Svengali (2013)

The greatest movie ever made..!

Am I Missing Something?

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

SVENGALI tales a straightforward tale of a would-be band manager Dixie (Jonny Owen) traveling up from his home in the Welsh valleys to manage a band. The band achieved a certain notoriety (pace the Sex Pistols) and secure a BBC recording session as well as numerous offers of recording contracts. Dixie tries his best to keep them under control, but finds the strain too much and eventually returns home with his girlfriend Shell (Vicky McClure). This film is very much a one-person show: Owen not only stars in it, but wrote the script and produced it. Director John Hardwick keeps the action going at a brisk pace, and there is some atmospheric cinematography by Catherine Derry, contrasting the lonely Welsh and Scottish rural locations with the urban squalor of central London. The film makes some trenchant points about the difficulties of surviving in the Smoke, especially when Dixie and Shell have to deal with a formidable central European landlady (Katy Brand). There are some memorable cameos by Martin Freeman as a record-shop owner and Maxine Peake as his long-suffering spouse desperately trying to prevent her husband from losing his temper. The story is a familiar one, but Owen turns in a winning central performance as Dixie: after what he experiences in trying to keep the band together, as well as dealing with a series of rapacious characters including loan-shark Teddy (Eddie Webber) and vamp Natasha (Natasha O'Keeffe), it's not surprising that he wants to return to the comparative security of home. In his final film before his untimely death, Brian Hibbard turns in a memorable cameo as Dixie's Dad; the scene where father and son talk to one another on a wind-swept Welsh mountain is particularly affecting.

The movie is a comedy centered around a young Welsh guy who comes to London to became a band manager. Despite of his bad luck, the band will encounter an unexpected success. The story itself is not particularly original and we aren't faced with a masterpiece of cinema, but I found this movie brilliant. It made me laugh several times and found it absolutely amusing. The soundtrack is astonishing, there are a lot of British bands that I love. Martin Freeman, a real Mod in life, in the role of ....a real Mod is ingenious! Also Alan McGee who plays himself it's a fantastic idea. I repeat: the movie is not a masterpiece, but it's just a fun comedy that those who are familiar with British music and culture will appreciate. Personally, I loved it.

I've heard it said that British humor doesn't always translate that well beyond the island's shores, often leaving many non-British audiences scratching their heads in contemplation, "Well, they said it was supposed to be hilarious, so what did I miss?"Like many of the British and Australian movies for the last two decades (I hesitate to say 'Commonwealth' in light of the superb efforts coming from NZ lately!)--made worse by inexplicable plot holes, kitschy lines, worn-out gags and predictable, stiffly-staged buffoonery--it's hard not to label this as yet another yawn fest.A fractured, ludicrously fashioned story line cobbled together from webisodes cannot be made whole by using atmospherics and poll-tested giggle gimmicks--various formulae mostly pushed by nervous producers and sponsors; 'if it doesn't make old what's-his-bob larf then it ain't on' still won't win an audience. I won't fault the acting here because it appears to be actors doing exactly what they have been instructed to do--admirable in the shallows that their various stereotypical, story-hobbled character development allows. I'll add that I believe it's possible that John Hardwick could have done better with more time and a better writer--the theme itself is fertile enough fodder for a decent writer.But, comedy or drama, theater is theater folks, as Will Shakespeare has endlessly demonstrated in transition from stage to screen to web. Seemingly lost within its own confusion and often distracting, pointless meandering--this just isn't good theater. It may have been a touch better had they included a laugh track.

The film is brilliant, so absorbing, great characters and storyline, awesome soundtrack and great British feelgood factor film! Great to see.Jonny & Vicky for the BAFTAS The film deserves massive success which I am sure it will gain. Can't wait for the sequel This is so the must see film of the year so far, if its coming to a town near you, you HAVE to get out and see it!!! Fantastic night, fantastic film. Gonna be a huge success. Well done all, you smashed it!!Great picture , nice touch the black and white. Great soundtrack as well, with tracks by Jake Bugg, Miles Kane, Mott The Hoople, The Stone Roses, Small Faces, Georgie Fame, The High Numbers, The Jesus and Mary Chain and many more!