DAY 23 WEDNESDAY 14th OCTOBER, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Up at 4.30 to drive to Gold Coast airport and then flew to Sydney. I was met by the film’s Sydney publicist and we started a mad day of press. First there was SBS TV at the hotel then ABC national radio followed by 3 other radio stations. It’s really noticeable how many radio stations they have here – BBC Radio is a national treasure back in England but we don’t have the range of radio stations. Great screening at Cremorne Orpheum (where Mozart did so well) – a truly great cinema run by a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable manager. After a very good Q&A I rushed back to the hotel to watch the important ABC TV movie show. Their review really does have an impact and we got a great one!
In Search Of Beethoven
Rated G
Review by Margaret Pomeranz
Phil Grabsky’s examination of some of the world’s great composers continues with his film IN SEARCH OF BEETHOVEN. His approach, as with IN SEARCH OF MOZART, is to bring some of the world’s experts in various fields to tell Beethoven’s story. But this is not just a history; it’s an exploration of the man and his music.
It’s fascinating to discover just how revolutionary Beethoven’s music was, and the film gives great insight into the humanism at its heart.
This is really an excellent documentary. For lovers of classical music it will be a must-see but for people who want to learn about Beethoven I don’t think you could get any better introduction than this film. The music is sublime, the experts knowledgeable, the musicians themselves give a real understanding of the playing of his pieces, the music is dissected so cleverly.
The film is long, over two and a quarter hours, but there’s depth and intelligence in it. This is not a superficial journey and you end up with enormous gratitude for having taken it.
Further comments
MARGARET: David?
DAVID: I don't think I can add much to what you've said, Margaret, because I completely agree. I mean, one of the things that fascinated me about the film was to learn really what a sad life Beethoven had. The fact that he wasn't able to marry, for one reason or another, and, of course, his increasing deafness and disability and so on, while at the same time creating this sublime music. And also very interesting too is the political background at the time, which the film makes very clear.
MARGARET: Yes.
DAVID: The Napoleonic wars that were going on and the occupation of Vienna, where he lived, of course, and so on.
MARGARET: Yeah.
DAVID: I think this...
MARGARET: Well, I mean, the Heroica.
DAVID: Yeah. Yeah. So, look, I think this is an exemplary film. I'm going to give it four out of five.
MARGARET: I think it's sublime, this film. I'm giving it four and a half.
This could really help….
Monday, 19 October 2009
DAY 22 TUESDAY DAY 13th OCTOBER, BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA
Ah, the joys of being back in a country that can make coffee. Up bright & breezy and had coffee and a biscuit or two at a local café. Spent the morning with Gil and his colleague Peta and we worked through schedules and what-not. Did a radio interview then picked up a car hire and drove to the wonderful seaside town of Byron Bay – though actually drove a little past it to see a good friend Oren Siedler (and her partner Tony). I met Oren in Toronto back in 2003 when I was raising funds for The Boy who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan. She made a great film – now an excellent book – called Bruce and Me. Thoroughly recommend reading it. Their house is in the rain forest and is fantastic.
Ah, the joys of being back in a country that can make coffee. Up bright & breezy and had coffee and a biscuit or two at a local café. Spent the morning with Gil and his colleague Peta and we worked through schedules and what-not. Did a radio interview then picked up a car hire and drove to the wonderful seaside town of Byron Bay – though actually drove a little past it to see a good friend Oren Siedler (and her partner Tony). I met Oren in Toronto back in 2003 when I was raising funds for The Boy who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan. She made a great film – now an excellent book – called Bruce and Me. Thoroughly recommend reading it. Their house is in the rain forest and is fantastic.
