[go: up one dir, main page]

    Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    EmmysSuperheroes GuideSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideBest Of 2025 So FarDisability Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Until the Light Takes Us

  • 2008
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
6.9K
YOUR RATING
Until the Light Takes Us (2008)
A documentary chronicling the history, ideology and aesthetic of Norwegian black metal.
Play trailer2:06
1 Video
4 Photos
DocumentaryMusic

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.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.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
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    6.9K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Aaron Aites
      • Audrey Ewell
    • Stars
      • Fenriz
      • Varg Vikernes
      • Euronymous
    • 29User reviews
    • 43Critic reviews
    • 54Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Until the Light Takes Us
    Trailer 2:06
    Until the Light Takes Us

    Photos3

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top cast12

    Edit
    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
    • Self - Immortal
    • (as Olve 'Abbath' Eikemo)
    Demonaz
    • 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
    Harmony Korine
    • Self - Filmmaker
    • Directors
      • Aaron Aites
      • Audrey Ewell
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews29

    7.06.9K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    10blauth_maldoror

    that which once was

    "until the light takes us" does for the Norse black metal scene what temple's "the filth and the fury" did for early u.k. punk, in that it attempts to retrospectively and yet accurately paint a picture of a so-called extreme music scene ruined by its own strict ideology, media over-exposure, and the inexperience of youth. indeed, many parallels exist between British punk and Norse black metal, not the least of which revolve around corrupt in-scene bosses, misguided fan-boy attempts at emulating the supposed actions of the originators of the particular movement, and a stated ideology lashing out against a generalised societal goal at odds with the very well-being of mankind.

    however, whereas our British protagonists used the very rails of pop culture to drive the roller coaster car of punk into the parlour rooms of staid English families from brixton to Liverpool, black metal kept its sounds and image underground during its prime years, leaving only the charred remains of norway's Christian past to give the confused public any hint of its existence. eventually, of course, the media seized hold of the scene, the music, and its participants, and all but re-wrote the events into a cartoonish mythology over the past fifteen years. the core creators of Norwegian black metal have been loathe to give much insight into the impetus behind their actions or ideology in the mainstream media in anything but print, and most of that has been twisted.

    Aaron aites and Audrey ewell have gone to great lengths to treat a history long the subject of hysteria and misrepresentation with the venerability and respect due a subject so weighty. for while in the world at large, black metal, if known at all, is a comical footnote to heavy metal - a genre known largely for its "heavy metal parking lot" beer-swilling fans; in norway varg vikerenes is known as the Norwegian Charles manson, and the scene associate with rape, murder, arson and the knife. the film is well balanced, with shots in austere art galleries, forests, pubs, and open air markets. the story line is neither rushed nor over-indulged, and over all the film makers try to maintain a certain neutrality, leaving the audience to judge for itself what to make of these decidedly revolutionary and publicly misanthropic individuals.

    there are surprises for all audiences. those unfamiliar with the history of the scene will get a clear picture of what probably transpired in a violent youth scene notorious for satanism and murder in norway between 1989-1994. for black metal devotees, prepare for a treat - rarely seen footage of early, core bands, interviews with many of the musicians who mattered, and untainted interviews with varg himself. prepare for a film with none of the cringe-worthy material you might have previously associated with the sensationalism, ignorance or low-brow blundering of the vbs "true Norwegian black metal" fiasco. interviews with other characters in the scene make for a much different impression than one might otherwise hold.

    "until the light takes us" is that rare creature of the underground documentary world; a true portrait of the subject in glistening oils a la van Gogh, rather than some coney island boardwalk pencil caricature.
    8bernd-van-de-maele

    Once upon a time in Norway part II

    As someone who was quite entranced with the (decidedly early) Black Metal scene as an impressionable teenager way back in the early to mid 90's, a documentary like this is more a walk down memory lane than a revelation. As such, some prior knowledge of the genre is required before sitting down and watching this documentary. Do not expect a musical walk through, nor an explanation on the aesthetics of the genre, what you'll get is an account of the ideologies of the musicians, their perception of a bankrupt society with a complete disclosure of their (questionable) morals.

    The interview with Varg Vikernes of Burzum should be taken with a whole bag salt: it comes over as an apologetic discourse of his past crimes, his idealogical and political standpoints are more then questionable. The true star of this docu is without a doubt Fenriz, whose down to earth attitude is refreshing and serves as a stark contrast to the somewhat pompous and overblown pose of Satyricon's Frost and Mayhem's Hellhammer. Fenriz (Gylve Nagel) offers insight in the dealings of the Black Circle, the going-ons in Euronymous shop "Helvete" and power struggle of the main antagonists in the early black metal scene without ever going too far.

    The documentary is well constructed, through a collection of interviews it focuses on the people in the scene and as such there is no overdubbed narrator. The soundtrack fits rather well, ambient pieces (by Burzum, Mum and ulver) mixed with furious early day black metal (courtesy of Mayhem, Darkthrone, Thorns and Burzum) serve to pinpoint the resemblance and the blend of the two genres. The ambient pieces also stress the ferociousness and ugliness of black metal, something present day black metal sorely lacks.

    No frills, no bs, no plastic bands and no Gorgoroth: highly recommended for fans of black metal, present and past (like me)!
    10brackettc22

    Good film.

