Autopsy on a Dream (2013)
In 1968, John Weiley shot 'Autopsy on a Dream' - a film about the Sydney Opera House detailing its construction process and the politics of Jorn Utzon's dismissal. Weiley's film was controversial; it was screened once and then he was told it had been destroyed. Forty five years later a copy was discovered in the BBC vaults by an ABC producer looking for archive footage of the Opera House. Weiley was contacted and told about a film that had no sound track. Weiley was overjoyed; for years he had kept the original sound. So began the painstaking process of restoring this record of a unique moment in Australian culture to its former glory, complete with updated voice-over from the original narrator, Bob Ellis. It is set in context by a 30 minute prologue entitled 'The Dream of Perfection'. Made by the same filmmaker, John Weiley, forty-five years on, 'Dream of Perfection' tells the story of the 1968 film - from commission to destruction, to surprise resurrection.
Director: John Weiley
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Bob Ellis as Self |
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John Weiley as Self |
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Jan Utzon as Self |
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Lin Utzon as Self |
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Jorn Utzon as Self |
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Richard le Plaistrier as Self |
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David Attenborough as Self |
| Production | John Maynard | Producer |
| Production | Donna Chang | Producer |
| Writing | John Weiley | Writer |
| Directing | John Weiley | Director |
