August 30, 2005
A year ago, Nick Cave said this:
"We're still kind of praying it's going to happen, because the whole thing is just a struggle. To get this film made, to get the financing in time to keep the actors happy, the whole thing. It's an Australian western, set in 1880, a fictional story about three bushranger brothers."
He was talking about The Proposition, the film he wrote, which is now finished and set for release in Australia on October 6th. There's a new website up, and there's a trailer available; but as it's encoded in Flash and approximately the size of a postage stamp, it's nearly impossible to get an impression of the film from it (without a magnifying glass, at least).
There's a bit of a thrill for me in seeing the credit 'Written By Nick Cave' in the advertisements, and the fact that it's a Western (with, perhaps, some archetypical Cain & Abel undertones) is exciting, too. Still, my fingers are somewhat cautiously crossed - I've heard mixed things about Cave's other major bit of fictional writing (his novel And The Ass Saw The Angel, which I guess I need to read now that it's back in print), and the director, Johnny Hillcoat, has helmed a lot of videos for the Bad Seeds that I don't really care for; on the other hand, the cast is superb (I'll see anything with Danny Huston or Emily Watson), and if nothing else, the soundtrack (which I'm sure we'll get in the states before the film itself) will very likely be wonderful.
Posted by David Lowery at August 30, 2005 05:38 AM
Comments
Have you seen Ghosts of the Civil Dead?
Posted by: Matt at August 30, 2005 04:55 PM
Matt--would you recommend Ghosts Of The Civil Dead? I just found out today that both Hillcoat and Cave will be on hand to present and talk about it and also The Proposition in Toronto next week. I'm hunched over film descriptions, filling out my order form tonight. I hadn't heard of either film until I just read David's post.
Posted by: girish at August 30, 2005 06:24 PM
I haven't seen it! But it's Cave, of course, and he's actually in it, so...I don't know. It might be worth tracking down some old reviews or something and seeing what they have to say?
I've heard mixed things about The Proposition. Namely about its trailer, but that's so not what I should be judging.
Posted by: Matt at August 30, 2005 07:29 PM
I've heard mixed things about Ghosts as well, but here's an intriguing positive review. I considered buying a Region Free DVD a while back, but never got around to it. If you ever manage to see it, Matt, I'd be very interested in hearing what you think - it sounds intrinsically Australian. Girish, I don't know how you manage to make your choices when going to the TFF - I'd likely throw my hands up in despair just looking through the program book. I just realized the new Matthew Barney film is premiering there...I'm sick with envy!
Anyway, aside from Ghosts, Cave's also been in Johnny Suede, opposite Brad Pitt. Oh, and as himself in Wim Wenders' Wings Of Desire. I should try to find the old picture we took when a few friends and I met him outside the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans after his (absolutely breakthtaking) solo show a few years back. It was one of my few instances of autograph-seeking.
Posted by: Ghostboy at August 30, 2005 08:22 PM
He appears as himself in the documentary The Road to God Knows Where as well. It's not a terribly good film, though the performances are wonderful. My reaction was probably tainted by the time at which I was forced to see it; i.e. late at night.
The film feels like it wants to be Don't Look Back, and there are certainly similarities between Dylan, who doesn't want to be there, and Cave, who doesn't either. The way they both deal with reporters and media interviews are strikingly similar.
Posted by: Matt at August 30, 2005 09:17 PM
Thank you, David and Matt. I'm not sure if I'll be able catch either film. The Toronto choices are painful because each film plays just twice and there are so many directors I really like who are part of the menu this year: Hou, Sokurov, Haneke, Dardennes, Cronenberg, Garrel, Tsai, Ferrara, etc. Basically, I'm tearing my hair out trying to schedule them all. We'll see how it goes.
Posted by: girish at August 30, 2005 09:31 PM
I've seen most of God Knows Where....like you, very late at night. I remember some striking b/w performance footage, but nothing outside of the songs.
Girish, I don't blame you for passing up either of these pictures - despite Cave's status as one of my favorite musicians, I'd put much higher preference on any of the films from any of the directors you listed, and just wait until The Proposition gets a regular release.
Posted by: Ghostboy at August 31, 2005 01:03 AM
Tsai, Tsai, Tsai...
Posted by: Matt at August 31, 2005 03:20 AM