A new video was released this week for a song called “King Rat” by indie rock band Modest Mouse. It probably wouldn’t get as much attention under normal circumstances, but it was directed by the late Heath Ledger and is believe to be his last piece of work.
The video is done in animation and shows whales fishing for humans. Kind of deep, I guess. I don’t know — it’s too early for me to absorb all this social message.
Hey wendie, I really think you should put some type of warning up there. that’s pretty disturbing.
Makes me happy to be at the top of the food chain.
@ Marie — no warning needed. People do this every day. If you don’t like it, don’t support it.
What a great video — sharing all over the place! Thanks for posting it!
Mm, I adore Modest Mouse.
Their videos are always incredible, this one is no exception.
It’s very good work on both their parts.
Yup! MM are one of few bands these days I can take seriously… they’re videos – always a pleasure – this one, very disturbing but on point.
I’m kinda surprised though that noone seems to know the difference between mammals and fish but… go on with you highly qualified… bullshit. Btw this doesn’t mean that I’m suggesting fishing is “better” than hunting mammals.
Whatever.
Soo….. Am I supposed to not eat fish? Other than being old-timey disturbing (like most Modest Mouse videos) I guess I don’t really get the message. Unless it’s “Don’t eat fish.”
I see the message as the thoughtlessness that we have regarding 1) our food, and 2) other life in general. It’s one thing to kill something to eat it, because we need it, and it’s something else to kill something and never give a second thought to the manner in which we do it. In the video, the harvest is unnecessarily cruel — and check the libertine whales on the boat, partying it up! How human!
Thats some scary shit! It’s a good video – makes you think. Not sure if it’s really on the same level as humans hunting fish though (if thats what it’s about) as we have different levels of consciousness. But whatever.
For whatever reason I have no sound on the video, which makes it somewhat less interesting. However, according to the PI, Ledger went to MM with the idea of making a video to bring attention to illegal commercial whaling practices.
Slight correction, the PI is dead and it’s the Seattle Times now… I’m not quite awake yet.
It appears there are all kinds of silly, sad and macabre stuff bouncing around in his brain when the coke, crack, meth, heroin and weed fight for dominance with oxycodine and Ecstasy and that vodka coctail?
I love the art in this video. I am such a dork when it comes to art, and this made me excited.
Also, it is disturbing subject matter, yes. But have you ever seen a whale harvest? It is much, much worse and incredibly disturbing.