“Edwin Brienen, known for his collaboration with Sally Shapiro, has directed a new short film, Metal Madness, for the San Francisco art collective The Residents. The film adapts the first act of their album Doctor Dark, which was released in February through Cherry Red. The three-act opera is described as “a journey into the greasy world of euthanasia, drug abuse, and an unhealthy obsession with heavy metal,” revolving around “a couple of heavy metal kids (Maggot and Mark) and an insomniac Russian physician (Dr. Anastasia Dark).” It was inspired by an unsuccessful 1990 civil action in which the heavy metal band Judas Priest was sued by the family of James Vance, a teenager who attempted suicide by shotgun after listening to the band’s music”.
The film stars Matti Schuldt, Eva Dorrepaal, Patrick Joswig and Alison Schumacher.
“Edwin Brienen is a Dutch film director and producer. He began his career in the 1990s at VPRO Dutch National Radio & TV, and directed his first film, Terrorama!, in 2001. In the German press, he is often referred to as ‘the Dutch Fassbinder’ because of his distinctive style and prolific output. To date, he has made 16 feature-length films”.
The Residents: Metal Madness will be available to stream starting September 5th 2025 on Night Flight, details here
More on the recent album….
THE ORGAN 