David Stratton’s scathing review of iconic film The Castle goes viral following film critic’s death
It’s the low-budget Aussie movie comedy that’s now considered a classic by fans.
But when The Castle was released, 28 years ago, film critic David Stratton, who passed away on Thursday aged 85, confessed that he did not get the joke.
And now his notorious review of the film, from the now legendary Working Dog team, has gone viral after being re-posted to X following his passing.
Originally broadcast as part of The Movie Show on SBS in 1997, Stratton’s review was scathing, calling the film, ‘silly’ and ‘roughly’ made.
‘Well I’m afraid it wasn’t for me,’ he told his longtime co-host Margaret Pomeranz, who loved the film.
‘I really didn’t get onto the wavelength of this film at all,’ Stratton continued, adding he thought the filmmakers had ‘patronised’ its working-class characters.
It’s the low-budget Aussie movie comedy that’s now considered a classic by fans. But when The Castle was released, 28 years ago, film critic David Stratton, who passed away on Thursday aged 85, confessed that he did not get the joke. Pictured: The Castle
Now his notorious review of the film, made by the now legendary Working Dog team, has gone viral after being re-posted to X following his passing. Pictured: David with his longtime co-host Margaret Pomeranz in 2004
‘I didn’t find it funny,’ he said, and gave the film one and a half stars out of four, while Pomeranz gave it four stars out of four.
Still, Stratton lived to regret his verdict.
Like many professional critics, serious about their role, the English-born cinephile was in the habit of revisiting films with fresh eyes.
The 85-year-old told The Sydney Morning Herald, last year, he ‘completely misunderstood’ the film.
‘It was the first film made by a team that worked in television, and it looked to me like a telemovie, whereas I’m very much into the visual side of cinema,’ he explained.
David admitted he had since watched the film several times and finds it very entertaining.
‘But I obviously completely misunderstood it, as I have watched it a few times since, and I now think it’s very funny,’ he continued.
Fans of Stratton were quick to comment on the X share.
‘We’ll miss you Dave,’ said one user, while another added, ‘A true giant of the Australian film industry, vale.’
Originally broadcast as part of The Movie Show on SBS in 1997, Stratton’s review was scathing, calling the film, ‘silly’ and ‘roughly’ made
Stratton lived to regret his verdict. Like many professional critics, serious about their role, the English-born cinephile was in the habit of revisiting films with fresh eyes. He told The Sydney Morning Herald, last year, he ‘completely misunderstood’ the film. Pictured: A scene from the Castle with Michael Caton (R) and Sophie Lee
‘Sad about that. He was a legend,’ added another.
One follower commented: ‘Not just a marvellous critic. A really wonderful man.’
The Castle, which first hit screens Down Under in April 1997, is a comedy about a blue-collar family battling developers.
Anne Tenney, Stephen Curry, Sophie Lee, Eric Bana and Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell, starred alongside Michael Caton in the ultra-low budget film.
The film’s creators, Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, and Jane Kennedy, who were famed for the tabloid TV satire Frontline (1994-1997), later made another comedy classic, The Dish, in 2000.
Despite its extremely low budget of just $750,000, The Castle was a financial success, grossing $10.3 million at the box office in Australia.
The film spawned a truckload of catchphrases.
Dialogue lines like ‘Tell them they’re dreamin’, ‘That’s going straight to the pool room’ and ‘how’s the serenity’ were endlessly quoted by fans and adopted by commentators in the three decades since the movie’s release.
Caton became a popular star in Australia after playing the lead role in The Castle – a Melbourne family man who fights to keep his home from being acquired by the government in its plans to expand a nearby airport.
Since then, Caton has appeared in a slew of top-tier Australian dramas including Packed to the Rafters, Strange Bedfellows, The Animal and All Saints.
He also starred alongside Sam Neill in Rams last year, and in the Packed to the Rafters reboot, Back to the Rafters.
It comes after Stratton’s family announced his passing on Thursday.
Stratton died peacefully, aged 85, in a hospital near his Blue Mountains home west of Sydney his family announced on Thursday
He died peacefully, aged 85, in a hospital near his Blue Mountains home west of Sydney.
Stratton’s career as a film critic, writer, and educator in Australia spanned more than half a century until his retirement in December 2023, following a series of health problems.
He was best known for appearing on television screens alongside co-host Margaret Pomeranz for almost three decades on various movie review shows.
‘David’s passion for film, commitment to Australian cinema, and generous spirit touched countless lives,’ his family said.
‘He was adored as a husband, father, grandfather, 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.’
They also had a special request for film buffs.
‘[We] invite everyone to celebrate David’s remarkable life and legacy by watching their favourite movie, or David’s favourite movie of all time — Singin’ In the Rain,’ the family added.
