Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey. Grade: B
It’s about time there was a serious attempt to make a movie about heavy metal music. Okay, Spinal Tap nailed it, Decline 2 was sadly funny, and Heavy Metal Parking Lot is the greatest fan film ever.
This one is very interesting. But not so much visually. You’re not going to see many bands performing. I’m sure it had to do with money and rights and a bunch of legal nonsense, but there is very little concert footage. A snippet of Slayer, a little Maiden, and a couple of other bands. Most of the concert footage is simply shots of people moshing around and holding up their devil-horn fingers. Would have been great to see more bands, even just a couple of them.
The bulk of the film is interviews, which could be a problem when you’re doing a movie on heavy metal. A lot of these guys are morons, and after some of them have spoken for a few minutes, you realize that they haven’t said anything. I’m thinking especially of the interview clips with Slipknot, as well as a few others. And after just seeing the doc American Hardcore, about the early American punk scene, I noticed a real contrast. The punkers actually had things to say, and said them well. A lot of the metal guys, let’s face it…
Luckily, there are some rockers with verbal advantage. And some surprised me.
Bruce Dickinson, interviewed sans spandex pants and knee-high athletic socks, comes across as an intellectual giant veering toward saying things so deep they’re laughable. I was impressed.
Other great interview moments come from, and a mention here is not necessarily an endorsement of their music: Rob Zombie, Dee Snider, Ronnie James Dio, and the immortal Lemmy.
The highlight of the film is director Sam Dunn’s trip to Norway, to interview musicians from that country’s black metal scene. And throw in the brief interview with Necrobutcher from Mayhem. What a film that would have made just in itself. (It’s a book, Lords of Chaos, A.)
Ultimately, the film is very interesting. Dunn has a great grasp on the music, and the chart he frequently shows that breaks down the metal family tree is spot on. Heavy metal as a genre is a huge subject, and Dunn does a great job dissecting it and introducing most of the major players. Heavy metal will always be a laughing stock culturally. Let’s face it, men in tights singing songs about dungeons and dragons and Stephen King novels are ripe for mockery.
Hopefully this film leads to more metal documentaries. So much material. It’s a great doc, just could have used more Manowar.
Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey. Grade: B
From AP via WFMU’s Beware of the Blog:
