In 1999, NZ writer Michael Morrissey was diagnosed with manic depression. He has suffered eight manic episodes since, and been briefly hospitalised three times. Despite this, Michael rejected traditional medication, believing it would inhibit his creativity. Instead he chose to try and control his condition – to “tame the tiger” through willpower. The results have not been easy for his long suffering wife. Daytime Tiger is a feature length documentary that explores its subject with astonishing frankness. It makes for unsettling, even provocative viewing at times, but there’s much humour, and the final message is more hopeful than bleak.
“I felt like I had company. I felt relief. I felt hope.”
Daytime Tiger had its world premiere at NZ International Film Festival in 2011. It is available for sale on DVD, please click here:
Daytime Tiger | Costa Botes – DVD store.
Trailer
Daytime Tiger began with a somewhat mysterious message from Michael Morrissey. I had not seen him in several years. Back in 1986, I adapted one of his short stories, Stalin’s Sickle (see short films section of this site), and it was a positive experience for all concerned. Michael would occasionally send me other stories but nothing quite fit my interests in the same way.
And then I got a call from Mike, strongly urging me to meet him for lunch. He’d found out I was coming to Auckland for a screening, and insisted I stop by his place for lunch. he said he wanted to pitch me a project that I would find it impossible to resist.
I had my guard up, but he turned out to be correct. The account Mike gave me of his travails contained a number of extraordinary details which indeed convinced me to try and make a film about his situation. Of course, our perspectives and aims were rather different. I know now that Mike was in the grip of a manic delusion when he pitched his proposal. I must have caught a touch of mania myself to see a movie in such an unruly topic. But art and life have a way of colliding in the most interesting ways when making documentaries and I hope that audiences find this to be so when they watch the film.
News Article
A troubled mind | Stuff.co.nz.
Michael was interviewed by Kim Hill on her popular Saturday morning show on National Radio. You can listen to the interview here:
sat-20110528-0830-michael_morrissey_manic_depression-048
Hill read some emails from listeners after the interview. A common response was, “there’s nothing romantic about bi-polar”. I could not agree more. I believe there is a great deal of pain and destruction suffered by people with this disorder, and those who live with them. It’s a horrible illness, which the film plainly shows, but it’s not all bad, and it’s not hopeless either.
Michael’s book about his condition doesn’t shirk from describing the realities of his situation, but like the movie, it’s intended to promote understanding and empathy in an entertaining way.
Taming The Tiger: Michael’s Manic Memoir
Music in the Film
Tom McLeod wrote the principle cues heard in the film. Tom is a valued collaborator. His original music adds just the right notes wherever it is heard.
The end credits feature “Lonely Soul”, a beautiful song by Cy Winstanley and Her Make Believe Band, from their album “AM Radio”
You can check out their website here:
Email from a viewer
Hi Costa
Well, it took until this evening for us to watch your DVD, and I wanted to write and tell you that I really appreciated your honest and candid portrayal of Michael and Ann. It was not the harrowing experience I had been fearful of. Sure – it did evoke some emotion and responses in me relating to my own experience as the partner of someone with bipolar disorder, but I was saved from myself by your skillful editing. The potentially distressing parts weren’t dwelled upon and the inclusion of your own exasperation with Michael in the midst of his mania, along with Ann’s personal commentaries really illustrated how hard is it to be around someone in that state. I felt like I had company. I felt relief. I felt hope.
We both had read Michael’s book before watching the doco, and the two go really well together – the book for the first hand account, and the doco for the perspectives of others alongside Michael’s experience.
I am genuinely grateful that both the book and the documentary are out there. The book has helped me understand more about what it is like to experience mania and psychosis, and the documentary has helped me feel less alone as a partner.
Deepest gratitude
Tanya
“Magneto” Q & A
NZ International Film Festival Programme Page
Dominion Post Review 30 July, 2011
4 ½ Stars
Wellington film maker, and once Dominion film reviewer Costa Botes has been amazingly prolific over the last few years. His documentaries are distinguished by a rigorous and refreshingly unsentimental way with an edit suite, a minimum of manipulation and flammery, and an absolute commitment to serving his story accurately and well.
In Auckland writer Michel Morrissey, Botes has found his most engaging and challenging subject yet. Morrissey is bi-polar/manic depressive. In the grip of his mania he becomes one of the most objectionable and obnoxious human beings you’re ever likely to meet. Bit in his quieter, post mania reflection, he will break your heart with his self loathing, vulnerability, and shame.
Morrissey invited Botes into his house to film his battles with his “tigers” and Botes has brought back one of the most honest, engaging, and provocative portraits of an extreme personality you will ever see.
It’s a troubling portrait at times, but Daytime Tiger is also enthralling, honest, and perversely entertaining. This is Botes’ best film yet. For now, that is some high praise indeed.
Graeme Tuckett
Reviewed by Helen Martin ONFILM August 17, 2011.
According to legend, Orson Welles called RKO studios, “the biggest electric train set a boy ever had.” Shot largely within the confines of an Auckland home and garden, what happens on set in this film is more like a big train wreck … “There are plenty of tedious documentaries in the world already,” says director Costa Botes on his website, “I wanted to make something riveting.”
And riveting it most certainly is. Central to and clearly the author of the wreckage is Michael Morrissey. Born in 1942, he has been a fixture on the New Zealand literary scene since the late 70s, a prolific writer of wonderful poetry, short stories and novellas, and a poetry anthologiser. The 1982 PEN Award for Best First Book of Fiction was the first of several awards recognising his literary and artistic worth.
What many of us did not know was that in 1999 Morrissey was hit by late-onset bipolar disorder, learning later that his mother and grandmother were also afflicted with mental illness in middle age. In common with other sufferers Morrissey, not wanting to suppress his creativity, steadfastly refused medication. A couple of years ago, having written about his condition in the memoir Taming the Tiger, but unable to find a publisher, he invited Costa Botes to his home to make a documentary (Botes had earlier filmed an adaptation of Morrissey’s short story Stalin’s Sickle). The purpose, says Morrissey, was to show that through willpower he could use the illness to his advantage. “As long as I stay un-depressed I should write the greatest novel in history,” he cheerfully asserts.
For much of the film’s running time Morrissey raves – at Botes and his hand held camera and at his long-suffering wife Anne – about happiness (“I ‘m the only happy person I know”), about ‘the feminazis’ who prevent his work being published (“women are basically like naughty children’), about his talent (“we are the ultimate geniuses, Jimi Hendrix and I”), about Anne’s inferiority (“my wife’s banal parrying of my wisdom”) … When talk turns to violent action we watch him smashing up his lithium pills with a hammer (“beer is my medication!” he roars) and with alarming accuracy re-enacting a time when he threatened Anne with a machete.
Calmer, more balanced moments are provided in interviews with those – friends, a psychiatrist – who know Morrissey in all his moods and who are able to put his mania into some kind of perspective. Anne at first seems resigned, but as the film progresses and Morrissey’s abuse escalates she becomes tearful and talks of leaving. A diminutive Malay-Chinese woman Morrissey had met working in a cake shop some 18 years previously, Anne doesn’t ask for much – she’d like companionship and a quiet life – coming across in the film as the front-line victim of her husband’s refusal to take his medication. Watching him in full flight you get the feeling he’s having a lot more fun than his beleaguered wife and the intrepid filmmaker, but there wouldn’t have been a soul in the film festival audience who would have wanted to change places with him.
Morrissey, in an interview with Kim Hill describes the film as a confession in which he exposes himself because he is ‘a Catholic masochist’. Ego aside, given how exposed he is there is no doubting his courage in supporting the film’s release. It was also a catalyst for change – seeing himself raving on screen was enough to convince Morrissey he needed that medication. For the rest of us, Daytime Tiger holds up a very sobering mirror to the destructiveness of a disease to which most of us have some connection, while at the same time providing the pleasure of being witness to a bravura documentary.
