Michael Hutchence (1960 - 1997)
MYSTIFY MICHAEL HUTCHENCE
Bio // Just A Man // Michael: My Brother, Lost Boy of INXS // Mystify Michael Hutchence // In His Own Words
In Mystify Michael Hutchence, director Richard Lowenstein invites us into a rare and intimate look at the man behind the fame. Using never-before-seen footage, personal recordings, and moving interviews with those closest to him, the film uncovers the deep emotional landscape of Hutchence’s life, creativity, and tragic fall.
At the peak of INXS’s global dominance, Michael Hutchence was untouchable — the voice, the presence, the style that defined an era. But Mystify isn’t about the arena lights and platinum records. It’s about what happens when the lights go off.
Through deeply personal home videos, unearthed tapes, and raw narration from family, friends, and lovers, Lowenstein constructs a layered portrait of a man who was both wild and wounded. From his passionate relationships with Kylie Minogue and Helena Christensen to the 1992 brain injury that quietly shifted the course of his life, the film is a haunting love letter to a soul seeking light in an unforgiving world.
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I felt that I owed him an honourable portrait. An honourable piece for the record books
- Richard Lowenstein, Director
Mystify Highlights
Private Archives
One of the most striking elements of Mystify is its use of never-before-seen private footage — home videos, behind-the-scenes moments, and deeply personal voice recordings that peel back the curtain on Hutchence’s off-stage life. These aren’t polished press clips or rehearsed interviews. These are raw, unfiltered glimpses of a man wrestling with his identity, laughing with friends, scribbling lyrics in a notebook, and holding his daughter with quiet tenderness. Through these archives, we’re not just watching a rock star — we’re meeting Michael.
Famous Voices, Intimate Stories
The film is uniquely told through the voices of those who lived and loved alongside Michael, rather than traditional talking-head interviews. Kylie Minogue, Bono, Helena Christensen, and his family and bandmates offer emotional narration that plays like audio diaries — revealing anecdotes, heartbreaks, and memories that span the full emotional spectrum. Their tone is personal, not performative. It’s through their eyes, and their grief, that we come to understand the complexity of Hutchence: tender, mischievous, visionary, and at times unreachable.
Soundtrack Of A Life
The music of INXS and Michael’s solo work runs like a pulse through the documentary — not as background, but as narrative. Songs like “Never Tear Us Apart” and “Mystify” are stripped down, reworked, and juxtaposed with footage that reframes their emotional resonance. The result is a sonic time capsule — one that evolves as the story unfolds. Whether it’s a scratchy acoustic take or a soaring live performance, the music tells its own story — one of yearning, rebellion, connection, and timeless artistry. For fans and newcomers alike, the soundtrack is a rediscovery of Michael’s voice — and his soul.
About The Director
Richard Lowenstein has been a vital creative force in Michael Hutchence’s orbit for decades, directing INXS’s most iconic music videos. In Mystify, he brings not just technical mastery but emotional insight. Lowenstein's friendship with Hutchence, along with access to private footage and interviews with key figures in Hutchence's life, allowed him to create a comprehensive portrait of the frontman of INXS. As a friend and witness to Hutchence’s life, Lowenstein crafts a film that transcends the genre — it’s not a biography, it’s a spiritual journey.
