13
20,000
Days
On
Earth
Review by El Boocho
N
ick Cave, who has recently lent
his writing talents to the movie
business with scripts for The
Proposition and Lawless, takes centre
stage here in a semi-fictionalized
account of a day in his life. Often
insightful and sometimes humorous the
film is split between performance, open
heart therapy sessions and long drives
with past collaborators. He openly
discusses his relationship with his father
and how in the past he would go to
church on the same days he would
inject himself with heroin. He attempts
to define himself both as a person and a
musician; the conclusion of which is
both are a work in progress.
He emphasizes how he is never more
alive than when he is on stage. The
powerful energy from an audience
transcends his performance to where he
becomes almost like an unapologetic
diva. He intimates that every
performance becomes a therapeutic
release and celebration of the creative
spirit. In a humorous conversation with
frequent collaborator Warren Ellis, he
remembers the pre-show eccentricity of
Nina Simone and her demands of
wanting some ‘ some champagne, some
cocaine and some sausages!’. Then, on
stage commanding the audience’s
attention to a dictatorial degree; much
to Cave’s astonishment and envy.
His car journeys with Ray Winstone
and Kylie Minogue bring Cave’s
egotism to the fore. Often ignoring the
replies of his passenger and wallowing
in his own mythical meanderings of his
own existence. His soulful performance
of Higgs-Boson Blues is a joy for the
purists and in many ways gives the
audience confirmation of Cave’s
creative process and undoubted ability
as a songwriter.
20 000 Days on Earth is, like his
music, deeply philosophical. He allows
us for a brief period into a world
steeped in imagery born through
language. A must see for any Nick Cave
fan and for those who are not; tough.