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Dingo (film)

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Dingo
Directed byRolf de Heer
Written byMarc Rosenberg
Produced byRolf de Heer
Giorgio Draskovic
Marie-Pascale Osterrieth
Marc Rosenberg
StarringColin Friels
Miles Davis
Helen Buday
CinematographyDenis Lenoir
Edited bySuresh Ayyar
Music byMiles Davis
Michel Legrand
Production
company
Distributed byGreycat Films
Umbrella Entertainment
Release dates
  • 1991 (1991) (Hof International Film Festival)
  • 31 January 1992 (1992-01-31) (Australia)
Running time
109 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
BudgetA$5 million[1]

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

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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

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Production

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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

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

Box office

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

Reception

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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

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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.

See also

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References

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  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.
  5. ^ "Umbrella Entertainment". Archived from the original on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
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