PORTSMOUTH, ENGLAND: Today Murlyn Films International, a British based independent film production company specialising in low budget movie production, announced that over 30 surviving works of late director Michael J Murphy from "Avalon" to "ZK3" are now available for free viewing online.
Upon reaching this milestone, Murphy's archivist and documentary maker Mike Peter Reed said "It's been quite a journey to pull these works together from disparate sources including old VHS recordings, broadcast beta tapes, DVD and Blu-Ray screeners. Sadly we lost Murphy in 2015 aged 64 whilst he was in preproduction of 'Pornophobia' but at least his back catalogue can now be enjoyed, entertain and inspire others for generations to come."
Murphy's archivist explained why Murlyn Films International chose to partner with YouTube:
Youtube is currently the second largest search engine on the planet. It stands to reason that anyone looking for Murphy's cult and obscure films would likely try a search on Youtube.
Ease of uploading feature length content and subsequent reliability of distribution globally. Anyone can do it without involving a middleman or aggregation company.
Longevity. It seems likely that YouTube will be around for at least as long as the internet exists meaning Murphy's work can be found and enjoyed by generations to come.
About Murlyn Films International: Murlyn Films International is a British independent film production company based in the historical naval city of Portsmouth, England. Founded in 2013 through a creative collaboration between Michael J Murphy and Philip Lyndon, Murphy's back catalogue stretches back to an acclaimed production of 'Boadicea' in the late 1960s and includes pioneering works during the VHS pre-certification "video nasties" era of the 1980s.
As a relative outsider it is testament to Michael J. Murphy's (MJM) larger than life personality that after only meeting him twice I was keen to get to know him and his work beyond the surface.
It may not quite be definitive (only fuzzy clips of Boadicea remain as part of the original BBC broadcast profiling MJM) but later professional works are well represented but much products of their time - VHS is a 240P format at best so we were lucky to get some of his work sourced from master tapes - but it seems zero celluloid survives.
His work lives on, as does his power to inspire. Phil Lyndon (the surviving Murlyn business partner) received this praise via Facebook (reproduced with permission):
Hello Mr. Lyndon. Of course you don't know me, so a brief introduction: I'm Joe Chapman from Pennsylvania. I have a video and photo studio, Chapman Productions, in the city of Allentown, where my fiance, Libby, and I work on various projects. Recently, I happened upon Invitation to Hell and The last Night on Youtube, and watched them both. I then investigated into who this fellow, Michael J. Murphy was, which led to my discovery of his recent passing - my condolences. Watching the video interview of Mr. Murphy on the MurLyn Films website painted him in a very favorable light to me, and prompted me to watch more of his work. I then proceeded to view everything I could find with great enjoyment. The long interview on Youtube with him by you pressed upon me to learn more about all of you. I suppose my discovery of MurLyn Films came at an opportune moment for me, as gearing up to shoot our first feature has been somewhat stressful, but hearing Mr. Murphy speak so candidly about his career making films, and seeing his films myself, was exactly the inspiration that I needed to snap me out of my doubtful mindset. So this is simply a letter of thanks to Director Michael J. Murphy, to you for keeping MurLyn Films aloft, and to the cast and crew of all of MurLyn Films' productions. Also, if we can be of service to your future productions in any way then let us know. It would be an honor to help keep Mr. Murphy's love of filmmaking going, and a pleasure to work with you and MurLyn Films. Sincerely, Joe Chapman
Discover the obscure world of Michael J. Murphy yourself, here are some pointers:
After he passed away I discovered that as well as a cult horror following some of his work has a peplum following too.
Whereas his horror stuff that I've seen to date reveals themes of cannibalism, satanic rituals and general low budget gore, the peplum productions are another side of his character I need to become better acquainted with.
The MURLYN INTERNATIONAL Youtube channel is being populated with Murphy's back catalogue.
So having said that, I have resolved to watch the remainder of his surviving filmography as it becomes available on his youtube channel over the coming weeks. I suspect I may start reviewing his work here on my blog, too. All in an effort to inform the sensitivity of the documentary I produce, which you may have guessed is consequently not going to get completed any time soon!
