This documentary about the largely unknown New Zealand silent era filmmaker Colin McKenzie was made in 1995 by directors Costa Botes and Peter Jackson, who is the director of The Frighteners (1996) and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings (2001), after Jackson discovered a cache of McKenzie films in the shed of a family friend, McKenzie’s widow.

Originally made for New Zealand television, this documentary is full of surprises and revelations about the driven young man who built his own home-made camera at twelve years old, made his own filmstock, and developed an early color film process.

Also covered is McKenzie’s early partnership with his brother Brooke, their early experimental synchronized sound process, and McKenzie’s professional relationship with the tremendously unfunny comedian Stan ‘The Man’ Wilson, producer Rex Solomon of Majestic Lion Pictures, and the Palermo brothers. But much of the documentary covers McKenzie’s struggle to make his historical epic masterpiece, Salome.

The documentary includes interviews with studio executive Harvey Weinstein, film historian Leonard Maltin and actor Sam Neill, who comment on Colin McKenzie’s contribution to film during the silent era. Viewers will be fascinated and dumbfounded at the recounting of the achievements of the photographer of the first true flight of man and inventor of the steam-powered motion picture camera.

This at times hilarious mockumentary was a modest success at its almost convincing silent era footage that was originally shot in color and made to look like decomposing nitrate prints, its authoritative interviews with industry professionals, and its incorporation of real historical events. But how could anyone be fooled by some of the outrageous claims made of behalf of the ficticious McKenzie? Take a look at the film. If you believe it, get angry. If you don’t believe it, have a great laugh. — Carl Bennett

This new edition of the silent film spoof hasn’t been viewed by our staff, but we expect this edition to be of similar quality to the previous disc.

USA: Click the logomark at right to purchase a Region 1 NTSC DVD of this edition from Amazon.com.
Canada: Click the logomark at right to purchase a Region 1 NTSC DVD of this edition from Amazon.ca.

The disc’s supplementary section includes commentary by director Costa Botes, a documentary on the making of the film, “Behind the Bull,” which notes the unbelievably angry reactions to the TVNZ premiere, and deleted scenes.

USA: Click the logomark at right to purchase a Region 1 NTSC DVD of this edition from Amazon.com.
Canada: Click the logomark at right to purchase a Region 1 NTSC DVD of this edition from Amazon.ca.