Slim Dusty Movie, The

“The Pub With No Beer” may not be “Ring Of Fire” but there is good reason to claim that Slim Dusty was Australia’s Johnny Cash. Rob Stewart’s docu-drama is a tribute to the our best-known country singer. Divided between recreations of Slim’s life from on the one hand, his days as David Gordon Kirkpatrick of Nulla Nulla Creek in New South Wales, to his life on the road as a featured act of Jimmy Sharman’s travelling troupe in the 1950s, and on the other Slim’s present day tour, along with his wife and daughter, also performers, through Outback Australia, which ranges from an outdoor performance for a few dozen to the Sydney Opera House,

The Slim Dusty Movie is a well-made film, not so much about Slim himself, who in the absence of interviews or narration, remains a purely iconic figure, as about Australian country music, a transplantation of American country and western music but with distinctive local content. I particularly liked Slim’s earlier “old-timey” material complete with yodelling and twangingly nasal vocals and it is somewhat surprising that this period of Australian music is not better known. Then again, maybe it’s not. I was less taken by his present day material, even though much of it is about bygone days and for fan of the man and his music there are plenty of handsomely recorded live performances that will make this a pleasant journey back in time.

DVD Extras: The Slim Dusty Movie original soundtrack (2 CDs); Just Rollin - an all-new feature length documentary on the making of the film, and the life of Slim Dusty. Includes exclusive interviews with Joy McKean, Anne Kirkpatrick, David Kirkpatrick, Heather McKean, Kent Chadwick, Rob Stewart, Rod Coe, Mike Kerin, Mandaway Yunupingu and Glenn A. Baker; Behind-the-scenes footage with commentary from producer Kent Chadwick; Slim Dusty rehearsal and performance footage; Reconstructed deleted scene - "Gymkhana Yodel”;  Old Purple featurette; PARKINSON IN THE TOP END - Slim in conversation with Michael Parkinson on location;  STATE AFFAIR  - Slim Dusty and Joy Kirkpatrick interview; MOVIE SCENE Slim Dusty and Kent Chadwick interview; Slim's 1984 VFL Grand Final performance; The Space Shuttle Columbia's Slim Dusty broadcast; Extensive stills gallery accompanied by a 1983 radio interview with Slim discussing the Mt.Isa shoot; "The Slim Dusty Movie" promotional gallery accompanied by Slim Dusty tribute songs; Original theatrical trailer.

Available from: Umbrella Entertainment

 

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