If you’re making a film about one of the most interesting musicians around, Shane MacGowan, you probably need one of the best rock documentary makers to ever work in the genre. And for “Shane,” that’s exactly what producers did, enlisting acclaimed filmmaker Julien Temple to helm a doc about the Irish poet and musical artist.
And as if Temple wasn’t enough to intrigue potential audiences, superstar Johnny Depp is aboard to help produce the film about MacGowan. For those unfamiliar with the artist, MacGowan is an Irish musician that grew up in Britain, experiencing all the hardships along the way. And through those tough times, he wrote some of the most raw, unflinching, and unashamed songs of his era.
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“It’s not the easiest thing to make a film about Shane MacGowan,” said Temple. “The nearest thing I can think of is one of those David Attenborough films. You set the camera traps. You wait and you wait, in the hope that one day the snow leopard will trigger them. Then when you do actually capture the unique force of Shane’s personality, even for a moment on screen, you realize it was all worthwhile.”
Temple is probably best known for his work on films such as “Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten” and “Glastonbury,” both were showcased at the Sundance Film Festival. His most recent film is last year’s doc, “Ibiza: The Silent Movie.”
Johnny Depp added, “Knowing Shane for 30 years, I am honored to be producing the definitive film on both my friend and one of the most important artists and beloved poets of the twentieth century.”
There’s no release date set for “Shane,” as the filmmakers are going to be shopping the rights around later this year. But in the UK, the film will be distributed by Altitude Films and shown on BBC Four at a later date.
Here’s the synopsis for the film:
No one has bared their soul quite like Irish poet and musician Shane MacGowan. In pursuing the visceral emotional truth demanded by his own personal trials and tribulations growing up in a culture of strong anti-Irish sentiment in Britain, he has lived life to the hilt and beyond, putting every atom of his humanity on the line. For in a world where music has become increasingly sanitized and unable to venture beneath the surface clichés of human emotion, Shane’s songs stand out in ever greater relief. His work is raw, unflinching and unashamed. Reflecting all the many places Shane inhabits – the invisible world, hedonism, alcoholism, God, redemption and romance, in all their respective grit and glory, this film will weave his story in and out of the music as we journey in non-linear fashion from childhood to the present day.