Simon Safránek:
The Myth (Czech Republic, 2003)
Production: No More Buts Crew
61 min - DVD. English. No Finnish subtitles.
Whatever kind of music Nick Cave has ever made – be it ultraviolent noise rock with The Birthday Party or the exquisitely delicate love songs with The Bad Seeds – it has always awakened passions. Thanks to his lyrics that rain fire and brimstone on his listeners and his personality that attracts moody young things all over the planet like a light attracts the night moths, he has gathered around him a ferociously dedicated fleet of fans who are ready to travel far and wide just to see their hero onstage.
The Myth is an intriguing study on fandom from the viewpoint of both the audience and the idol. Czech director Simon Safránek interviewed fans and the members of The Bad Seeds in numerous Eastern European venues, hoping to find out why these people want to pursue their favourite band across continents from one gig to another. Do music fans feel a bit like a tribe, waiting to meet their prophet? Are the short moments with their idol to them like a dose of favourite drug is to an addict? The document, a collage of little stories and snippets of live footage, culminates with an interview with the man behind the myth himself, Mr. Nick Cave.
