20,000 Days on Earth
Dir: Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard
2014
****
It was quite surreal watching 20,000 Days on Earth. Not only because it's a surreal film but also because directors Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard are ex-colleagues of mine. We all worked for the record label Nick Cave was signed to at the time, so I know them and had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Cave and a few of the Bad Seeds on several occasions. So I can safely say that 20,000 Days on Earth really isn't the ego-fest that it may first appear to be. Nick Cave is one of the most creative artists working today, a prolific writer and a great thinker. It goes without saying that this film will be enjoyed more by his fans but I think those that don't know a lot about him, like the person I watched it with, can still take plenty away with them from it. He's brutally honest at times and the film has it's moments of intensity but he actually dispels certain myths of the archetypal rock star and his tongue is firmly in cheek throughout. The dreamlike conversations with past collaborators (in music and film) only add to the humour and mysticism. I can say with all bias aside, Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard have made a beautiful and original documentary that is dripping in cool and is a huge breath of fresh air that the bio-doc genre really needs.