Gutterdämmerung

“The Loudest Silent Movie on Earth”

God has eradicated sin once and for all. God has abolished rock ‘n’ roll and those other two things that go with it (er, drugs, sex). But God is in for a challenge — as he’s about to meet Iggy Pop. 

Such is only the beginning of the wild premise of the upcoming silent film, Gutterdämmerung sees Iggy Pop playing a rebellious “punk” angel named Vicious who attempts to return delicious chaos to the world, Henry Rollins playing a puritan priest, and Grace Jones playing “the only person capable of controlling all the testosterone of all the no good rock ‘n’ rollers.” The film has been dubbed by its writer/director — Belgian-Swedish visual artist Bjorn Tagemose — as the “loudest silent movie on Earth.”

For, screenings of it will be accompanied by the score of a touring rock band. As per a video announcement of the project, which you can watch below, the audience will be standing while watching this “fully immersive experience.” The video alleges that “12 epic rock stars are playing in this film”

If none of that has gotten you excited, perhaps a statement from Jesse Hughes of the Eagles of Death Metal will:

It’s not a rockumentary, it’s not fucking Spinal Tap, it’s the real fucking deal. And it’s the craziest fucking story you’ll ever fucking see in the theater.

Getting to the bottom of exactly what Gutterdämmerung is exactly is a true mind-boggler, so here’s your handy five-point guide.

It’s based on Alice In Wonderland

“It’s kind of like Alice In Wonderland in rock’n’roll hell,” says one of the film’s cast members, Jesse Hughes of Eagles Of Death Metal. “Each person in it doesn’t really know what the other characters are and how they connect. No-one really knows what the actual storyline is, the first I saw of my own performance was in that trailer. Everything’s been shrouded in secrecy.”

The plot is… odd

In terms of plot, we don’t know much, but what we do know is that a fallen angel throws a magical guitar from the heavens for an evil priest, a rock’n’roll tank general, a bazooka henchman and a stuffed-trousered cowboy to fight over through the deserts of California and the World War 1 trenches of Belgium.

It’s a silent rock movie

Despite being about music, Gutterdämmerung is a silent film – but not just any silent film. Branded as the ‘loudest silent movie ever made’. A live band will be providing the soundtrack as the film tours the world, playing music composed from contributions from all of its rock’n’roll superstars. “The manner in which a silent movie was given music by a piano player will essentially be replaced by a rock’n’roll band,” explains Jesse. Björn’s taken Iggy Pop’s current band, one hell of a brilliant set of musicians, and as it tours around the world it will incorporate the performers who live there, so it’s got this roving feel to it. We all believe in it, even though we necessarily didn’t know what we’re believing in.”

It’s got a killer cast

It stars Iggy Pop, Henry Rollins, Lemmy, Josh Homme (with whom Iggy made his last album ”Post Pop Depression”), Grace Jones and Slash. No biggie. Jesse tells us he plays “a hot cowboy with a dick bigger than [legendary pornstar] John Holmes.” Director and writer Björn Tagemose adds that Iggy is a spoilt angel who didn’t get into heaven because God doesn’t trust him and, instead, gives him a guitar. “He is the centrepiece,” says Tagemose. “In his defiance, Iggy throws the guitar down to earth as he doesn’t agree with rock’n’roll being taken away from the planet and everything becoming peaceful.”

Rollins, meanwhile, is an evil priest chasing down a couple who discover the guitar in the desert, while Lemmy is a general who leads the rock’n’roll army and Josh Homme plays his bazooka-toting henchman. “He has a bazooka which is called Death Dominion after Dylan Thomas’ poem, And Death Shall Have No Dominion,” explains Tagemose. Meanwhile Grace Jones is the gatekeeper of purgatory. “Imagine her like Cleopatra in a big chair with either a thumbs up or thumbs down,” adds Tagemose.

It’s all in glorious black and white!

Yes, black and white! Like them old timey films! Gee whizz! Iggy will begin his Post Pop Depression Tour the same day the movie premieres in Berlin on the 6th of May!!

Oh and BTW…Iggy Pop also has another film project lined up. He’s set to play a serial killer in The Sandman, the latest horror film from Italian master Dario Argento. Now that really should be another smash it!! Click on image below so you can contribute to the financing of this film!! OR just read about it….