Mandy + QOTSA Alive in the Catacombs | Eye Filmmuseum (2025)

Last summer, Queens of the Stone Age, led by Josh Homme and accompanied a string trio, performed for thirty minutes in the Catacombs of Paris. These subterranean vaults are the resting place of the bones of some six million Parisians: according to Homme, “the biggest audience we’ve ever played for.”

This exceptional environment sets the dark, melancholic ambience: echoes, the sound of dripping water and resonance coloured the band’s sound. “It would be ridiculous to try to rock there,” Homme explains. “All those decisions were made by that space. That space dictates everything, it’s in charge. You do what you’re told when you’re in there.”

The concert film is followed by a screening of Mandy, one of Josh Homme’s favourite films, with a completely unrestrained Nicolas Cage – even by his standards – in the lead role. The soundtrack is by Icelandic film composer Jóhann Jóhansson, who died in 2018. He combined ambient, metal and classical music to create an idiosyncratic score, atypical of the horror genre.

Josh Homme on Mandy:

'The first watch of the film Mandy is so unexpected & jarring, I dare not say too much for fear of ruining the magical & psychedelic world writer director Panos Cosmatos has created. Mandy is easily one of my favorite films since its release. I ask that you please don’t google or attempt to learn anything about Mandy before viewing. Simply walk in, sit down & let Mandy do, what Mandy is supposed to do, to you.'

Sincerely,

Joshua

Programme

• 

  Queens of the Stone Age: Alive in the Catacombs (Thomas Rames, 2024, 30’)

• 

  Mandy (Panos Cosmatos, US 2018, 121’)

  The calm, pleasant lives of devoted married couple Rode (Nicolas Cage) and Mandy (Andrea Riseborough) take a bizarre turn when the maniacal leader of a cult tries to take control of Mandy’s soul. Lumberjack Rode picks up his axe and chainsaw and gives new meaning to the term ‘unrestrained spiral of violence’.

  Mandy is hypnotic, psychedelic, over-the-top and uncompromising – just as cult filmmaker Panos Cosmatos intended. Next to Josh Homme, Nick Cave also recently praised the film: “Have you guys seen Mandy? My God. What a film.” Nicolas Cage can currently also be seen in The Surfer – another wild, trippy thriller.

With Eye on Sound, Eye focuses on the special relationship between image and sound. Expect live music to silent films, live bands from today to classics of yesteryear, brand new scores to films from the versatile Eye collection and special attention to the often neglected art of sound design.

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