Svengali: Reviewed

In contrast to covering the big blockbuster movies it’s also nice to support some of our home-grown low-budget Brit Flicks. Svengali is the creation of multi- talented producer, actor and writer Jonny Owen.

It tells the story of young welsh postman Dixie Dean, who has had a life-long dream of discovering the next big band to shake the British music scene. While scanning through a number of YouTube videos he comes across a group ‘The Premature Congratulations’ and  he is sure that with the guidance of his management skills they could be the new Oasis. The only problem is convincing the band. Dixie leaves behind the familiar surroundings and comfort of South Wales and together with his fiancé Shell (Vicky McClure) they set out for the smoggy streets of London town.

Equipped with a trusty Tesco bag containing an old tin with a few thousand pounds budget and a set of demo tapes, Dixie arranges to meet ‘The Prems’ at the lock up where they practise and they agree to his management deal on a handshake. His next step is to look up an old acquaintance from Wales nicknamed Horsey (Roger Evans) who is now working for a record company. Unfortunately Horsey doesn’t want anything to do with Dixie as he left everything Welsh in his past and he is just downright rude and arrogant.

Along the way Dixie and Shell encounter many ups and downs and the money starts to run out with extortionate booking fees for the bands venues, London’s massive  parking fines (how true!) dodgy loan sharks and a money grabbing eastern European landlady (Katy Brand). Dixie and Shell are forced into taking part time jobs and Dixie ends up working in an independent record shop owned by Don (Martin Freeman) who looks like a throw-back to the 1960’s and only takes him on because his wife admits that they are desperate for extra help.

Jonny Owen makes Dixie an extremely endearing character that seems to be born in the wrong era. He thinks of himself as a Mod and constantly wears his long parker coat. There is a moment when he first meets Horsey in London who looks at his coat and asks “Are you being Ironic?”. Although he appears as a very naive boy from the ‘Valleys’ he is more savvy than he makes out. Even his demo tapes are literally old fashioned audio tapes that Dixie thinks will be very retro and this is looked upon by the interested record companies as a good marketing ploy.

Vicky McClure, known for her collaboration with Shane Meadows is excellent as Shell who is extremely supportive of Dixie and his dream. Director John Hardwick seems to have called in a few favours and convinced a number of British actors to play small roles throughout the film. Along with Martin Freeman there is the ‘IT Crowd’s Matt Berry who plays an eccentric sexist record company boss, not unlike his normal TV role. Morwenna Banks plays Franchine, head of a rival record company fighting over the band. There is also a surprise turn from Alan McGee playing himself. Unfortunately his acting is so bad that it took a lot to convince me that he was Alan McGee! In the real world McGee set up Creation Records (1983 to 1999) and was responsible for signing Oasis, Primal Scream and The Libertines.

The film has a very likable quality to it and has quite a few laugh-out loud moments. However, it did put me more in mind of TV series rather than a cinema release. Then I discovered that Jonny Owen originally made the story as a comedy YouTube webisode with the same title and the programme developed a cult following.

I was slightly disappointed in the ending but then again you’ll have to make up your own mind. One thing’s for sure, this film has been a good vehicle to show the industry what a great writer Jonny Owen is and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the character Dixie again.

Svengali is in cinemas from March 21, 2014

DVD and Blu-ray available from April 7, 2014

Certificate 15

Foker On Film rating: three out of five stars.