Mystify: Michael Hutchence (2020) Plot Summary

Mystify covers the life of INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence, featuring private home video and archive footage. During the relationship between Minogue and Hutchence, previously unseen privately shot footage shows them in Hong Kong harbour, on board the Orient Express, and at Hutchence’s home in the south of France. In the early 1990s an incident occurred while cycling on holiday in Copenhagen with then girlfriend Helena Christensen, where Hutchence gets shoved to the ground by a taxi driver, hitting his head on the curb and losing consciousness. According to Christensen, Hutchence was rushed to hospital and woke up determined to leave. The injury resulted in Hutchence having permanent loss of sense of smell and taste as discussed by psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist, Rachel Herz. Clips show Yates and Hutchence in a 1985 interview on Channel 4’s rock magazine programme The Tube and many years later on The Big Breakfast interview in October 1994. Recollections with voice-overs in the film include Michele Bennett, Kylie Minogue, siblings Rhett and Tina Hutchence, father Kelland Hutchence, stepmother Susie, producer Nick Launay, Bono and INXS band members; composer and keyboardist Andrew Farriss, guitarist Tim Farriss, bassist Garry Gary Beers and drummer Jon Farriss. The film ends with INXS performing at London’s Wembley Stadium and the song “Mystify” plays over the credits.