    If you appreciate early black metal and its pioneers such as Fenriz(DarkThrone) and Varg(Burzum,Mayhem) then this documentary is fantastic. I don't think this was fully meant to be a documentary on The Black Metal Scene as a whole, but more of a story of the dark circle and the inner conflicts and differences with in it. Mainly about Deads suicide, the death of Euronymous, and the Church Arsons across Norway. This tied up a lot of loose ends that I left untied for so many years until I saw this film. It answered a lot of questions I had about the story behind the events. Both Fenriz and Varg are well spoken in their own ways and they had my undivided attention while they were speaking. The sound track is good too, lots of good black metal as well as some ambient non black metal tracks. I think MUM in the soundtrack really was a nice touch. 10 out of 10 from me. Just sit back and enjoy the show, Blu Ray has lots of extras. Don't approach this movie with "oh i know everything about metal, I'm so effing awesome" attitude just sit back, relax, and enjoy. Don't waste your time being analytical.
    6paul_m_haakonsen

    For the purist...

    "Until the Light Takes Us" gives an insight into the rise of the pure black metal from back in the early 1990's, and not in the abominable mutation - read money-fueled mainstream measured by commercial success - that black metal has grown into by today.

    The documentary sheds light on the early years of black metal, of how it started, what fueled it (no pun intended), who the persons of significant influence were, and such. And the filmmakers did have a neutral approach and let the musicians themselves bring forth what they had to tell and share.

    This particular documentary is aimed at the purist mostly, and I don't mean purists in a negative way. What I do mean is those whom have an interest in black metal at its core of all its desolation, raw sound, brutality and deeper meaning, and not the orchestral and keyboard mutation it has grown into today.

    "Until the Light Takes Us" brings interviews with and opinions from Fenriz, Varg Vikernes, Hellhammer, Abbath, Demonaz, Garm and Frost. If you listen to black metal then you should already be more than familiar with these musicians.

    The documentary doesn't glorify or slander the black metal scene, but brings out into light some views and opinions that sheds light upon a great many aspects of this darker side of metal.

    I can strongly recommend that you take the time to watch "Until the Light Takes Us".
    lord-quas

    More complex than cartoon Satanstists

    Although I'm not what you'd call a big fan of the music scene at the core of this film - I don't own a single one of the records - I've been aware of bits & pieces of the story over the years and had enough of a casual interest to catch a screening of the documentary at an AFI screening.

    I was happily surprised by a few general aspects of the film - the general good film quality, the unlabored presentation of the characters, and also the unexpected soundtrack. As another reviewer says: "the music for this movie was very appropriate ... a mix of black metal and ambient music, making the movie very easy to watch while still putting you within the dark atmosphere." I'll add that this ambient music helped make the metal segments seem all the more heavy-hitting and abrasive. A wise choice.

    It's refreshing, as in case of Until the Light Takes Us, when a documentary doesn't judge it's subjects, especially when the urge to justify their approach (aka cover their ass) must have been present. The viewer benefits most from this in the interesting present-day clips of Fenriz and Varg Vikernes (Burzum) and the unforced comparison of the two and the time they are given the time to reveal themselves, both good and bad (and very bad) through their own words and ideas.

    Although this doc is unmistakably about a metal scene, it's also got a wealth of insight to the power of the entertainment news media to re-define the reality in ways they're irresponsibly probably not even aware of.

    More like this

    Metal: voyage au coeur de la bête
    8.0
    Metal: voyage au coeur de la bête
    Lords of Chaos
    6.6
    Lords of Chaos
    Metalhead
    7.0
    Metalhead
    Once Upon a Time in Norway
    7.1
    Once Upon a Time in Norway
    Death by Metal
    7.4
    Death by Metal
    Get Thrashed
    7.7
    Get Thrashed
    Metal Evolution
    8.5
    Metal Evolution
    Global Metal
    7.9
    Global Metal
    Heavy Trip
    7.0
    Heavy Trip
    Helvete: Historien om norsk black metal
    7.9
    Helvete: Historien om norsk black metal
    Deathgasm
    6.3
    Deathgasm
    Hated: GG Allin & the Murder Junkies
    7.2
    Hated: GG Allin & the Murder Junkies

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Fenriz told the directors before they started filming to use whatever footage they wanted, and that he didn't intend to watch the finished movie.
    • Quotes

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

    • Crazy credits
      After the credits roll, there is a clip of Fenriz mockingly saying "Satan!"
    • Connections
      Referenced in Film Junk Podcast: Episode 283: The Expendables and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Ballad of the Broken Birdie Records
      Performed by Múm

      Written by Gunnar Tynes, Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir, Gyda Valtysdóttir, Oevrar Smarason

      Composed by Gunnar Tynes, Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir, Gyda Valtysdóttir, Oevrar Smarason

      Courtesy of Morr Music

      Published by Warner/Chappell Music Publishing Ltd.

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ14

    • How long is Until the Light Takes Us?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 12, 2010 (Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • MySpace page
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Поки світло не забере нас
    • Filming locations
      • Milan, Italy
    • Production companies
      • Artists Public Domain
      • Field Pictures
      • The Group Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $130,441
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $7,246
      • Dec 6, 2009
    • Gross worldwide
      • $130,441
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Until the Light Takes Us (2008)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Until the Light Takes Us (2008) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.