At the Q and A session after the Auckland Festival screening Botes, accompanied by a calm Morrissey, asked us to see the positives in the film he had created as ‘a reluctant traveller.’ “It’s about the potential for human happiness,” he said. “It’s a gift, of sorts.”
DVD Sales
Daytime Tiger is available now as a DVD. I don’t have any immediate plans for a wider commercial release, but I have authored a disc and can print copies on demand. The cost is $30.00 plus 5.00 P&P, incl. GST.
GST invoices provided on request.
I don’t currently have a ‘buy now’ facility on this site. Please email me directly if you wish to purchase a disc.
The address is: LonePineFilms@gmail.com
n.b: replace the (AT) above with the @ symbol! It has been substituted here to discourage spam.
Book Sales - Taming The Tiger: a manic memoir.
Michael Morrissey’s book is not easily available in stores. Contact the publisher. Their web site can take credit card orders :
Polygraphia (NZ) Ltd-Taming the Tiger-Morrissey.
Any further questions can be directed to Michael Morrissey. He favours phone or old fashioned mail:
09 8200672
PO Box 5129
Wellesley St
Auckland
Can’t wait.
Love the trailer, can’t wait to see it!!!
I believe this will be a very interesting film about yet another controversial subject! Look forward to it.
I don’t think the topic itself is very controversial. Mania is a fact of life for many people. But many more people have no idea what it is, what it is like living with mania, or what the prognosis is for people who have it. I tried in this film to illuminate those things in an engaging way. The narrative has some surprises, and comes to some interesting conclusions.
Meant controversial about the choice to medicate or not.
Sure. Actually, I was dubious about medication before – side effects, and overall effectiveness; but not now. Drugs do work. Though one size does not fit all. If only mental illness was like herpes …
I hasten to add … not in the sense of being wildly contagious! rather, if mental illnesses had definable causes and consistent symptoms, there might be less fear and befuddlement.
The trailer blows me away. Gotta see this. I just put a link to it on my facebook page.
Thanks Susan. The trailer is a fair distillation. Glad you liked it!
This has touched a nerve, compelling and turn away material all at the same time. Im looking forward to this on a personal level, but it scares the hell out of me as well. I hope he knows he has a saint for a wife. Raw trailer, hard hitting and I wanted to turn it off, but god Costa, this is the one that many need to see.
I can’t be sure how people will respond to this one. Everyone brings their own emotional baggage with them.
I don;t think Ann is a saint, and she herself rejects any such suggestion. It’s an odd marriage. Mike loves her in a kind of dependent child fashion. I’m really not sure what she wants from him – they both need at least the shell of a marriage. But two less compatible people … I dunno. They say opposites attract, but not necessarily a good thing!
So it’s not as simple as monster + saintly wife, though viewers can relate to it like that most easily. The film is unsentimental, but I believe has empathy and even affection for both parties. Mike’s not just a monster when he’s manic. Amongst the nonsense and misdirected rage he says some arresting things. In particular on the topic of free will and happiness.
ON the subject of the OTHER film, I have just completed another bout of editing and I think done some more good things. The cut has evolved considerably since the one you saw, though the guts, and style remain the same. I’ve done more to bring out the characters of Caleb and Brian, and also massaged in a few things that defeated me before – for instance Brian’s mad stone folly, The Castle. He spent many backbreaking years building it before lack of funds defeated him. Also the show is now peppered liberally with Caleb’s marvelous shots, se we’re sharing the photography credit. The other big one for me is that we’ve finally now got some strong images in there of bears playing with dogs. It’s VHS amcam sourced from a Churchill local. It looks rough, but the content is amazing.
Wish I’d made these films ten years ago. I’d have made some serious money. Nowadays, the market is in ruins and nobody knows which way is up or how to make a buck. It’s hard times for Indies and Majors alike. I feel a bit like Brian, maintaining my flickers of hope in an icy wilderness against the day when things get better. The only good thing when you’ve got nothing to lose is that compromise goes out the window and you do the work how you want to do it.
