EYEHATEGOSLING – HOLLYWOOD GOES HEAVY METAL

At this past weekend’s FunFunFunFest in Austin, Texas, a heavy metal behemoth slayed all comers as far as garnering the positive headlines. No, I’m not talking about thrash legends Slayer, who closed out the fest with a brilliant set (review forthcoming) that made their Big 4 NY appearance look tame by comparison. I’m definitely not talking about The Artist Formerly Known As Mr. Kitty Litter AKA The Artist Now Known For French Onion Soup and A Wendy’s Chicken Sandwich AKA Mr. Glenn Danzig (see recap of his divantics™ here). Nope, I’m talking about Mr. Hollywood Hunk his own bad self, Mr. Ryan Gosling.

Yes, I repeatedly spotted the impeccably sculpted, ridiculously handsome, 30-year-old bad ass actor of such films as The Believer, The Notebook, and Drive, wondering around the fest grounds with a four-man camera crew in tow, as well as actress Mara Rooney Rooney Mara (she of the upcoming The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network, and Pittsburgh Steeler AND New York Giants royalty family fame) and notoriously reclusive director Terrence Malick (Badlands, Days Of Heaven, The Tree Of Life). I had heard they were running around shooting a film entitled Lawless (scheduled for a 2013 release and also featuring Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett) but didn’t actually catch them until I spotted Mr. Gosling behind the stage during Eyehategod’s blistering Sunday afternoon set on the Black Stage.

Oh yeah, eyehategod, BTW, killed it (review upcoming).

Gosling merely hung behind eyehategod drummer Joey LaCaze and rocked out to songs such as “Sister Fucker” and “White Nigger.” No filming was done while eyehategod played, but I did hear later that they shot some with a band called Kid Dynamite and possibly with Japanese pop/metal/noise merchants Boris.

Later that same night, Gosling and crew, made their way onto the Orange Stage for headliners Slayer and shot for around three songs. Gosling and Mara sat on the back of Dave Lombardo’s drum riser and also stage left (Kerry King’s side) near King’s speaker cabs. Malick was directing the two actors. The only thing I could discern was that Rooney Mara does not make a very convincing metal fan. Oh well, they’ll fix it in post.

Director Terrence Malick (in hat), and  Gosling watch Slayer as Lombardo holds court

Gosling and actress Rooney Mara film while Slayer kills

For a geeky film fan, this was Nirvana. Two respected actors and one of the greatest directors of all time on-stage with one of the greatest bands ever. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Of course, I’m not even sure Slayer was aware what was going on so who knows if they’ll even approve their likenesses in such a movie. Given that Malick is behind the camera, I hope they will.

-CM

All photos ©2011 by Corey Mitchell

Corey Mitchell is a best-selling author of several true crime books and is currently helping Philip H. Anselmo write his autobiography.

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