Gutterdammerung director Bjorn Tagemose says Lemmy could not have been more enthusiastic about the film – even designing the tank he drives.
The movie is shown in cinemas with the soundtrack provided by a live rock band instead of an audio track.
And tonight it will be shown live at 7.40pm on the Maverick Stage at Download festival along with a performance by the Gutterdammerung band starring Henry Rollins – marking a unique offering for the festival-goers.
The Gutterdammerung band changes personnel regularly, playing a different set depending on who is available. Some audiences might see a punk set while others witness the film alongside a live metal soundtrack.
Tagemose convinced rock stars including Lemmy, Iggy Pop, Josh Homme, Slash, Rollins, Tom Araya, Jesse Hughes and Mark Lanegan to take part in the film and he can’t believe he was the first to think of it.
Speaking in the TeamRock Zone at Donington, Tagemose says: “I’m very surprised nobody did it before with metal.”
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On Lemmy’s contribution, Tagemose adds: “I met Lemmy after I had drawn out everything. I had everything drawn out in detail with story boards and drew it out in a photographic way. I asked him how he felt being involved as a military general. And he said, ‘I want a tiger tank!’
“Lemmy designed the tank for me, it was an enormous help with all his military knowledge.”
Asked which of the rock stars involved in the film surprised him most, Tagemose says Eagles Of Death Metal singer Jesse Hughes stood out.
He says: “Jesse Hughes is very impressive. He plays a real bad-ass, a republican hardcore cowboy who settles accounts against everyone who rebels against him.”
Tagemose hopes the film will tour for months to come and take on a life similar to that of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, adding that people have already turned up to screenings dressed as characters from Gutterdammerung.
TeamRock is at Download all weekend. Visit teamrock.com to keep up with all the news, reviews and interviews from the festival as they happen.
