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New Michael Hutchence Documentary Celebrates INXS Front Man’s Life

By Amy Feinstein
Published on: 19:00 PST, Jul 25, 2016

It’s been over 18 years since INXS front man Michael Hutchence committed suicide, and a new documentary is attempting to celebrate his life rather than probing his death. Longtime INXS band manager Chris Murphy is producing the new feature length piece and partnering up with Passion Pictures to tell the story. Richard Lowenstein who directed many of INXS’s videos will direct the documentary which will include friends and family, including his daughter, Tiger Lily.

Page Six says that INXS manager Chris Murphy wants to tell the story of Michael Hutchence the musician honestly and reveal him to the world as the raw talent he was.

“Michael Hutchence wrote some of the sexiest lyrics in music, and I look forward to telling his story truthfully and with respect. [And] I am extremely proud that Michael’s film includes his daughter, Tiger Lily, as the beneficiary.”

Though the INXS frontman committed suicide in 1997, Murphy wants people to know that there was more to Michael Hutchence than just a rock star who committed suicide.

Rolling Stone is reporting that Michael Hutchence, the magnetic INXS frontman, will be the main focus of the feature length documentary by Universal Music Group, directed by Richard Lowenstein, who directed the INXS video “What You Need.” Lowenstein hopes that the documentary will allow people to see who Michael Hutchence really was.

“I have been working on the definitive documentary film journey into the heart and soul of this complex, shy, poetic and exceptionally charismatic man for many years.”

“To be able to embark on this film now with such great partners as UMG, UK’s Passion Pictures, Ghost Pictures, [longtime INXS manager] Chris [Murphy] and INXS is extremely exciting and I know that together we are going to tell this story like no one else can.”

UMG’s Head of Film Michael Blackman explains that the full story of Michael Hutchence and his genius will be told in this poignant documentary. Blackman stresses that though Hutchence’s life ended tragically, there was more to Hutchence and INXS than a lot of fans know.

“We have assembled an incredible team that is committed to telling Michael’s story and providing the world with a portrait of a man who left behind an enduring musical and cultural legacy.”

Billboard says that even though it has almost been twenty years since the death of Michael Hutchence, the music of INXS lives on and will be celebrated again in the new documentary. Richard Lowenstein says he considers this documentary to be a film journey of the life of Michael Hutchence, and he wants to convey the charisma of the INXS frontman to the world.

In November of 1997, Michael Hutchence was found dead in his Sydney hotel room after a hanging that was ruled a suicide. Michael Hutchence will always be remembered for his hits “The One Thing,” “Original Sin,” “What You Need,” “Need You Tonight,” and “Never Tear Us Apart,” and the way he could almost hypnotize an audience.

One of the main beneficiaries to the film will be Michael Hutchence’s daughter with Paula Yates, Tiger Lily, 20, who also lost her mother to suicide. It was important to all involved in the creation of this INXS/Michael Hutchence documentary that they have the blessing of the Hutchence family, and especially Tiger Lily, according to John Battsek of Passion Pictures.

“To know we have access to everyone and everything required to make such a film and the full support of UMG just reaffirms to us all that we can tell this story in the truest and most authentic way possible.”

The documentary is expected to be distributed and in theaters in 2017.

Are you interested in seeing a documentary about INXS and Michael Hutchence? Do you hope it tells the story of Hutchence’s life as opposed to his suicide?

[Photo by Getty Images Staff]

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