Tuesday evening during a live film screening event an episode of "Making Of" being produced by TrashArts was shot before, during, and after. Directed by me.
DSLR and stereo X/Y mic atop for POV experience
Fortunately the actors knew their characters really well so it was more a case of AD'ing myself and being continuity person (fuck continuity) to ensure enough coverage for the edit.
What a luxury to just turn up, direct, and go home!
The current cut of "Episode 2" is a shade under 20 minutes. We shot it all in one location in just over four hours.
Anyhow, what did I actually learn?
1.Microphone technology, and audience tastes, have shifted to the point where the camera can truly become a character (indeed this was part of the brief).
Despite shooting at a noisy event in a pub screening the football and a short film night the Røde Stereo Videomic picked up a fine stereo soundstage and intelligible dialogue (at my direction, natch - move closer!)
2. The film clips of the late Michael J Murphy went down a storm.
Part of the script called for reactions to local low budget films. I opted to show excerpts from Murphy's Avalon (German release) and his commercially unreleased super8 Bloodstream.
Boy did those clips get reactions! Secretly, I think MJM would be proud even from the afterlife. 3. Let go but keep time.
This was shot from a five page treatment (by the time I'd added my notes) and then completely performed improv. In the chaos of the venue it was pointless to have done too much planning - but doing just enough to, well, provide direction (as the director, see?)
Antagonists
4. Texan four bean soup sure does look like puke.
I wasn't sure whether to go for the brown realism or the camera friendly yellow-y GAIN style demonic possession vomit. The brown stuff worked out just swell in context.
5. Great actors can appear from nowhere.
I don't know where Sam Mason Bell finds them, but the casting really works. Like I say it probably helps that the majority have already been through the award winning "Episode 1" experience. Those that hadn't were well prepared and researched - leading to some great ad-hoc exchanges between the protagonists and antagonists.
So despite the football running into extra time (I have no idea what the final score was) and a room full of local film nerds watching what film nerds watch at these events I brought a 20 minute episode in on time and under budget (the Texan four bean soup is a tax deductible line item I assured them).
After the success of FilmRaker's London Pop-Up, the next live conference is happening on the south coast of England in the seaside town of Southsea.
Numbers are limited at the venue so the event sessions will also be broadcast live via periscope. Keep an eye on FilmRaker's twitter feed on the 22nd from 6pm-BST for the live broadcast links.
What benefit do modern film festivals (aka competitions) provide the hard worn filmmaker after you have parted with your entry fee? Film festivals will take your money and often send you the stock rejection letter.
I know from personal experience that back in the 90s you'd get some constructive criticism from the likes of the BAVA.
And so it appears, quite a critique, if you entered the Moviemaker competition in 1982 judging from these specimens from the Michael J. Murphy estate.
'Stay', 1982 - Gold Star
'The Cell', 1982 - 4 Star
Now, I get it. Back then filmmaking - on actual film - was expensive so festival competitions wouldn't get swamped with swill from kids with smartphones.
Perhaps I am looking back with rose-tinted glasses, or perhaps I should start my own damned film festival. Maybe festivals should set the bar higher and piss some people off with a few home truths!
A stock rejection letter teaches you nothing. An individual critique gives you something specific to mull over, even if you don't agree with it.
Michael J. Murphy was a Portsmouth born filmmaker and child prodigy of the medium, creating narrative works from age 15 until his untimely death in 2015. His films sold to multiple territories and continue to be enjoyed worldwide from domestic sell-thru, to licensed broadcasts. You can even find a few bootlegs on YouTube if you look hard enough. There are over 30 feature films in his back catalogue. His film 'Invitation to Hell' pioneered the exploitation of the unregulated nascent home video market which subsequently led to the video nasties we all enjoyed as kids.
Today along with Phil Lyndon we began the task of assessing available materials for inclusion in the forthcoming Deer Studios documentary on Michael J. Murphy.
There's just so much stuff including press clippings, programmes, stills, video, letters from film studios and distributors, that we're going need a second day to collate it all.
Right now my mind boggles about how to hang all this stuff on the hour long interview I recorded with Mike in March this year.
