Mister Organ
{{short description|2022 New Zealand documentary film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Mister_Organ_poster.jpg
| caption =
| director = David Farrier
| writer =
| starring =
| producer = {{plainlist|
- David Farrier
- Alex Reed
- Emma Slade
}}
| cinematography = Dominic Fryer
| editing = Dan Kircher
| studio = Firefly Films, Bloom Pictures
| distributor = Madman Entertainment
| released = {{Film date|df=y|2022|09|24|Fantastic Fest|2022|11|10|New Zealand}}
| runtime = 96 minutes
| country = New Zealand
| language = English
| budget =
| gross = $316,380{{cite web |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2226160385/weekend/ |title=Mister Organ (2023) |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date=8 October 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Mister-Organ-(2022-New-Zealand)#tab=summary |title=Mister Organ (2023) |website=The Numbers |access-date=9 October 2023}}
}}
Mister Organ is a 2022 New Zealand documentary film by David Farrier, focusing on the life of Mister Organ, an enigmatic figure associated with an antiques store and car clamping business in Ponsonby, Auckland, and Farrier's attempts to learn more about his life.
Synopsis
The documentary investigates Mister Organ, beginning with an investigation into Bashford Antiques, an antique store in Ponsonby, Auckland which was known for its over-enthusiastic car clamping policy.{{cite web|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018865619/david-farrier-playing-cat-and-mouse-with-mister-organ |title=David Farrier: playing cat and mouse with Mister Organ |work=Radio New Zealand |first1=Kim |last1=Hill |author-link1=Kim Hill (broadcaster) |date=5 November 2022 |access-date=11 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116225809/https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018865619/david-farrier-playing-cat-and-mouse-with-mister-organ|archive-date=16 November 2022|url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Schultz |first1=Chris |title=David Farrier on making a movie that never ends: ‘It sucked … it fucked me’ |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/05-11-2022/david-farrier-on-making-a-movie-that-never-ends-it-sucked-it-fucked-me |access-date=20 March 2023 |work=The Spinoff |date=5 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104191850/https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/05-11-2022/david-farrier-on-making-a-movie-that-never-ends-it-sucked-it-fucked-me |archive-date=4 November 2022|url-status=live}}
Production
The film is a result of a three-year investigation. Farrier first reported on the story of Bashford Antiques in September 2016, in an article for The Spinoff.{{cite web|url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/08-11-2022/from-bashford-antiques-to-sean-plunket-a-timeline-of-david-farrier-and-mister-organ |title=From Bashford Antiques to Sean Plunket: A timeline of David Farrier and Mister Organ |website=The Spinoff |first=Stewart |last=Sowman-Lund |date=8 November 2022 |access-date=11 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107182047/https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/08-11-2022/from-bashford-antiques-to-sean-plunket-a-timeline-of-david-farrier-and-mister-organ|archive-date=7 November 2022|url-status=live}} As a result of Farrier's original story, the New Zealand Government introduced legislation outlawing excessive clamping fees.
The film was announced by Farrier in his blog in June 2020, originally with the title Clamped.{{cite web|url=https://www.webworm.co/p/im-working-on-my-next-documentary |title=I’m working on my next documentary, and it’s called "Clamped" |first1=David |last1=Farrier |author-link1=David Farrier |website=Webworm with David Farrier |date=10 June 2020 |access-date=11 November 2022}} Farrier described the documentary's production as a difficult ordeal, stating that: {{Blockquote|"It sucked … It fucked me. If I had my time again with this, I guarantee you I would not do it."}}
Release
The film debuted on 12 October 2022 at Fantastic Fest, an annual film festival held in Austin, Texas.{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/video/mister-organ-trailer-tickled-director-david-farriers-new-investigative-doc/ |title=‘Mister Organ’ Trailer: ‘Tickled’ Filmmaker David Farrier Places Investigative Spotlight On Rogue New Zealand Wheel Clamper With Latest Doc Set For Fantastic Fest Debut |first=Matt |last=Grobar |website=Deadline |date=20 September 2022 |access-date=11 November 2022}} It was released to New Zealand cinemas on 10 November.{{cite news|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/stuff-to-watch/300732420/mister-organ-david-farriers-documentary-is-as-bonkers-as-it-is-jawdropping|title=Mister Organ: David Farrier's documentary is as bonkers as it is jaw-dropping |first=Graeme |last=Tuckett |website=Stuff |date=8 November 2022 |access-date=11 November 2022}}
Reception
The film holds a 95% score with an average rating of 7.6/10 on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 43 critic reviews.{{Cite web |title=Mister Organ |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mister_organ |access-date=November 25, 2023 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media}} On Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average rating of 72 out of 100, based on nine critics.{{Cite web |title=Mister Organ |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/mister-organ/ |access-date=November 25, 2023 |website=Metacritic |publisher=Fandom, Inc.}}
=Legal disputes=
As is covered in the film itself, after Bashford Antiques closed, Farrier took the store's broken and abandoned sign, which led Organ to take Farrier to the Whanganui Disputes Tribunal, in order to repossess the sign. As the sign had since been stolen from Farrier's residence, he was forced to pay NZ$3,000 in compensation to Organ.