DAY 21 MONDAY 12th OCTOBER, WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND to BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA
Half-way through the tour now. Energy levels still good. New York seems a long time ago though…I kind of hope that Hong Kong comes a bit faster. Anyway, I took an early flight from Wellington to Sydney, then had a four hour stop-over in Sydney (where I worked on my computer) and then caught a plane to Brisbane. Arrived to a beautiful hot sunny day…the kind of day that really should be a holiday. Met by my distributor Gil Scrine and we headed off to Noosa Heads for tonight’s screening. It’s a couple of hours drive north of Brisbane and, Gil being Gil, first things first on arrival: a swim in the sea. These ozzies can’t help it – they are irresistibly drawn to the sea like bees to honey. I have to agree it was great to play in the waves for 30 minutes or so… Then, drying off in the car park as best I could, it was dressed and off to the local cinema. Lovely multi-screen cinema showing a much broader mix of films than our multiplexes do. Well, that’s illustrated by my presence. Screening went well – back to full crowds which is a relief after NZ. Late night drive back to an apartment hotel in Brisbane.
Half-way through the tour now. Energy levels still good. New York seems a long time ago though…I kind of hope that Hong Kong comes a bit faster. Anyway, I took an early flight from Wellington to Sydney, then had a four hour stop-over in Sydney (where I worked on my computer) and then caught a plane to Brisbane. Arrived to a beautiful hot sunny day…the kind of day that really should be a holiday. Met by my distributor Gil Scrine and we headed off to Noosa Heads for tonight’s screening. It’s a couple of hours drive north of Brisbane and, Gil being Gil, first things first on arrival: a swim in the sea. These ozzies can’t help it – they are irresistibly drawn to the sea like bees to honey. I have to agree it was great to play in the waves for 30 minutes or so… Then, drying off in the car park as best I could, it was dressed and off to the local cinema. Lovely multi-screen cinema showing a much broader mix of films than our multiplexes do. Well, that’s illustrated by my presence. Screening went well – back to full crowds which is a relief after NZ. Late night drive back to an apartment hotel in Brisbane.
Blast! It’s a beautiful sunny day – their first in 3 weeks. That won’t help… I spent all morning not in the sun but indoors on emails – that really is a theme of this trip. Anyway, headed out at lunchtime for the cinema and another double-bill. I was still expecting a good audience. After all, this very cinema played In Search of Mozart for 6 – yes, six! – months…. I am extremely disappointed to see only 10 people have turned up in a 450 seat cinema. That is awful. But I can learn from this and there are definitely changes to how this whole thing will be done next time. Too many links in the chain and, as they say, you are only as good as the weakest link. Evening ended a bit better with a snack and quick driving tour of Wellington with a very good local film-maker Jennifer Bush-Daumec. After that, I packed and prepared for tomorrow’s flight to the next country: Australia.
Friday, 16 October 2009
DAY 20 SUNDAY 11th OCTOBER, WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND
Blast! It’s a beautiful sunny day – their first in 3 weeks. That won’t help… I spent all morning not in the sun but indoors on emails – that really is a theme of this trip. Anyway, headed out at lunchtime for the cinema and another double-bill. I was still expecting a good audience. After all, this very cinema played In Search of Mozart for 6 – yes, six! – months…. I am extremely disappointed to see only 10 people have turned up in a 450 seat cinema. That is awful. But I can learn from this and there are definitely changes to how this whole thing will be done next time. Too many links in the chain and, as they say, you are only as good as the weakest link. Evening ended a bit better with a snack and quick driving tour of Wellington with a very good local film-maker Jennifer Bush-Daumec. After that, I packed and prepared for tomorrow’s flight to the next country: Australia.
Blast! It’s a beautiful sunny day – their first in 3 weeks. That won’t help… I spent all morning not in the sun but indoors on emails – that really is a theme of this trip. Anyway, headed out at lunchtime for the cinema and another double-bill. I was still expecting a good audience. After all, this very cinema played In Search of Mozart for 6 – yes, six! – months…. I am extremely disappointed to see only 10 people have turned up in a 450 seat cinema. That is awful. But I can learn from this and there are definitely changes to how this whole thing will be done next time. Too many links in the chain and, as they say, you are only as good as the weakest link. Evening ended a bit better with a snack and quick driving tour of Wellington with a very good local film-maker Jennifer Bush-Daumec. After that, I packed and prepared for tomorrow’s flight to the next country: Australia.
