One More Time With Feeling

One More Time With Feeling from 2016 is an unforgettable black-and-white documentary film that offers an unvarnished, yet profoundly empathetic, portrait of renowned Australian musician, Nick Cave, and his band, The Bad Seeds. Directed by the visionary Andrew Dominik, acclaimed for movies such as "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and "Killing Them Softly," the film stars key band members: Cave, noted composer Warren Ellis, and percussionist Jim Sclavunos.

The documentary pushes boundaries, venturing into the depths of human tragedy and resilience as it chronicles Cave and his band during the making of their sixteenth studio album, "Skeleton Tree." But there is an echo of the grief that resonates in the undercurrents, that of the tragic death of Cave's teenage son which suffuses the narrative.

Dominik uses color and black and white, 2D and 3D aesthetics, to document the creative process, capturing every intensity, every stroke of genius in Cave's sombre creation. The film traverses between past and present, between reality and imagination, guiding the audience through a world of emotionally resonant music, personal retrospection, and the unyielding force of life’s harsh realities.

The filmmaker's novel approach not only underlines the evolving sound and the live recording of The Bad Seeds, but it also illuminates the devastatingly vulnerable echolocation of Cave's life, raw and unfiltered. The narrative is interspersed with intimate interviews and curiously profound voiceovers, featuring candid discussions about the reality of loss, creative process, identity, and the transformative power of music in the face of overwhelming sorrow.

Nick Cave, known for his distinctive baritone voice, deeply thought lyrics, and his amalgamation of a variety of music styles, is compellingly captured in this film. He is revealed not just as a musician, but as a poet, a father and a man wrestling with his inner demons. His philosophical ruminations about the nature of time, the contours of grief, and the metamorphosis of his creative spirit are highlighted with an intense, soul-stirring honesty.

Warren Ellis, who has been a long-time member and collaborator of The Bad Seeds, is also featured prominently in the film. His relationship with Cave is explored, with the film paying attention to their creative partnership and friendship that have withstood the test of time, personal upheavals, and artistic evolutions.

Jim Sclavunos, the enigmatic drummer, also shares the limelight and provides insightful contributions to the proceedings. His calm demeanor, coupled with his artistic insights and musical prowess, adds another intriguing layer to this film.

Dominik's masterpiece doesn't shield its audience from the raw essence of human experience; instead, it immerses viewers into the abyss of pain and the struggle of finding light within it. The way Dominik uses silence and space, contrasting it with Cave's profound lyrics, creates a poetic humming in the backdrop of human dialogue, something that stays with the viewer long after the film ends.

One More Time With Feeling manages to stay true to its name. It reverberates the sentiment of facing despair, of going through life-altering experiences one more time, with feeling, no matter how excruciating the process might be. It's not just a tribute to an artist's incredible resilience but is a universal tale of humanity, of loss and the labyrinthine journey of picking up the pieces in the aftermath. It's tragic yet beautiful, affecting yet empowering, making it a cinematic experience that resonates deeply with all viewers.

So, even for those not aware of Nick Cave's work, One More Time With Feeling serves as an accessible window into the universe of an extraordinarily gifted artiste and his journey through catharsis. A finely crafted documentary, it's ultimately a testimony to the transformative and healing powers of music and the resilience of human spirit.