Shooting with Chris was some of the most fun we ever had at a photo shoot. I can’t be sure but I think I heard him call me a ‘motherfucker’ while trying to get my solo shot…he wanted me as intense as possible and he chain-smoked as he worked. I’m way into this guy and I feel like I gained a collaborator and a friend. He had brought so many wonderful things to the shoot, so many great extras…he even referenced the makeup of the WWI soldiers to match Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Dreams,’ my favorite scene in a movie ever. One of the best parts of the photograph is that with the exception of the gray sky and the zeppelins, everything is real. Every single person, every prop down to the taxidermy wolf were all there with us, no computer tricks. It is one the craziest photographs ever taken. I should note that Dante, who played The Patient for the photos, was very sweet.
Gerard Way, Black Parade Special Edition
From Wikipedia:
A Japanese army officer is traveling down a deserted road at dusk, on his way back home from fighting in the war. He comes to a large concrete pedestrian tunnel that seems to go on forever into the darkness. Suddenly, an angry, almost demonic-looking anti-tank dog (strapped with explosives) runs out of the tunnel and snarls deeply at him. He proceeds with his walk, afraid, into the tunnel. He comes out the other side, but then witnesses something horrific — the yūrei of one of the soldiers (Private Noguchi) whom he had charge over in the war comes out of the tunnel behind him, his face a light blue, signifying that he is dead.
The soldier seems not to believe he’s dead, but the officer convinces him and the soldier returns into the darkness of the tunnel. Just when he thinks he’s seen the worst, the officer sees his entire third platoon marching out of the tunnel. They too are dead, with light blue faces. He tries to convince them that they’re dead, and he expresses his deep-seated guilt about letting them all die in the war. They stand mute, in reply to his words. He then orders them to about face, and then march back into the tunnel. Lastly, we see a second appearance of the hellish dog, from the beginning of this dream.
This is one of three “nightmares” featured in the film.
Akira Kurosawa’s long time friend Ishiro Honda may have helped to direct, or have directed this piece entirely. The two always spoke of filming a story of a dead soldier returning from war.
We [note: he’s talking about himself and James Jean] had a second meeting about the album artwork at his house. At this meeting I finally had some music to play him and he seemed very intrigued by it. I played him ‘Mama,’ and I remember him thinking it was crazy. I told him to just go off on the artwork, showing him a sketch I had done based on ‘March Of The Saints’…he was ready to start working. As I snapped photos of his studios and his cat, Taffy, we heard a commotion from the kitchen. His wife (who is lovely) was very distraught because a bird had flown into the kitchen window and died on impact. It was a very strange moment outside, looking at the bird, and I snapped some photos of it. It felt like either bad mojo or a good omen…I’m still trying to figure out which.
Gerard Way, Black Parade Special Edition
