Dingo (film)

Dingo
Dingo
Directed by	Rolf de Heer
Written by	Marc Rosenberg
Produced by	Rolf de Heer; Giorgio Draskovic; Marie-Pascale Osterrieth; Marc Rosenberg
Starring	Colin Friels; Miles Davis; Helen Buday
Cinematography	Denis Lenoir
Edited by	Suresh Ayyar
Music by	Miles Davis; Michel Legrand
Production; company	Gevest Australia Productions
Distributed by	Greycat Films; Umbrella Entertainment
Release dates	1991 (Hof International Film Festival); 31 January 1992 (Australia);
Running time	109 minutes
Country	Australia
Language	English
Budget	A$5 million

Dingo is a 1991 Australian film directed by Rolf de Heer and written by Marc Rosenberg. It is notable for marking Miles Davis' first and only speaking role in a narrative feature film.

Synopsis

The story traces the pilgrimage of John Anderson, an average guy with a passion for jazz, from his home in outback Western Australia to the jazz clubs of Paris, to meet his idol, jazz trumpeter Billy Cross. In the film's opening sequence, Cross and his band unexpectedly land on a remote airstrip for repairs in the Australian outback and proceed to perform for the stunned locals.

Cast

Colin Friels – John Anderson
Miles Davis – Billy Cross
Helen Buday – Jane Anderson
Joe Petruzzi – Peter
Brigitte Catillon – Beatrice Boulain
Bernard Fresson – Jacques Boulain
Bernadette Lafont – Angie Cross
Helen Doig – Ruth
Eric Oldfield – Rod Fraser

Production

The movie was filmed in Meekatharra, Perth, and Sandstone, Western Australia, as well as Paris, France.^[2]

Christian Faure was the assistant director of the movie.

Music

Davis, who plays the role of Cross, provided the film's soundtrack in cooperation with Michel Legrand.^{[citation needed]}

Box office

Dingo grossed $132,500 at the box office in Australia.^[3]

Reception

According to Ozmovies:

Despite the presence of Miles Davis, the film also didn’t travel well internationally and struggled for attention, though his presence also has ensured the film’s ongoing status as a cult item, offsetting the unfulfilled award, critical and commercial hopes...
... the film was at the time criticised for being an unrealistic and unlikely romantic fairy tale, but jazz enthusiasts defensively rushed to dig out stories of Australia’s best jazz saxophonist, Bernie McGann, who, while working as a postman, went out into the bush to practise.^[4]

Home media

Dingo was released on DVD by Umbrella Entertainment in July 2005. The DVD is compatible with all region codes and includes special features such as a new 5.1 channel soundtrack, trailers, and an image gallery.^[5]

Umbrella Entertainment released a Region B Blu-ray of Dingo in 2021, with extra features including interviews with Rolf de Heer and Helen Buday and a rushes reel with audio commentary by Rolf de Heer.

References

^ Raymond Young, "Dingo", Australian Film 1978-1992, Oxford Uni Press, 1993 p337
^ "Dingo (1991) – IMDb". IMDb.
^ "Film Victoria – Australian Films at the Australian Box Office" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
^ 'Dingo' at Ozmovies, accessed 26 October 2017.
^ "Umbrella Entertainment". Archived from the original on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2013.

External links

[1] Raymond Young, "Dingo", Australian Film 1978-1992, Oxford Uni Press, 1993 p337

[2] "Dingo (1991) – IMDb". IMDb.

[3] "Film Victoria – Australian Films at the Australian Box Office" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2010.

[4] 'Dingo' at Ozmovies, accessed 26 October 2017.

[Umbrella_Entertainment-5] "Umbrella Entertainment". Archived from the original on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2013.

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