DAY 19 SATURDAY 10th OCTOBER, AUCKLAND & WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND
Woke early and went for a jog up the road to a nice park called The Domain. Should of and could of run further but soon seemed to find myself in a café bar buying a spot of breakfast. Looking forward to Australia and some nice runs in the sun. I spent the majority of the day with the distributor friend from last night who took me to some gorgeous spots on the coast west of Auckland. What a stunning country – I will have to come back one day with the family and hire a campervan and explore…
In the afternoon, I took a flight to Wellington. $10/kilo for excess baggage! The airlines really are squeezing every buck these days…
Wellington is grey, wet & cold. My mood not helped by another crummy hotel in the middle of nowhere. I had to dash for a pre-arranged seat at the NZ Opera Company presentation of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. Apparently it’s relatively rare to have opera in NZ – maybe twice a year. The place was packed – everyone was very scrubbed and brushed for a night out. I have to say that, fine performance though it was, it wasn’t Beethoven. Hurried back to hotel for a good night’s sleep. Hope it’s wet tomorrow – that will encourage punters to the show.
Woke early and went for a jog up the road to a nice park called The Domain. Should of and could of run further but soon seemed to find myself in a café bar buying a spot of breakfast. Looking forward to Australia and some nice runs in the sun. I spent the majority of the day with the distributor friend from last night who took me to some gorgeous spots on the coast west of Auckland. What a stunning country – I will have to come back one day with the family and hire a campervan and explore…
In the afternoon, I took a flight to Wellington. $10/kilo for excess baggage! The airlines really are squeezing every buck these days…
Wellington is grey, wet & cold. My mood not helped by another crummy hotel in the middle of nowhere. I had to dash for a pre-arranged seat at the NZ Opera Company presentation of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. Apparently it’s relatively rare to have opera in NZ – maybe twice a year. The place was packed – everyone was very scrubbed and brushed for a night out. I have to say that, fine performance though it was, it wasn’t Beethoven. Hurried back to hotel for a good night’s sleep. Hope it’s wet tomorrow – that will encourage punters to the show.
DAY 18 FRIDAY 9th OCTOBER, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
I have to say that the Qantas flight was great. Love to fly with them again. I also had a funny experience of the guy next to me putting on the in-flight entertainment and choosing one of my films! Meanwhile I watched one of the worst films I have ever seen: Angels & Demons. It was so awful on so many levels…I couldn’t stop watching it it was so bad…So maybe that was the idea.
I arrived in Auckland at 0830am and checked into a crummy hotel in a pretty dismal part of Auckland. My mood wasn’t helped by my arrival at the cinema at 10.30 for the start of a special double bill of Mozart & Beethoven. It seems that there has been a real paucity of advertising – the cinema is only half, maybe a third, full. Considering how well IN SEARCH OF MOZART did in Auckland, I am very disappointed. My mood was improved only by the positive reaction of those who did come, a very nice cinema manager who said she’d love to show more of my films, and a very nice dinner with a local distributor (mainly DVD these days) and his wife & friends.
I have to say that the Qantas flight was great. Love to fly with them again. I also had a funny experience of the guy next to me putting on the in-flight entertainment and choosing one of my films! Meanwhile I watched one of the worst films I have ever seen: Angels & Demons. It was so awful on so many levels…I couldn’t stop watching it it was so bad…So maybe that was the idea.
I arrived in Auckland at 0830am and checked into a crummy hotel in a pretty dismal part of Auckland. My mood wasn’t helped by my arrival at the cinema at 10.30 for the start of a special double bill of Mozart & Beethoven. It seems that there has been a real paucity of advertising – the cinema is only half, maybe a third, full. Considering how well IN SEARCH OF MOZART did in Auckland, I am very disappointed. My mood was improved only by the positive reaction of those who did come, a very nice cinema manager who said she’d love to show more of my films, and a very nice dinner with a local distributor (mainly DVD these days) and his wife & friends.
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