Journalist & Filmmaker David Farrier has a weird beat. In fact, his weird beat is: Weird People. In his 2016 documentary Tickled he was on the hunt of an elusive “tickle porn” producer, and in his 2018 Netflix series Dark Tourist he travelled the world in search of all kinds of macabre, bizarre stuff. In his newest film Mister Organ, this investigative journalist meets his Moriarty (or, his Blofeld, if you’re more of James Bond boy than a Sherlock Holmes fan). The subject? A man named Michael Organ. A blackhole of a human being.
Truly the most annoying person on the planet, Michael Organ is a real-life energy vampire, sucking people dry like a parasite until they either expire or manage to pass him off like a curse onto another unsuspecting victim. He feeds on arguments, he’s incredibly litigious, and he’s kind of a mastermind of psychological warfare. Naturally, David Farrier couldn’t resist.
“…a tangled web of deceit, devious dealing, and death. It’s a wild ride.”
What grabbed his attention initially was a simple story about an antiques shop that was muscling people illegally parked out front their show for exorbitant sums of cash. If you were unlucky enough to park in front of this closed shop at night, you might come back to find a boot attached to your car, or you might be blocked in by a tow truck driver demanding you pay hundreds of dollars to be set free. Silly enough, but as Farrier pulls at the threads of this local news piece, he begins to uncover a tangled web of deceit, devious dealing, and death. It’s a wild ride.
As it turns out, the tow truck driver in question is Michael Organ, a life-long shithead. Through interviews with paranoid roommates as well as emotionally and mentally damaged associates of his, we learn all about the irreparable damage left in the wake of this one man. He’s the uncle you hope no one brings to Christmas dinner. The friend that shows up to every party even though no one invited him. There’s literally a moment in the documentary where a judge escorts him out of her courtroom personally because she wants nothing to do with the prick. Michael Organ, as he’s depicted in this film, is a stain you can’t remove. Labyrinth‘s Bog of Eternal Stench in human form.
As a critic, it’s kind of a hilarious documentary to watch. For 90 straight minutes the film tells you that you want absolutely nothing to do with this man, so in a way it’s almost daring you to review it. David Farrier even comes to regret the 5-year long project himself! Multiple times throughout filming he talks with his crew about maybe going too far this time, or about abandoning the film before things get out of hand but like quicksand, the more the tries to escape the deeper he sinks into the madness of trying to understand Michael Organ.
It’s a great story, and a compelling look into the life of a man-sized barnacle. He sucks the life blood out of people but unlike What We Do In The Shadows‘ loveable Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) he doesn’t simply have a little sip and move on. Michael Organ sinks his hooks into people and there are very real consequences to what he does. In many ways Mister Organ is a document of a tragedy in progress and a warning beacon to everyone in all of New Zealand. Stay the f*ck away from Michael Organ.
“…a document of a tragedy in progress and a warning beacon to everyone in all of New Zealand.”
David Farrier’s Mister Organ is an official selection of the 2023 Overlook Film Festival. Click HERE to follow our continued coverage of the festival, and be sure to tell us all about the energy vampires in your life over on Twitter or in the Nightmare on Film Street Discord! Not a social media fan? Get more horror delivered straight to your inbox by joining the Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter.
