Lorne Michaels: The Accidental Documentary Subject

Director Morgan Neville's documentary, "Lorne," presents Lorne Michaels as an "inadvertent" subject, with Michaels initially attempting to avoid the cameras. The film reveals the unusual circumstances of its creation, where Michaels never explicitly agreed but the project progressed. Neville employed Robert Smigel's "TV Funhouse" animation and numerous anecdotes from "Saturday Night Live" cast and writers to fill in narrative gaps.

Dan Aykroyd, a key original cast member, notably refused to be interviewed, though he offered to send a letter. The documentary further explores Michaels' resistance to the project, detailing how the idea of a film about him "just kind of happened." Neville recounts pitching ideas to Michaels and his team, leading to the eventual greenlighting of a documentary focusing on Michaels himself.

The film touches upon a significant 1992 "SNL" moment where Sinéad O'Connor tore up a picture of the pope, followed by the "Sweet Jimmy, The World's Nicest Pimp" sketch. It also addresses an inaccuracy in Michaels' Wikipedia entry, stemming from a made-up anecdote by Paul Simon.

Neville's decade-long interest in Michaels as a subject culminated in this independent production. The director observed Michaels' abstract and philosophical approach to storytelling, recognizing that a linear narration of his life was unlikely. Despite Michaels' initial avoidance, Neville maintained persistence, comparing his approach to an animal documentary filmmaker gaining an animal's trust over time.

Michaels' complex feelings about a film being made about him are highlighted, with a friend noting his simultaneous desire and reluctance. The film captures Michaels' ongoing concern for "SNL," even at 81, and his worries about the show's future after his departure. His immense influence is underscored by his ability to connect with virtually anyone in entertainment.