David Stratton, the critic and author with an encyclopedic knowledge of film, and whose movie review shows with Margaret Pomeranz were essential viewing for generations of Australian movie buffs, has died at 85.
Stratton’s death was announced by his family Thursday afternoon, August 18th, who remarked that he passed peacefully in hospital near his home in the Blue Mountains.
“David’s passion for film, commitment to Australian cinema, and generous spirit touched countless lives,” his family said in a statement. “He was adored as a husband, father, grand and great grandfather and admired friend.
“David’s family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support from friends, colleagues, and the public recently and across his lifetime.”
Born in England in 1939, Stratton fell in love with film at a young age. It was Stratton’s grandmother who whet his appetite for the silver screen by accompanying the youngster to the local cinemas, the tales of which he recounted in the three-part ABC series, “Stories Of Australian Cinema”.
Stratton turned a hobby into a career. At the age of 19, he founded the Melksham and District Film Society. Then, after migrating to Australia in 1963, he dived into the local film scene, and was soon appointed director of the Sydney Film Festival, serving for 17 years.
Later, he would share his wealth of knowledge through stints with Australia’s public broadcasters, first with SBS, then ABC. At SBS, Stratton and Pomeranz co-hosted The Movie Show for 18 years. The pair took the leap to the ABC in 2004, for what would be a legendary 10-year stint helming At The Movies, a weekly deep-dive into film from around the globe, with exclusive interviews.
Love Film & TV?
Get your daily dose of everything happening in music, film and TV in Australia and abroad.
Many viewers would tune in to watch the pair argue over film, which they often did. Stratton, the acerbic, grumpy Brit to Pomeranz, the bright and ready-to-fight counterpart. It was inspired television.
At The Movies was to cinema what Countdown was for music. Like Ian “Molly” Meldrum, Stratton and Pomeranz had access to all the superstars, and the behind-the-scenes heavyweights. Nothing has come close to replacing it on Australian television.
Stratton was a master at expressing the depth of his joy for a movie, like he did with “Picnic At Hanging Rock” in the ABC’s 2017 documentary series. And he wasn’t afraid to let rip on a film that he detested. When he gave a negative review to “Romper Stomper”, the film’s director Geoffrey Wright threw a glass of wine at Stratton during the Venice Film Festival. Stratton and Pomeranz disliked “Wolf Creek 2” to the extent that they refused to review it.
When the final episode of “At The Movies” when to air in December 2014, Oscar winners Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush were among the studio guests.
Away from the small screen, Stratton was longtime critic for Variety, a regular writer for “The Australian”, and a lecturer in film history at the University of Sydney.
During his lifetime, Stratton collected a lengthy list of awards and achievements, including the 60th Anniversary Medal by the Festival du Film de Cannes (2007); the Chauvel Award by the Brisbane International Film Festival (2007); the Raymond Longford Award of Australian Film Institute (2001) and Commander of Order of Arts and Letters by French Government (2000).