Heavy metal music is known for attracting eccentric characters who thrive outside the mainstream culture. These documentaries celebrate this genre’s history and culture through interviews with musicians, archive footage, and some unforgettable gigs.
Get Thrashed highlights the Big Four of Thrash Metal–Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax–but it also shines a spotlight on lesser-known bands such as Vio-Lence and Overkill.
The Metal Years
Director Penelope Spheeris’ follow-up to her groundbreaking 1981 rock documentary, The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years, documents the Sunset Strip hair metal scene during 1987 and 1988. Notable interviews include Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Dave Mustaine, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley as well as unsigned Los Angeles club bands London Odin Seduce from Detroit who seem hopeful their global fame could soon follow them home.
As its predecessor, The Metal Years offers a blend of interview footage and live music performances. Some interviews may seem tongue-in-cheek; other insightful conversations cover topics ranging from metal’s origins and definitions, sexual abuse within its ranks, drug use among fans as well as effects of the genre on parents and children. Spheeris covers an impressive breadth of topics here from origins and definitions of metal to substance abuse among its ranks and its effects on family life.
The bulk of this film, however, focuses on struggling musicians whose lives are consumed by music. Their delusions often border on comic: Randy O of Odin insists his band will become richer and more famous than Led Zeppelin while an inebriated Chris Holmes from W.A.S.P is caught drunkenly bathing naked girls in his hot tub – these unassuming and self-deprecating musicians remain compelling even when their antics seem pointless and pointless.
Spheeris’ documentary captures the world of Sunset Strip hair metal in all its loud, fast, and crazy glory despite any moments that might have been staged – for instance Ozzy Osbourne drinking orange juice out of his bottle before pouring it all over the table is probably fake). Fans will certainly appreciate it while non-fans may be amazed by just how engaging and enjoyable the film actually is; those unfamiliar with hair metal may be surprised just how entertaining the film truly is – although some scenes — such as Darlyne Pettinicchio discussing its satanic underpinnings, or an interview between metal kids’s probation officer about drug possession — may cause discomfort.
Some Kind of Monster
At a genre where bands rely heavily on image and bravado to gain fans, it takes real courage for musicians to open up about their personal lives in such detail. Some Kind of Monster is an eye-opener that shows viewers metal icons such as Metallica as human beings; though occasionally humorous moments arise throughout this captivating look at how difficult it can be for musicians to maintain healthy relationships amongst themselves.
The film chronicles Metallica’s troubled recording process for their album St. Anger while frontman James Hetfield battled alcoholism. The documentary explores their band members’ rifts, arguments, and pettiness to demonstrate that even world-class groups struggle with similar issues as any industry does today – Hetfield’s story particularly stands out as band members try their hardest to support him while continuing recording their album.
Must-see documentary for music fans, this documentary is both entertaining and informative. Comprised of concert footage and interviews with band members, its archival material shows off an edge characteristic of hard rock from the late 80s; interviews conducted with original band members provide insights and humor from them all.
Get Thrashed does an exceptional job of expanding that number to include not just Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax but Bay Area pioneers Exodus as innovators on equal terms with more celebrated peers like Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. It features early footage of sweaty metal clubs in California as well as interviews with band members that give audiences an insider perspective into this hard-core subculture.
While the film may be slow at times, it offers an entertaining look at the turbulent life of a legendary heavy metal band. The filmmakers did an outstanding job capturing both their trauma and raw energy that only live music can provide.
Lemmy
A slew of musicians—from Metallica’s Dave Grohl and James Hetfield to Slash, PJ Harvey, PULP’s Jarvis Cocker, The Clash’s Mick Jones, Alice Cooper, Guns N Roses’ Lars Ulrich, and The Damned’s Captain Sensible—line up to lavish praise on Lemmy Kilmister, the beloved, larger-than-life frontman for heavy metal band Motorhead. Directors Greg Olliver and Wes Orshoski make the most of their access to their subject, showing him in his element at legendary Sunset Strip rock hangout The Rainbow and in the studio recording. And though the film clearly caters to its target audience, its testimonials and firsthand footage are wide-ranging enough to appeal to audiences beyond metalheads.
Lemmy may look as gruff and distorted as his bass tone, but as he guides the filmmakers around his cramped L.A. apartment stuffed with enough memorabilia to merit its own episode of Hoarders or into the studio where he’s working on the next Motorhead album, a gentler side emerges. He’s just as enthralled by his son as he is by his music, and while he’ll readily admit to being a hellraiser who will party until the cockroaches come out to play, he also takes immense pride in being an expert musician who has never lowered his standards.
The filmmakers capture Lemmy in a surprisingly candid light, refusing to let the film devolve into 120 minutes of endless celebrity endorsements and instead showing him in his more mundane moments—shirtless in his apartment, playing Xbox, chowing down on french fries. In these quiet, everyday scenes—not to mention in his ferocious live shows—Lemmy proves that behind all the volume and distortion, at heart he’s just a rock n’ roll singer. And that, above all else, is what his fans love him for. The result is a documentary that celebrates the man as well as the music. It’s a fitting memorial to an enduring icon. [3/3] -By Robert Natale, Film critic for “The New York Times”
Beyond the Lighted Stage
Rush is one of the few subjects worthy of receiving serious documentary treatment, due to their singular story arc: Three nerdy guys struggle on the club circuit for several years before getting told by their record label to go commercial and then spend three-plus decades producing innovative rock with sold out stadium shows and an enormous fan base who would rival that of any Deadhead! Unfortunately though, they never seem to receive their due acknowledgement or appreciation from critics and peers alike.
Banger Films’ 2010 documentary on heavy music icons Billy Corgan and Trent Reznor did justice to their subjects while still making audiences laugh through some of their fashion faux pas, synth obsession, and Geddy Lee’s high-pitched screech. Although viewers may take issue with some aspects of this movie (such as fashion faux pas or Geddy Lee’s high-pitched screech), directors Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn showed respect towards these guys; their interviewees (Billy Corgan, Trent Reznor and an enthusiastic Jack Black all provided ample support through exuberant testimonials!
McFadyen and Dunn excel at using zooming morph transitions to add movement and intrigue, and make effective use of archive footage and live concerts as well. This film should make an impressive statement about rock music history – not in a straightforward fashion but by breaking with convention.
As an added treat, this DVD features a full concert from their 2010 tour. While video quality may not be top notch, it still provides enough footage of them at their finest.
Rush: Closer to the Heart is an incredible movie for Rush fans and an ideal introduction for anyone unfamiliar with them. Watch it again and again; there’s always something new. Plus, it includes an unforgettable live performance of “Closer to the Heart”, making the price of admission worth your while all on its own!