music in order of appearance

"I always say that Nick was born with a skin too few", tells actress Gabrielle about her brother, the English singer-songwriter Nick Drake (1948-1974). It took twenty posthumous years for his music to gain recognition and even proclaim him culthero. The documentary 'A Skin Too Few' approaches the silent landscapes, locations, people and music in the life of this unorthodox loner in the hope of understanding his state of mind.

Super8 Filmclip and Gabrielle Drake (real video)

Nick Drake is one of rock's most tragically romantic figures. There were only 26 years between his birth and his death: a time span that for many would be far too short to develop a talent, or realise an ambition or dream. His songs captured time, beauty, loss, and wistful desires with precision so subtle that they evoke a terrifying enchantment in those who hear them for the first time

One autumn morning in 1974, Nick's parents were unable to wake their son. Singer-songwriter Nick Drake died silently and unobtrusively. The significance of the three albums he left the world was only discovered two decades after his quiet passing.

Producer Joe Boyd whose tracks lead from Pink Floyd's 'Arnold Lane' and Fairport Convention to REM's 'Fables of the Reconstruction' also couldn¹t prevent that Nick's career only started long after his death. Nowadays the legend of Nick Drake grows with each passing month. The press fuels the myth: 'millenium hero' (Mojo), 'the cult hero to end all cult heroes' (The Times).

A lot of well known musicians treasure his work. Among them are REM, Radiohead, John Cale, Blur, Everything but the Girl, Beth Orton and former 'the Jam' & 'Style Council' foreman Paul Weller who has a small part in the documentary. Recently Nick's songs found their way onto film soundtracks like 'Hideous Kinky' starring Kate Winslet, 'Practical Magic' with Nicole Kidman and 'TwentFourSeven' with Bob Hoskins. And if that weren't enough, Nick Drake made his first steps in the world advertising. After a Nike commercial the new campaign for the Volkswagen Cabrio is also using a Nick Drake song to set the mood. Afterwards, sales of his album 'Pink Moon' took a dramatic turn upwards and 26 years after releasing three commercially disappointing albums it is high up in the US album charts.

Nick's room. (real video)

This late success is all to bizarre considering Nick Drake's tortured existence. Except for boarding school and Cambridge University he seldom left the parental home, and contact with others became a tremendous effort. His sensitivity was the basis for his talent but at the same time made him unable to face an audience. Caught in this spiral, he became increasingly embittered by his lack of success and gradually isolated himself. The testimonies in 'a Skin Too Few' describe an artist of integrity who symbolises the destructive effect of loneliness.

directed by - Jeroen Berkvens / photography - Vladas Naudzius / sound - Eddy de Cloe / editing - Stefan Kamp / audio postproduction - Michel Schöpping
executive producer - JB Macrander for Humanist Broadcasting Foundation
supported by Dutch Cultural Broadcasting and Promotion Fund & Thuiskopiefund

48 minutes, 35mm, stereo, English language, no voice-over

sales contact: Bonanza Films
Sumatrakade 689-691, 1019 PV Amsterdam, the Netherlands, office: +31 20 6263801 mail@bonanza.nl

© Humanist Broadcasting Foundation / LuijtenMacrander Productions 2000

http://www.algonet.se/~iguana/
DRAKE/DRAKE.html