Tag Archives: heath ledger

Why So Modest? (Video)

King Rat

In January, it will have already been two years since Heath Ledger died. And as much as the world continues to miss him, that loss is eased somewhat by the continued unveiling of Ledger’s latter-day projects. Last summer, we were treated to a little film called The Dark Knight, which won Ledger a much-deserved posthumous Oscar.

This fall, we will get to see his final film, the Terry Gilliam-directed The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (also starring Tom Waits), which finds Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell assuming Ledger’s role for the scenes left unfinished at the time of his demise.

But, in even more exciting news, today has seen the belated release of “King Rat”, an animated music video Ledger directed for indie darlings/smart-asses Modest Mouse. Completed in collaboration with LA’s THE MASSES, the video’s release is timed to coincide with Modest Mouse’s new EP No One’s First and You’re Next. The EP contains newly recorded songs from the We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank and Good News for People Who Love Bad News sessions, as well as two rare b-sides.

In addition to being entertaining, the video has a conservationist bent. According to THE MASSES:

Proceeds from iTunes video downloads in the first month of release will go toward Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization organization committed to ending the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species. Sea Shepherd uses direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. We encourage you to visit their site if you are compelled to make a larger donation or volunteer your time.

We’ve got the video for “King Rat” after the jump. Continue reading

The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight is 150 minutes of intensity—a well-done action film that, unlike Batman Begins, focuses less on character and more on the ca-razee Joker (played by a nearly scenery-chewing Heath Ledger) and Batman’s quest to stop him.

Continue reading

Please Preserve Ledger’s Dignity.

null

In case I ever become famous and die under mysterious and/or sketchy circumstances, I have already instructed several close friends to release a statement to the press informing them officially that I suffered a heart attack while sodomizing an underage male prostitute. I’m not gay, nor do I have an affinity for sodomy with minors, nor do I have a weak heart; the idea is to horrify people so totally that they cut out any idle, empty, and meaningless speculation about my (hypothetical) death.

Continue reading

I’m Not There

I’m Not There

I’m Not There kind of depends on the fact that any straightforward Bob Dylan biopic wouldn’t live up to expectations, and director Todd Haynes has lovingly exploited that fact by making a film so deliberately obtuse that it’s hard to actually criticize.

Continue reading