Slim and I

Slim and I is a 2020 Australian documentary film directed by Kriv Stenders about the life of Joy McKean and Slim Dusty, Australia's most successful husband and wife singer-songwriter duo.

Slim and I
Directed byKriv Stenders
Produced byChris Brown
James Arneman
Aline Jacques
StarringSlim Dusty and Joy McKean
Music by
  • Julian Abrahams
  • Munro Melano
CinematographyEvan Papageorgiou
Edited byKarryn de Cinque
Distributed byScreen Australia
Universal Pictures (Australia)
Release date
10 September 2020
Running time
106 mins
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

Making of the documentary

The documentary came about through the passion of Slim and Joy's grandson James Arneman, who had compiled an archive of old footage of the families touring days. The family was approached by film producer Chris Brown before director Kriv Stenders joined the project. Stenders said "The idea to tell their story through the lens of Joy was something that I found very interesting about this project and made me want to be involved the documentary. I knew very little about Slim and Joy, but I listened to their music and read the books about their lives and discovered such an incredible story that needed to be told."[1]

Cinematic launch

Slim and I was released in Australian cinemas in September 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, which delayed the film's release in the State of Victoria. The world première took place in Kempsey, New South Wales, close to where Slim Dusty grew up. The Governor of New South Wales Margaret Beazley attended the red carpet event, along with the Member for Oxley Melinda Pavey and Kempsey Shire Mayor Liz Campbell. Joy McKean also attended along with children Anne and David Kirkpatrick, director Kriv Stenders and producer Aline Jacques. The film reached Australian cinemas on 10 September 2020.[2]

Critical reception

Following its Australian premiere, the film received rave reviews. The Sydney Morning Herald's Paul Byrnes gave it four stars and called it "pure joy, in more ways than one".[3] The Australian newspaper review by Stephen Romei called it a "brilliant love story" and an "utterly charming film", and also gave four stars.[4] Anthony Morris for Screenhub gave it four stars and wrote: "This fast moving, insightful and always entertaining film is firmly a tribute to Joy, and rightly so: if Slim Dusty was 'the man who is Australia', she was the woman who made the man."[5] Out in Perth gave it four and a half stars and wrote "After viewing this very Australian story, you are left questioning why this wasn’t made years ago."[6]

Awards and nominations

Award Date of Ceremony Category Result Ref(s)
Gold Coast Film Festival Awards 2020 Best Australian Film Won [1]

Soundtrack

Slim and I
Soundtrack album by
Slim Dusty and various artists
Released4 September 2020
GenreCountry
LabelEMI Music
Slim Dusty albums chronology
Prime Movers (Slim Dusty)
(2016)
Slim and I
(2020)

A soundtrack was released on 4 September 2020.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)PerformerLength
1."Prologue"
  
2."I Dont Believe You"
Small Town Romance featuring Anne Kirkpatrick 
3."A Lifetime on the Road (Interview)" Joy McKean 
4."When I First Saw the Lovelight in Your Eyes" (1995 version)
Slim Dusty with Joy McKean 
5."Music & Belonging (Interview)"
Troy Cassar-Daley 
6."The Biggest Disappointment" (acoustic)
Troy Cassar-Daley 
7."Learning To Sing (Interview)"
Joy McKean 
8."Moonrise Lullaby"
Joy McKean and Heather McKean 
9."Slim Jumps the Shark (Interview)"
Dobe Newton 
10."When the Rain Tumbles Down in July" (1998 Remaster)
Slim Dusty 
11."Cinematic Songwriting (Interview) - Paul Kelly"
Paul Kelly 
12."Indian Pacific" (1998 Remaster)
Slim Dusty 
13."Keen Young Songwriters (Interview)" Joy McKean 
14."My Hometown"
Joy McKean and Heather McKean 
15."Slim's Courtship of Joy (Interview)"
Joy McKean and Heather McKean 
16."What's It Gonna Cost Me"
Joy McKean 
17."Kasey Chambers & Bill Chambers (Interview) and "Walk a Country Mile Excerpt"" (Acoustic)
Kasey Chambers & Bill Chambers 
18."Touring Begins in 1954 (Interview)"
Joy McKean 
19."Closest Thing to Freedom"
Slim Dusty 
20."Origins of "A Pub With No Beer" (Interview)"
Joy McKean 
21."A Pub With No Beer" (Soundtrack Version)
  • Gordon Parsons
Slim Dusty and Gordon Parsons 
22."Memories of the Showgrounds (Interview)"
Don Walker 
23."Whiplash"
Slim Dusty 
24."Leaving the Showgrounds (Interview)"
Joy McKean 
25."Losin' My Blues Tonight" (Soundtrack Version)
Slim Dusty 
26."Writing and Performing on Country (Interview)"
Gayle Kennedy 
27."Plains of Peppimenarti" (1998 Remaster)
Slim Dusty 
28."Music At Odds With the Lyrics (Interview)"
Paul Kelly 
29."Lights on the Hill" (1998 Remaster)
Slim Dusty 
30."A Voice for Rural People (Interview)"
Joy McKean 
31."Further Out"
Slim Dusty 
32."Writing for Slim (Interview)"
Bill Chambers 
33."Things Are Not the Same on the Land" (acoustic)
Bill Chambers 
34."Simple Songs (Interview)"
Missy Higgins 
35."The Biggest Disappointment"
Missy Higgins and Dan Sultan 
36."Epilogue (Interview)"
Joy McKean 
37."One Helluva Song"
Slim Dusty 

Weekly charts

Chart performance of Slim and I
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[7] 8

Year-end charts

Chart (2020) Position
Australian Top Country (ARIA)[8] 21

Release history

Region Date Format Label Catalogue
Australia 4 September 2020[9]
EMI Music 0748837

See also

References

  1. "Walking the red carpet for the world premiere of Slim & I". Nambucca Guardian. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  2. Walking the red carpet for the world premiere of Slim & I; Guardian News; Sep 4, 2020
  3. Slim Dusty documentary is pure joy, in more ways than one; SMH; Sep 10, 2020
  4. Slim and I, the brilliant love story of Slim Dusty and Joy McKean; The Australian; Sep 25, 2020
  5. Film Review: Slim & I spotlights country music's unsung legend; www.screenhub.com.au; 10 Sep, 2020
  6. ‘Slim & I’ tells the story of country music queen Joy McKean; www.outinperth.com; 1 Sep, 2020
  7. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. 14 September 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  8. "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 50 Country Albums 2020". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  9. "Slim & I (Official Soundtrack)". JBHiFi. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
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