Until the Light Takes Us (2008)

Interviews and news footage explore the rise of black metal music in Norway in the 1990s, including artists who were involved in suicide, murder and arson.

Directors:

Aaron Aites, Audrey Ewell

Stars:

Fenriz, Varg Vikernes, Euronymous

Cast

Cast overview:
Fenriz	...	Self - Darkthrone (as Gylve 'Fenris' Nagell)
Varg Vikernes	...	Self - Burzum (as Varg 'Count Grishnackh' Vikernes)
Euronymous	...	Self - Mayhem (archive footage) (as Øystein 'Euronymous' Aarseth)
Hellhammer	...	Self - Mayhem (as Jan Axel 'Hellhammer' Blomberg)
Per Ohlin	...	Self - Mayhem (archive footage) (as Per 'Dead' Ohlin)
Abbath Doom Occulta	...	Self - Immortal (as Olve 'Abbath' Eikemo)
Harald Nævdal	...	Self - Immortal (as Harald 'Demonaz' Nævdal)
Bjarne Melgaard	...	Self - Visual Artist
Bård Eithun	...	Self - Emperor (as Bård 'Faust' Eithun)
Kristoffer Rygg	...	Self - Ulver (as Kristoffer 'Garm' Rygg)
Frost	...	Self - Satyricon (as Kjetil 'Frost' Haraldstad)
Harmony Korine	...	Self - Filmmaker

Storyline

Chronicles the history, ideology and aesthetic of Norwegian black metal - a musical subculture infamous as much for a series of murders and church arsons as it is for its unique musical and visual aesthetics. This is the first (and only) film to truly shed light on a movement that has heretofore been shrouded in darkness and rumor and obscured by inaccurate and shallow depictions. Featuring exclusive interviews and verité with the musicians, a wealth of rare, seldom seen footage from the "Inner Circle"s earliest days, Until the Light Takes Us explores every aspect of the controversial movement that has captured the attention of the world. This is the movie that gets inside the minds and hearts of black metal's musicians. The filmmakers moved to Norway, living and filming there for two years. The movie is not about them though - it's about the extraordinary people and events that make black metal unique, unforgettable, and inevitable. This is black metal as seen through the eyes of ...

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Plot Keywords:

black metal | heavy metal | terrorism | modern art | globalization | 

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Taglines:

Music. Arson. Murder. Art. Black Metal.

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Genres:

Documentary | Music

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Fenriz didn't want to see the movie.

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Quotes

Fenriz: Part of me wishes this whole thing hadn't become a trend, but, you know, people like to dress up.

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Crazy Credits

After the credits roll, there is a clip of Fenriz mockingly saying "Satan!"

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Soundtracks

Stellar Master Elite
Performed by Thorns
Courtesy of Moonfog Records

User Reviews

Complete apologist piece for Vikernes.

Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell turn out to be complete apologists for Vikernes. There is no mention of his role in the Heathen Front. No confrontation about his earlier writings in neo- nazi zines. It's as if his Odinism somehow exists outside his racist, pure-blood nationalism and eugenicism. It's cool to bag on Christians, god knows they've bagged on us for about 1500 years now, but Vikernes' real extremism goes completely unexplored, though the filmmakers are quick to labor the point that he's not a satanist, which any black metal fan knows.

Look, the burning of Christian churches, the suicide, the murder, and the subsequent media feeding frenzy that launched Norwegian black metal onto the world stage, it's all interesting stuff, and there are some places where the record must be corrected. But this is over- correction. This is essentially a propaganda piece for Vikernes that in no way addresses the full and real picture of him or the movement.

I'm not looking for demonization, I'm looking for basic, fully realized non-fiction. It's not here. If you're not familiar with the early 90's Norwegian black metal movement and the mayhem that went down in it, then you should check this out. But just know that when you're being charmed by Vikernes, as the filmmakers seem to have been, you're being charmed by a very dark guy indeed. This is too loose to be journalism, too soft to be sensationalism, and too clumsy to be of much use to anyone.

Details

Official Sites:

MySpace page

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 August 2010 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Mehri to fos na mas kerdisei

Filming Locations:

Oslo, Norway

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,246, 6 December 2009

Gross USA:

$130,441

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$130,441

Company Credits

Production Co:

Artists Public Domain, Field Pictures, The Group Entertainment

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1