Tim Burstall | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1927-04-20)20 April 1927 Stockton-on-Tees, England |
| Died | 19 April 2004(2004-04-19) (aged 76) Melbourne, Australia |
| Other names | Timothy Burstall |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, writer, producer |
| Years active | 1960–1996 |
| Spouse | Betty Burstall |
Timothy BurstallAM (20 April 1927 – 19 April 2004) was anEnglish Australianfilm director, writer and producer, best known for hit Australian movieAlvin Purple (1973) and its sequelAlvin Rides Again (1974).
Burstall's films featured early appearances by many legendary Australian actors includingJack Thompson,Bruce Spence,Jacki Weaver,Alvin starGraeme Blundell,John Waters andJudy Davis.
Speaking just after Burstall's death,David Williamson said that Burstall "couldn't stomach" Australia's lack of a film industry. "He was determined to do something about it and he had the energy and spirit to do it. (He) was a very important cultural figure: highly intelligent, widely read, with a succinct and often highly controversial opinion on everything."[citation needed]
Burstall was born inStockton-on-Tees,County Durham,England in April 1927. His family came to Australia in 1937 after his father took up a chair as professor of engineering at theUniversity of Melbourne. AttendingGeelong Grammar, Burstall was taught by historianManning Clark. When his parents returned to England after World War II he remained in Australia. He graduated with aBachelor of Arts degree with Honours in History from theUniversity of Melbourne in 1946, where he resided atQueen's College. He metBetty, whom he married, at the university. They built a mud brick house atEltham, Victoria.[1] The family home from 1967-2013 was 148 Nicholson Street,Fitzroy (sold, 2013).[2] He later attended theUniversity of Sydney and theUniversity of California, Los Angeles.
Burstall originally wanted to be a novelist and thought that if he worked in film it might be a way to move into writing.[3] He went to work for the National Film Library with a view to getting a job at the Commonwealth Film Unit as a scriptwriter. He worked on a series of documentaries, editing and writing for the Antarctic Division. He became interested in film making after seeing 1953 French filmWhite Mane at theMelbourne International Film Festival.[3]
He and Patrick Ryan established Eltham Films in 1959.[4][5]
In February 2012 sections of Burstall's personal journals from 1953–1955 were published byMelbourne University Press, under the titleMemoirs of a Young Bastard.[6][7][8][9][10]
Burstall's first film was a black-and-whiteshort,The Prize. With photography byGérard Vandenberg,The Prize won abronze at the 1960Venice Film Festival. Burstall's two young sons had acting roles.
Working withDavid Bilcock,Dusan Marek,Giorgio Mangiamele, Gérard Vandenburg, Alan Harkness and composerGeorge Dreyfus, Eltham Films made many short subjects, including acclaimed documentaries on Australian art, and early children's puppet seriesSebastian the Fox. The latter first screened on theABC in 1962-63, and Burstall later described the title character as "one of the first recessive Oz heroes".[3]
From 1965 to 67 Burstall was in the United States on aHarkness Fellowship. He studied scriptwriting withPaddy Chayefsky, directing withMartin Ritt, and acting withLee Strasberg and theActors Studio in New York.[1]
One of the results of the trip was the founding by Burstall's wife,Betty, ofLa Mama Theatre, in theMelbourne suburb ofCarlton. La Mama opened on 30 July 1967, modelled on the "off-off-Broadway" theatre ofthe same name in New York City.
Burstall wrote and directed the 1969 feature2000 Weeks. A commercial failure, savaged by the critics, the film's poor reception would lead Burstall to move to more populist works with his next films,Stork and sex comedyAlvin Purple. The film's failure also influencedBruce Beresford andPhillip Adams to move in a more populist direction when they came to make early Australian hitThe Adventures of Barry McKenzie in 1972.
Burstall then formed a new company with Pat Ryan, David Bilcock and Rob Copping, Bilock and Copping with the view to making commercials to fund features. He looked at making a film calledFilth and had money to develop it, but decided to makeStork instead.[11]
Stork appeared in 1971, and proved a moderate commercial success. Stork won multiple Australian Film Institute awards, including best narrative feature, best director and best actor.
After the breakout success ofAlvin Purple, Burstall would later return to work with Williamson on three further films: social dramaPetersen (1974), which was seen in England and the United States (for whichStanley Kubrick praised Burstall for his direction and Jack Thompson for his acting),[1] big-budget rompEliza Fraser (1976)[1] andDuet for Four (1982), the tale of a mid-life crisis. Burstall has argued thatEliza Fraser was made for an increased budget after Roadshow insisted on overseas stars;Susannah York played Eliza, and the cast also includedTrevor Howard.
After formingHexagon Productions, Burstall directed, produced and co-wrote (withAlan Hopgood) his next feature, sex comedyAlvin Purple (1973). The film was released in some territories asThe Sex Therapist. Burstall estimated that he made $120,000 fromAlvin Purple.[12] The film spawned a successful sequel which Burstall co-wrote. Later Hexagon films performed less well at the box office. In 1980 Burstall made a film for another company when he took over war movieAttack Force Z afterPhillip Noyce had creative disagreements with the producers just before filming was due to begin.
Burstall directed episodes of series includingSpecial Squad,Return to Eden II,The Man from Snowy River andWater Rats. His miniseriesGreat Expectations: The Untold Story was the first co-production between an independent filmmaker andABC TV.[1]
Burstall won a number ofAustralian Film Institute awards for his work, including best director forStork (which also won the grand prize) and a best director nomination for his 1976 thrillerEnd Play. His final theatrical feature was an adaptation of DH Lawrence novelKangaroo in 1986. He was appointed a Member of theOrder of Australia (AM) in the Australia Day Honours 1996.[13] His wife Betty had been similarly honoured in 1993.[14]
On the evening of 18 April 2004 Burstall suffered astroke. He was 76.[1] He was survived by his wife Betty (d. 2013)[15] and his sons Dan and Tom.
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