Anti-Whaling Music Video from Heath Ledger and Modest Mouse Released

categories: Hunting, Marine Life, Videos, Wildlife/FreeLiving Animals

Published August 04, 2009 @ 09:17PM PT

Apparently, prior to his death last year, Heath Ledger was at work directing a music video with the band Modest Mouse--and not just any run-of-the-mill music video, but a creative animated video intended to raise awareness of the cruel, brutal nature of whaling. And having viewed the video just now--it was released today--I'd argue that it puts out a strong anti-fishing message too (if not a message in opposition to killing animals in general, even if that wasn't the intent; let me know what you think after you've seen it).

From the band's MySpace blog today:

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.

The video was fully conceived down to the last detail but unfinished when Heath passed away in January of 2008. In the interest of fully realizing Heath’s final work as a visual artist, THE MASSES (a film and music company which Heath was a partner in) finished the video in his honor, with the support and advocacy of Isaac Brock.

Proceeds from iTunes video downloads in the first month of release will go toward Sea Shepherd Conservation Society . . .

Sea Shepherd itself reports,

Heath Ledger met with Captain Paul Watson and board member Susan Weingartner in the fall of 2007 to show them the unfinished version of this video. Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is honored to be connected with this important work and hopes that it brings attention to the illegal slaughter of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

Although the video can currently be located outside MySpace, I've decided not to embed it here because it seems that upload must not have been approved, given the band's stated intentions for giving MySpace the exclusive premiere today (and given that the MySpace video uploaded by the band has embedding intentionally disabled). So instead, I'll just direct you to the MySpace URL to watch. Do check it out.

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Comments (4)

This is gripping and powerful. I almost didn't watch, because I thought it would be too graphic in its portrayal of the whales being harpooned. I won't give away the plot line, but I do hope it causes the Ledger fans who may not have thought twice about whales to now take up their cause, if for no other reason than in tribute to his memory. I hope he wins some awards posthumously for this moving video.

Posted by Olivia White on 08/05/2009 @ 02:12AM PT
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Absolutely powerful. I may actually let my son watch this - he has been watching Shark Week with me, and has cried every time he saw a shark dying or being harmed. I was about 6 years old when that film about the dolphin slaughter on the beach surfaced. I remember watching that and it being probably the most influential moment of my life - drawing me to the cause of animal rights.

This video also reminds me of the "Float On" video from a few years ago. It appears as if the lambs are lining up for slaughter. The song itself is about how we expect the worst only to be surprised by the best, I've always hoped that the lambs were just going into the barn to get sheared, but one never knows.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5Vzrfkg-HY

Posted by Lisa Smolen on 08/05/2009 @ 07:52AM PT
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This video is so intense I love it!! Way to go Heath and Modest Mouse!

Posted by Michelle Taylor on 08/05/2009 @ 07:37PM PT
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I love this Video and I am so pleased to see more and more everyday supporting Whales, Dolphins and the Oceans and it's Inhabitants, With Ric O'Berry, the late Heath Ledger and Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd on the case I think we may have a chance to get the killing to stop.

Posted by Lorraine Rogers on 08/06/2009 @ 09:24AM PT
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Stephanie is an independent animal rights advocate, a vegan, a tree-hugging environmentalist, and a freelance editor and writer. She lives in St. Louis with an aging corgi-lab and an adolescent rescued pit bull.