover with a brain injury that forever changed his life, darkening an already struggling spirit.

Mystify: Michael Hutchence Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.38:1 aspect ratio) presentation juggles various film and video sources, but the overall viewing experience remains consistent, doing a fine job moving between fuzzy, low-res footage and sharp looks at the particulars of the Michael Hutchence experience. Some concert footage has been spiffed up for the documentary, and supplies a detailed look at the subject in motion, joined by crystal clear photos and private home movies. Colors are exact, securing the brightness of period outfits and power of concert lighting, and skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory.

Mystify: Michael Hutchence Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix provides a proper boost for performance sequences, clarifying vocals and instrumentation to best appreciate the subject's work with INXS. Surrounds push out musical selection, and crowd atmospherics are appreciable, creating a circular momentum for a few songs. Interview audio comes through clearly, managing some conversations recorded long ago, while recent narration delivers distinct emotion. Low-end handles with some percussive thump.

Mystify: Michael Hutchence Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Deleted Scenes (HD) include "The Early Days" (4:02), "Acting" (13:12), "Prague" (4:31), "And Now Max Q" (5:16), "Way of the World" (5:04), "How to Make a Music Video" (9:27), "Motorcycle Baby" (3:27), "A Fish Commercial" (1:47), "All the Lies You Find" (11:07), "The Final Days" (3:21), "Stuck in a Moment" (3:13), and "Absolutely No Way" (2:32).

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:11, HD) is included.

Mystify: Michael Hutchence Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Interviews with INXS band members, Hutchence family members, and friends (such as Bono) contribute to the mournful mood, with many trying to articulate just what made Michael Hutchence special as a performer, with his pronounced sensuality as a rock god often at odds with his persistent insecurity. Such struggles are examined in the documentary, which touches on his struggles to express himself beyond INXS and deal with the onslaught of tabloid attention after embarking on an affair with Paula Yates, who would eventually give birth to his only child. Heartbreak is palpable throughout the picture, with many still confused over what exactly happened to the man they loved. "Mystify" doesn't have all the answers, and it actively avoids some sensitive areas when it comes to the whole Yates situation, but Lowenstein's primary drive is to celebrate Hutchence as a restless soul searching for pleasures and self-expression, offering a cinematic grieving process that's informative for those who aren't all that familiar with the subject, while fans of the singer might achieve some long overdue closure with the film.