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“Until the Light Takes Us” - Northwest Film Forum review
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“Until the Light Takes Us” (2009) plays at the Northwest Film Forum May 28-30.
by David Wittstock
One of the main subjects of the documentary “Until the Light Takes Us,” Gylve "Fenriz" Nagell, says on multiple occasions “that’s cold” or “it’s cold” to describe something that he approves of. It’s a fitting adjective considering the setting and the people profiled in the film.
“Light” is a documentary about the Norwegian black metal scene, specifically from the perspective of two of the genre’s founding members. The film explores the rise of the genre in the late 1980’s, the arsons and murders that came years later by members of the scene, and the current state of the philosophies that spawned the movement.
The music itself was groundbreaking; a vicious, atonal sort of heavy metal, but “Light” is not really about the music, it’s more about the idealism of a very extreme type of person. While this is fine in itself and there is an excellent segment where a visual artist explains his fascination in producing art inspired by the black metal individual, without really exploring the music some could feel confused or unsympathetic once the scene becomes violent.
Filmmakers Audrey Ewell and Aaron Aites take a backseat for the most part and let the subjects tell their stories. This is probably necessary to gain the trust of self conscious, almost paranoid people but too often it seems the subjects are left to preach their ideas, rather than provide any real perspective. For instance, Varg "Count Grishnackh" Vikernes, who happens to be very eloquent, but is also in jail for 21 years for murder and arson, is allowed to talk far too much on everything except himself or what he’s done.
“Until the Light Takes Us” is a well made, interesting film but it never completely finds its groove or gets at the heart of who these people are.
“Until the Light Takes Us” (2009) plays at the Northwest Film Forum May 28-30.
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