In late October 2022, broadcaster and The Platform founder Sean Plunket shared several legal documents on Twitter relating to a temporary restraining order issued against Farrier ahead of Mister Organ{{'s}} release in November. On 5 November, Farrier subsequently confirmed during a media interview with Radio New Zealand host Kim Hill that the legal documents were genuine. On 8 November, Farrier announced during an interview with Tova O'Brien on Today FM that he would be pursuing legal action against Plunket over his Tweets and the dissemination of the protection order.{{cite news |last1=Jackson |first1=Oscar |title=David Farrier to 'absolutely' take legal action against Sean Plunket amid Twitter controversy |url=https://www.todayfm.co.nz/home/national/2022/11/david-farrier-to-absolutely-take-legal-action-against-sean-plunket-amid-twitter-controversy.html |access-date=19 March 2023 |work=Today FM |date=8 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204023227/https://www.todayfm.co.nz/home/national/2022/11/david-farrier-to-absolutely-take-legal-action-against-sean-plunket-amid-twitter-controversy.html |archive-date=4 February 2023|url-status=live}}
On 27 April 2023, Plunket was charged with two charges of publishing a Family Court report, including identifying information about a person, without leave of a court. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and his case was remanded until May 2023.{{cite news |title=Broadcaster Sean Plunket charged with publishing report of restricted court proceedings |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/131868865/broadcaster-sean-plunket-charged-with-publishing-report-of-restricted-court-proceedings |access-date=28 April 2023 |work=Stuff |date=27 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427093354/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/131868865/broadcaster-sean-plunket-charged-with-publishing-report-of-restricted-court-proceedings |archive-date=27 April 2023}} On 18 July 2023, the Police dropped their charges against Plunket on the grounds that they would have difficulty proving that the charges met the Family Court Act's definition of publishing the details of a "vulnerable person."{{cite news |title=Broadcaster Sean Plunket free of charges of publishing Family Court proceedings |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/493917/broadcaster-sean-plunket-free-of-charges-of-publishing-family-court-proceedings |access-date=24 July 2023 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=18 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230718021451/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/493917/broadcaster-sean-plunket-free-of-charges-of-publishing-family-court-proceedings |archive-date=18 July 2023}} The Police found that Plunket had only shared redacted documents which were subsequently unredacted by other people on social media.{{cite news |last1=Kenny |first1=Katie |title=What we know about the charges against broadcaster Sean Plunket and why they were dropped |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/132433938/what-we-know-about-the-charges-against-broadcaster-sean-plunket-and-why-they-were-dropped |access-date=24 July 2023 |work=Stuff |date=1 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701003417/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/132433938/what-we-know-about-the-charges-against-broadcaster-sean-plunket-and-why-they-were-dropped |archive-date=1 July 2023|url-status=live}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.madman.com.au/mister-organ/ Mister Organ - Madman Entertainment Official Website]
- {{IMDb title|tt21996838}}
- {{Rotten Tomatoes|mister_organ}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mister Organ}}
Category:2022 documentary films
Category:2020s New Zealand films
Category:2020s English-language films
Category:New Zealand documentary films
Category:Films set in New Zealand