Legendary Australian Film Critic David Stratton Dies At 85

The credits roll on Australia’s greatest film critic.

The ABC has reported that revered film critic David Stratton has died at the age of 85. Having long suffered from declining health, Stratton’s death was announced by his family this afternoon, who said he died peacefully in hospital near his Blue Mountains home.

In a statement, Stratton’s family said, “David’s passion for film, commitment to Australian cinema, and generous spirit touched countless lives. He was adored as a husband, father, grand and great grand father 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 Trowbridge, UK in 1939, David Stratton spent the war years in the care of her grandmother, who frequently took him to the cinema. These early experiences inculcated a love of film that never left him. Emigrating to Australia in 1963, he was the director of the Sydney Film Festival from 1966 until 1983. He joined SBS as their film consultant in 1980, but it was in 1986 that he began to co-host The Movie Show for the channel, which made him and Margaret Pomeranz household names. For 18 years the pair brought the entire sweep of cinema into Australian households every week, continuing for another decade on At the Movies with Margaret and David at the ABC after they jumped networks in 2004.

I don’t think the impact of those two programs can be understated. When Stratton and Pomeranz were at their height, Australia had one of the most vibrant film cultures on the planet. Not just in terms of what we produced, mind you, but in what we we consumed – what we were open to, what art we were willing to experience.

That’s down to a number of factors, but a major one was simply having David and Margaret on hand each week to clue us into this movie, that director, this interview, that festival. They elevated voices, they broke ground for innovators, and they inculcated in their viewers a sense of artistic curiosity. I think we all do that, those of us in this racket, in our own small way, and we’re lucky to do it, and there’s no shortage of talent and passion out there, believe me.

But we know who did it best.

I don’t remember the first time I saw David Stratton on TV, but I remember every occasion I was lucky enough to talk to him, and each and every one was an education.

Stratton’s family said that the best way to honour the late legend’s memory is to watch your favourite movie – or his, which was Singin’ In The Rain. Information on a public memorial will be released presently.