Nick Cave and the Wings of Desire - Pop Screen 149

The loneliness of eternity. The horrors of the 20th century. Nick Cave's hair. Yes, this week Pop Screen is tackling the biggest things possible with Wings of Desire, in which Wim Wenders's observations of Berlin, fondness for the poetry of Rilke and Bad Seeds fandom combined to form one of the most unlikely masterpieces of the 1980s.

Join Joe and Graham as they discuss Wenders's wayward, rewarding career and the notes of unexpected reality in this grand fantasy - from Peter Falk's supporting turn as himself to Solveig Dommartin's real-life trapeze skillz. We also talk about the film's sequels and remakes, Claire Denis's talent for novelty casting decisions, which era of Nick Cave's work appeals to us the most, and why every sufficiently highbrow artist needs their own Berlin period.

For a more sustained taste of heaven, you should donate to our Patreon, where you'll get a bonus episode of this show every month plus an end-of-month round-up podcast, Last Night..., that isn't available anywhere else. All this and weekly written articles on The X-Files, The Twilight Zone and the various things Doctor Who's cast and crew get up to away from the show in Outside the Blue Box. Follow us on Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook to find out more.