This will be a somewhat organic doco for sure.
I'm also looking forward to recording interviews with two of Mike's long time collaborators to help describe what it was like working - and partying - with him throughout his career as Portsmouth's most prolific feature film maker.
Put to rest earlier today, here is the video tribute put together from his recent - and sadly last - interview.
Michael J Murphy was a prolific maker of feature films, based in Portsmouth, Hampshire UK. His films got distribution, he was a 'video nasty' pioneer and, my personal impression at least, a contented man who lived large and shared the wealth of his experiences.
First, an introduction to the director in the 1980's from this vintage BBC studio interview:
BBC TV Interview. Vintage 1980
Posted by Michael Murphy on Thursday, 13 November 2014
Michael J. Murphy is the most prolific feature film maker I have ever met during my FilmRaker series or anywhere else. We (Evil C and I) conducted our interview at his home in North End, Portsmouth, on 18th March 2015 from 2 O'Clock in the afternoon.
It was a pleasant day, the sun was out. For the first part of the interview Mike was flanked by long-time collaborator friends Patrick Olliver and Phil Lyndon (one half of the MURLYN Film partnership formed relatively recently which superceded Mike's own Murlin Films). Everyone was relaxed and in good spirits, recounting career anecdotes both on- and off- camera.
The second part of the interview, we talked to Mike alone - and for a guy who said he didn't like being interviewed he interviews very very well - so much so that it's going to be difficult editing down the sixty-plus minutes to a FilmRaker bite-size. More on that later.
So who is Michael J. Murphy? He's made over 25 films between 1968 and 2015 (Note: nowhere on-line is his filmography complete at time of writing). I first met him a few weeks before the interview, again at his home, at a private screening of his latest - and to be last - film, The Return of Alan Strange. He said he wanted me to know what kind of film Alan Strange was before we did the interview.
Having done some research on his work prior to meeting him, turning up stuff like full movie rips of Death Run, Bloodstream, and Avalon on YouTube along with fascinating trailers for the likes of Atlantis, Invitation to Hell, The Rite of Spring, and Skare (incidentally related to Chris Jupp's Beast which is a remake of sorts) - it was a wise move on his part. Alan Strange is not a gore-fest loaded with practical effects, but rather a more mature and personal drama that wouldn't have seemed out of place on BBC2 as I was growing up (that is to say, perhaps too mature for the big kid inside of me wanting to see some blood spatter!).
MURLYN FILMS LATEST PRODUCTION. 'The return of ALAN STRANGE' Available on Blu-ray and DVD.
Posted by Michael Murphy on Thursday, 19 March 2015
Though Alan Strange lacks entrails and dribbling mutants, it remains a well constructed comedy-drama. Once I realised this I wasn't afraid to laugh. All the performances are solid and the narrative carries along at an engaging pace.
When I explained that FilmRaker would be a great way to softly promote Alan Strange on-line he seemed to recoil at the idea - he would much rather talk about his next film Pornophobia.
Throughout our conversation that day around the screening (I was the only one there, he'd scheduled it especially for me after I couldn't make it to any of the previous screenings) - I came to recognise in Mike a somewhat kindred spirit, an affinity. We seem to share a filmmaking philosophy which he describes as the 'ready, steady, cook!' approach - that is to say, see what ingredients you have to hand and go and make something - and perhaps more importantly - finish it. So although I could never claim to be more than an acquaintance, I was somewhat moved to hear of his passing away last Friday.
By request, yesterday I reviewed/logged the interview footage with a view to assembling some highlights as part of his remembrance in the coming days. Watching it back he is clearly a man who lived a full life, enjoyed every minute of his filmmaking and very eloquently articulates what amounts to an autobiographical account of his career in film.
With that in mind, Deer Studios tentatively announce that they (in other words me) will be producing a feature length documentary on Michael J. Murphy using the interview as a (already very strong) backbone. Working title: Murphy's Lore. To be released probably in the 2016/17 timeframe. My hope is that FilmRaker and Deer Studios can bring a little more recognition to Mike and his regulars (and Portsmouth filmmaking in general), and a new generation can discover and be inspired by his work.