Best,
Costa
” Keep The Dream Alive ! ” Costa !
As someone with bipolar I really want to see this but am not sure if I’d make it through the whole thing – nothing to do with the film-making, stuff like this is just hard to watch! It’s not coming to Chch for the NZFF, I really hope it ends up on DVD.
I understand. But I’m not sure you would have a problem. Everyone is different, so I can’t say. But watching someone else’s experience might at least convey the truth that you’re not alone. There’s pain in the movie and sadness; but some humour too, and I believe some hope. I don’t have any immediate plans for a DVD release, but I could arrange something for you if you wish. I’ll email you. Thanks.
Thank you. Tonight’s screening was fantastic.
Thanks Costa. Fantastic experience, great to meet Michael. This should help a lot of people feel less alone (which you could say is the whole point of art).
That’s great to hear, thanks for the feedback Stewart. Yes, I guess one function of movies is to share an experience or insight. I’m very glad this sharing is being well received, and as intended. I was a bit nervous about how audiences would take it, but I feel pretty good about it now.
Great movie. Thought provoking and interesting to watch. I saw it with you at Otago Uni tonight. Thanks for sharing it with us. Liz
My pleasure. Please spread the word. The film is available as a DVD direct from me. I don’t plan on going out wide with it, but hopefully there might be some therapeutic use, or even as a bizarre alternative entertainment. Ha ha.
Definitely consider that that you stated. Your favourite justification appeared to be at the web the easiest factor to take into accout of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed at the same time as other people consider concerns that they just don’t recognize about. You managed to hit the nail upon the highest and also outlined out the entire thing with no need side-effects , other people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thank you
I’m not sure I understand this comment, but thanks … I think???
I am not what everyone thinks but just a normal married woman, trying – come hell or high water (who says marriage is a bed of roses?) to ensure the “sharp edges” of our marriage evens out. I am Asian and brought up in a culture to respect vows, but when Michael went “beserk” the countless times and over the years, I saw red and just wanted to walk out. I understand in his “states”, harsh words were exchanged, unspeakable thoughts and actions were flung out and I nor he are proud of those. But we went thru them and came out a better partnership. Of course I cringe and am embarrassed by his words and actions, but friends keep telling me (and I to myself) that he wasn’t well. I grappled with my emotions, no words could get thru. The only thing that could help was leave him for a period of time, and it worked.
I sympathise with whoever’s husband or wife going through this and am wiling to talk to anyone who needs a ear. I couldn’t find or didn’t know where to find family support, I didn’t want to talk with a group, as it’s so personal. But thanks to all those who have supported us through those very harsh and trying times.
Costa, when you mentioned this:
“kind of dependent child fashion. I’m really not sure what she wants from him – they both need at least the shell of a marriage” I take umbrage to it, but will leave it at that, cos you did a pretty good job, not forgetting that you got a few “short end of the stick” too.
Thanks Ann. I’m sorry, I did not mean to cause any offence. I’m glad if you feel the movie gives a truthful account of its topic – though my hope remains that it shows a passing phase, and that normal life for you both is both happier and more peaceful. The film does seem to open up discussion, and people report feeling that is more a help than not, so I’m glad of that.
It did, and life is more peaceful and normal now. Was a terrible time and after many many nightmares.
Ann – If you would like to connect with other people in similar circumstances, or just for some support yourself, you could try contacting your local branch of Supporting Families. http://www.supportingfamiliesnz.org.nz/branches.php
My personal thanks to both you and Michael for your courage and honesty and generosity in taking part in this film, and to Costa for having the courage and resilience to make it and to stand by it. I saw the film last Saturday in Wellington, so thanks and congratulations also to the amazing group of peer support volunteers that make up the Wellington Balance support group, for organising this special screening at Film Archive.
Warm regards,
Leo McIntyre
Chairperson
Balance NZ
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