As reported by the ABC this afternoon, revered film critic David Stratton has passed away at the age of 85, dying peacefully in hospital near his Blue Mountains home.
His family, who have requested privacy at this time, described him as someone whose ‘passion for film, commitment to Australian cinema, and generous spirit touched countless lives’, and noted he was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend.
They also invited everyone to honour his memory by watching a favourite film – or perhaps his own favourite film, Singin’ in the Rain.
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David James Stratton, AM (1939–2025)
David Stratton, a name synonymous with Australian film criticism, has died at the age of 85.
Born in Trowbridge, Wiltshire in 1939, Stratton first found his cinematic calling during his childhood, when he was accompanied to the cinema by his grandmother during WWII.
He relocated to Australia in 1963, initially for a brief stay, but quickly grew roots. From 1966 to 1983, he served as director of the Sydney Film Festival, a role pivotal in shaping his lifelong devotion to the local film industry.
His television legacy is inseparable from that of Margaret Pomeranz, with whom he co-hosted the iconic film-review shows The Movie Show (1986–2004) on SBS and At the Movies (2004–2014) on ABC – a partnership that wound up spanning nearly three decades. Their dynamic, marked by often contrasting tastes and warm verbal sparring, became a touchstone of film culture in Australia.
Beyond TV, Stratton maintained a prolific career in journalism. He reviewed films for The Weekend Australian for over 30 years, contributed to Variety, and lectured in film history until his retirement in 2023.
His influence extended globally. He served on juries at major festivals including Berlin, Montreal, Venice, twice presided over FIPRESCI juries at Cannes and Venice, and received high praise from both filmmakers and film-lovers alike.
Among his many honours were France’s Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, the Order of Australia, the Longford Award, the Chauvel Award, and honorary degrees from multiple institutions.
A voracious cinephile, Stratton once professed to have seen over 25,000 films, viewing ‘at least one film I hadn’t seen before’ nearly every day.
His written works include The Last New Wave, The Avocado Plantation, his memoir I Peed on Fellini, 101 Marvellous Movies You May Have Missed, and My Favourite Movies.
In December 2023, he formally retired, citing health concerns and deteriorating eyesight, but remained committed to his love of cinema, declaring his intention to continue watching a new film each day.
Stratton’s legacy remembered
Members of the public have begun to express their sadness at Stratton’s passing, sharing memories via social media.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said ‘All of us who tuned in to ‘At the Movies’ respected him for his deep knowledge and for the gentle and generous way he passed it on. May he rest in peace.’
ScreenHub reached out to Zachary Ruane of Aunty Donna (who recently developed and performed a comedy show, REFUSED CLASSIFICATION, based on The Movie Show). ‘As a weird little kid growing up in a country town, ‘The Movie Show’ felt like a bridge to a world I never imagined I could be a part of,’ Ruane said. ‘A bridge that made that world feel tangible and maybe even possible.
‘A rich arts culture needs creatives, but it also needs advocates and communicators – and few did it better than David.’
‘[Stratton] was the living embodiment of ICON,’ Stephen A Russell, film critic, told ScreenHub. ‘It’s impossible to know how many people watched and adored movies they’d never have dreamt about thanks to his informed and passionate guidance, often alongside the inimitable Margaret Pomeranz, with their professional chemistry crackling.
‘How many filmmakers do what they do because he championed them?’ Russell continued. ‘How many critics, like me, are better because they had his path to follow?
‘A staunch defender of cinema against censorship, he fought for the cause and we’re a richer nation for it. Now a much sadder one, too, but forever grateful for a hero and a gentleman.’
‘I grew up on David & Margaret, and their contribution to critical film discussion in Australia shaped the way I viewed stories on screen,’ Vyshnavee Wijekumar, writer and critic, told ScreenHub. ‘The legend has passed, but the legacy lives on through those that witnessed and enjoyed his reviews, and were inspired to formulate their own perspective’.
Professor Lisa French, Dean, School of Media and Communication at RMIT, told ScreenHub: ‘David made notable and important contributions as a champion of screen culture, from running the Sydney Film Festival for two decades, advocating for Australian cinema (including as a writer), becoming reliable and insightful a print and television critic, and contributing to education.
‘He will be missed. He was accessible, one could just walk up and talk to him if you caught him on a rare moment where he’d be quietly watching the action alone. His legacy is broad, deep and will be enduring.’
Flick Ford, host of Primal Screen on 3RRRfm, told ScreenHub: ‘Watching David and Margaret lovingly spar over the latest new release every week was such a formative experience for me – and likely explains why I’m a film critic today!
‘What I admired was Stratton’s striking humility and extraordinary film knowledge (particularly French new wave),’ Ford continued. ‘He was quietly passionate about cinema and would provide precise detail – often contextualising his review within film history. Stratton also championed our local industry and seemed to have a soft-spot for Australian cinema – just not Chopper.
‘He offered more than light entertainment, it was an education in film.’
‘One of the few times I’ve ever been star struck was the first time I met [Stratton],’ recalled Thomas Caldwell, film critic, writer and broadcaster, to ScreenHub. ‘I made a fool of myself and was thankful he didn’t seem to have remembered me the second time we met at the premiere of a short film about one of his many battles with censorship.’
‘Growing up, falling in love with cinema, while not always feeling it was a worthy thing for me to love so much, he was one of the first public figures I encountered who validated not just my passion for films but my feeling that discussing films with a degree of intellectualism was something immensely satisfying and valuable,’ Caldwell continued.
‘I loved watching him debate the merits of films with Margaret Pomeranz, and between them they introduced me not just to films that weren’t already on my radar, but new ways of looking at films and weighing their importance.
‘The Americans had Siskel & Ebert, we had (less formally) David & Margaret and Australian film culture is the all richer.’
Stratton’s death marks the end of an era in Australian screen criticism. His erudition, wit, and unwavering championing of both local and global cinema forged a legacy that shaped and inspired generations of viewers and critics alike – including the author of this article.
Vale David Stratton.
