Jim Morrison once said that he was interested in strange and unusual behaviour - especially that which appeared to have no apparent meaning. John Otway seems to bring this statement to life.
I recall watching Otway and Barretton the Old Grey Whistle Testvas a teenager and being amazed, The anarchic antics of John Otway were both hilarious and powerful. Although being aware of the split with Barrett, I lost track of Otways subsequent career (if it can be called that!) This movie covers those years in a fascinating manner. Otway himself comes over as a truly lovely and positive bloke. Always seems to be smiling - even when he appears to have lost upwards of 60 grand on an insane and doomed to fail adventure. Everybody else in the film speaks affectionately, yet despairingly of his antics. Yet despite almost every idea of Otway's seeming like it's "halfway down the bottle," a surprising proportion of them appear to come off in one form or another. (Even if it is not as intended...) The impression one is left with is that Otway has an indefatigable "can-do," attitude which is naive to the point of "Hey kids! Let's put the show on right here!" His positivity is really refreshing and his often meaningless anarchic antics, side-split tingly funny. Despite being linked with the punk movement (erroneously probably) Otway is a classic English eccentric, obviously cared for and held in deep affection by his fan base - with whom he seems to have an unusually close relationship.
Otway might describe himself as "Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure," but I felt this movie proves him a success as a human being.
I recall watching Otway and Barretton the Old Grey Whistle Testvas a teenager and being amazed, The anarchic antics of John Otway were both hilarious and powerful. Although being aware of the split with Barrett, I lost track of Otways subsequent career (if it can be called that!) This movie covers those years in a fascinating manner. Otway himself comes over as a truly lovely and positive bloke. Always seems to be smiling - even when he appears to have lost upwards of 60 grand on an insane and doomed to fail adventure. Everybody else in the film speaks affectionately, yet despairingly of his antics. Yet despite almost every idea of Otway's seeming like it's "halfway down the bottle," a surprising proportion of them appear to come off in one form or another. (Even if it is not as intended...) The impression one is left with is that Otway has an indefatigable "can-do," attitude which is naive to the point of "Hey kids! Let's put the show on right here!" His positivity is really refreshing and his often meaningless anarchic antics, side-split tingly funny. Despite being linked with the punk movement (erroneously probably) Otway is a classic English eccentric, obviously cared for and held in deep affection by his fan base - with whom he seems to have an unusually close relationship.
Otway might describe himself as "Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure," but I felt this movie proves him a success as a human being.