Just three weeks ago, a purported Marilyn Manson video -- allegedly directed by Eli Roth and featuring Lana Del Rey acting out a rape scene -- hit the Internet.
As quickly as it made the rounds, it was pulled down, and Manson's camp issued a statement denying they had anything to do with the clip: "Manson did not direct this, shoot it, nor was it for a Marilyn Manson video or outtake footage made by him or to be used by him with his music."
Now, Manson himself is speaking out on the NSFW, controversial footage, helping to clear up the situation -- sort of.
"It wasn't a Marilyn Manson video. The editor of the company that put it out was somebody who's edited my videos, that video was something that was done with a camera that Eli [Roth], who's my friend, and I both wanted to test out, so I let him test it out," Manson told NME.
Manson said the LDR footage was edited with Manson outtakes, creating the illusion that it was an unreleased Manson/Roth/Del Rey clip.
All clear? Not really. A collaborative video between the moody singer-songwriter and the shock rocker nearly did happen.
"Eli and I wanted to do a music video with her, but she was being such a problem," Manson said. "Although I still respect her, I'm friends with her. I just left, I was tired, I was not willing to make that part of the video. Eli and I originally had intentions of making a video with her, but that is not the intention that is represented in that film clip because that is not what I filmed, not for my video."
Still, some questions remain unanswered. Did Roth -- or someone on his team -- direct the controversial rape footage? If not, what was it filmed for?
And what of the footage Roth did film featuring Lana for Marilyn? A year prior to the leaked video, Roth told Larry King in no uncertain terms he filmed footage with Manson and Del Rey: "The footage is so sick, it's been locked in a vault for over a year."
We may never know what the deal is with that footage, but one thing is for certain: No one wants to be associated with it.