the first music film seen at this year's nziff
looking forward to it - time to kick back and relax
have seem some seriously good but many serious films
a minor fan of nick cave also having seen him live a few times
he certainly can deliver on stage so not expecting otherwise in film
the film opens with an amazing montage of photos from his whole life
many shots of past bands - boys next door, birthday party, bad seeds
all presented chronologically and blindingly fast as a counter winds up
stops of course on 20,000 and the film cuts to nick cave awake in bed
alarm goes off and he arises - fully shaved and half dressed - huh?
his voice then announcing it is his 20,000th day here on planet earth
we're going to help him mark the occasion and follow him around
he's at home in brighton, england - we go from bathroom to study
he taps away on a small typewriter surrounded by books and artwork
the bohemian at work and the voiceover to confirm his love of writing
close-ups of a tape-based answering machine to learn the day's schedule
his musical foil warren ellis then appears and other members of the seeds
time for some noodling with instruments as our man works up a new song
kind of cool to be right amongst the action and at the genesis of a tune
next he's into his car (very nice late model black jaguar) and driving
ray winstone is his passenger and they are chatting like old mates
a drive around brighton as mr cave talks about his chosen home town
and mostly in regard to the weather - seems he likes it - storms and all
an appointment with some kind of therapist is the next stop in the film
nick cave talking about his childhood, father and early sexual experiences
me thinking - does he actually need therapy - or a ploy to spill the beans?
now i am getting suspicious about this film - but - move on - back in the car
he rolls up at the humble country home of warren ellis - met at the door
a welcoming kiss and a friendly chat over a meal of eel prepared by ellis
reminiscing about old times and a funny story about a nina simone show
and then he's off again - need to get to the 'archives' place for a meeting
now in the car is blixa bargald - looking older - they also talk over old times
and some kind of resolution to some nasty business when he left the seeds
there's yet another musical interlude with the band working up a tune
i find it a bit uncomfortable really - should be in awe - but squeamish
it's the lyrics you see - bordering on trite and the earnesty - well...
'i got the higgs boson blues - gonna take you to geneva babe'
by now i am losing track of the day - give up - many days i think
meanwhile at the archives place he is going over old photos
another setup i suspect to allow casual chat of past experiences
mr cave f-bombing his talk with the conservative people there
photos of his time in berlin and the serious weirdness of it all
homage to his current wife suzi and an obvious deep love for her
nice - and then it's back to more band practice tune development
and more trite lyrics - 'hanna montana went to the african savannah'
i am seriously slumping in my seat and checking the watch - 30 minutes yet
and back into the car - kylie minogue now the back-seat passenger
she sucking up to him big-time - seems some favours called in
he then arrives home, ambles up the stairs and family time
a scene of him uncomfortably (i think) hanging out with the kids
he has twin sons - early teenagers - they share pizza and a dvd
but no eye contact or talk - arms over the lads but very staged
next (finally) we are in sydney and at the opera house (same day?)
the big climax is upon us - the band backstage while the venue fills
then on they come - lights dimmed, the crowd roars - action!
a rousing rendition of jubilee street from push the sky away
end of film - cleverly on a big high - and some live music
not exactly a film done in one day as kind of expected
nor the flashbacks of rare archival footage longed for
in the end my feeling is it's a big promotional exercise
nick cave maybe at a critical juncture artistically
certainly this film was no big-budget exercise
but many bums on seats everywhere
so the coffers will be filling at least
but the enigma - for me - damaged
nevermind - there's more of those
