Here is the Heath Ledger-directed Modest Mouse music video for “King Rat” that premiered today.
Prior to his death, Ledger approached Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock with a wacky concept video for a throwaway track from We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank and instead was included on the special pre-order sampler of the album, which also included “Dashboard” and “Fire it Up”. The video was directed by Ledger with animation done by Terry Gilliam, director of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, the Ledger-starring film in post production when the star passed. The video was completed posthumously by THE MASSES.
Here’s some background via Stereogum:
In January of 2007, while visiting his homeland of Australia, Heath Ledger presented Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse with an idea to direct a video for their yet-to-be-released song ‘King Rat’. Heath’s vision, brave and unapologetic in its nature, would marry his love of bold and original music with his impassioned stance against the illegal commercial whale hunts taking place of the coast of Australia each year. Always one to operate from his heart and take a stand for what he cared deeply about, Heath’s intention was to raise awareness on modern whaling practices through a potent visual piece without having to say a word. It was his way to let the story, in its candid reversal, speak for itself.
Enjoy some human-skinning by cigar-smoking, hat toting whale hunters.
Lewis Corson
