Modest Mouse Video Directed By Heath Ledger

Watch the full animated music video for King Rat conceived by the late actor...

In 2007, Isaac Brock — mastermind of Modest Mouse — mentioned in an interview that Oscar-nominated actor Heath Ledger had expressed interest in directing a video for King Rat, a throwaway track from MM's We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank.

Then, in early 2008, Ledger was found dead in a New York apartment, and the entire project was quickly forgotten by pretty much everybody except Brock and the California-based artist collective known as the Masses.

Masses members Daniel Auber, Norris Houk, Jade Taglioli and Sara Cline picked up the reins, determined to finish the King Rat video as a tribute to their friend (and Masses member) Ledger.

Some 18 months later, the video is finally complete, and you can watch it in full above.

Ledger's original vision for the video was "to raise awareness on modern whaling practices through a potent visual piece" — and, accordingly, all proceeds from the iTunes download of the video will go to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an international non-profit organization committed to ending the slaughter of wildlife in the world's oceans.