Switzerland 2012, 54/77 min, HDA Hugofilm Production
by Sophie Huber
Harry Dean Stanton - Partly Fiction
Remembering the iconic actor in his intimate moments, with film clips from some of his 250 films and his own heart-breaking renditions of American folk songs. Lensed in colour and b/w by Seamus McGarvey (Academy Award nominee), the film explores the actor’s enigmatic outlook on his life, his unexploited talents as a musician, and includes scenes with David Lynch, Wim Wenders, Sam Shepard, Kris Kristofferson and Debbie Harry.Press:
"Long overdue" Hollywood Reporter
"Warm, wise and wonderful" The Telegraph
“Probably the best concert film you’ll see all year - that’s right, this part-documentary, part-retrospective on the terrific, prolific screen actor Harry Dean Stanton arrives stuffed with laughs, poignancy, and crooning by the great man himself. You’ll come for the amazing anecdotes, but you’ll stay for the music.” Mike Scurfield in Digital Fix/Edinburgh Bites
“Being one of the most iconic of character actors over several decades, it only seems fitting that someone feature Harry Dean Stanton in a documentary about the life and career of the great man. […] To illustrate how respected Harry Dean Stanton was and still is, director David Lynch appears next to him on his sofa for a segment as he attempts to unravel the layers of this enigmatic man via a series of interview-like questions. This in itself is quite the treat seeing both men casually converse, but even then there is far more to Stanton than meets the eye.” Mike P. Williams in Yahoo! Contributor Network
Rotten Tomatoes (96% fresh):
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harry_dean_stanton_partly_fiction_2013/
- Currently No. 29 of Top 100 Movies of 2013
New York Times "Critic's Pick" Review, Jeannette Catsoulis:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/11/movies/harry-dean-stanton-looks-at-the-actors-life.html?_r=0
"An unusually poetic biopic"
Los Angeles Times, Sheri Linden
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-harry-dean-stanton-review-20130913,0,1601166.story#axzz2qEefNrM5
- Lyrical and enigmatic
Village Voice, Nick Schager
http://www.villagevoice.com/2013-09-11/film/harry-dean-stanton-partly-fiction/
- A film that's in perfect sync with its subject
Hollywood Reporter (Venice Review):
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/harry-dean-stanton-partly-fiction-venice-review-367883
- Entertaining and quietly illuminating
- Music emerges as one of the most potent keys to the Stanton enigma
- Long overdue
RogerEbert.com, Sheila O'Malley
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/harry-dean-stanton-partly-fiction-2013
- 3.5 stars out of 4
- Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction" is a compelling collage of a man who has been ubiquitous in American films for over half a century.
The Telegraph (Venice Picks):
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/venice-film-festival/9525919/Venice-Film-Festival-2012-a-rejuvenated-Venice.html#
- ***** (five stars)
- Warm, wise and wonderful
Film Comment, Chris Chang
http://www.filmcomment.com/article/short-takes-harry-dean-stanton-partly-fiction
- His take on such classic Americana as “Blue Moon” and “Everybody’s Talkin’,” or “Danny Boy,” will overwhelm you, not so much because he sings so well, but because during these moments Stanton finally reveals himself in all his fragility. For any fan, this is mandatory.
Filmmaker Magazine (IDFA review):
http://filmmakermagazine.com/59725-top-of-the-doc-toasting-25-years-at-idfa-2012/
- Notable not just for its unprecedented access but also for its pure artistry
The Austin Chronicle, Marc Savlov
http://www.austinchronicle.com/calendar/film/2013-09-27/harry-dean-stanton-partly-fiction/
- Alternating between color footage and the genius interplay of startlingly lovely sequences of Stanton singing and playing harmonica in granular black-and-white, Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fictionperfectly captures the essence of the man.
Boston Globe,
http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/2013/10/03/movie-review-harry-dean-stanton-partly-fiction/x8gVN7S0MEbepnK3IusZBM/story.html
- An unexpectedly moving portrait of a maverick at twilight.
Screen International UK (IDFA review):
- A wonderful impressionistic film portrait
The Digital Fix (Edinburgh review)
http://film.thedigitalfix.com/content/id/76700/edinburgh-bites-harry-dean-stanton-partly-fiction.html
- Probably the best concert film you’ll see all year
Venice 2012 (official selection), Vienna, IDFA, Göteborg, SXSW, ZagrebDox, BAFICI, DocAviv, IndieLisboa, Solothurn, Krakow, Beldocs (FIPRESCI Award), Kosmorama, L.A. Film Festival, Edinburgh, Cork FF (official selection audience award), a.m.o.