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Metallica - Some Kind of Monster Actors: James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett Directors: Bruce Sinofsky, Joe Berlinger Number of Items: 2 Format: Color Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Studio: Paramount Home Video Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2005-01-25 Buy from Amazon |
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From Amazon.com With voyeuristic intensity, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster explores the intricate connections that are created, nurtured, and challenged between members of a long-lasting band. That this intimate odyssey of group therapy and self-discovery involves Metallica--the most successful heavy metal group of all time--is just one reason this film is so uniquely fascinating. Having proven their documentary skills with Brother's Keeper and Paradise Lost (which included Metallica in its soundtrack), filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky spent two years with Metallica as the band survived the defection of long-time bassist Jason Newsted, struggled to record St. Anger, and recruited $40,000-per-month "performance enhancement coach" Phil Towle to counsel members James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, and Kirk Hammett as they confronted alcoholism, creative obstacles, and themselves in an effort to determine the viability of Metallica's future. With sincere hope, honest discussion, and the hiring of new bassist Robert Trujillo, Metallica battle their personal and professional demons, showing the vulnerable side of a business that thrives on raging testosterone. The effort pays off for everyone involved, especially the fans: Like the ultimate backstage pass, Some Kind of Monster is a healing journey into the hard-beating heart of rock & roll. --Jeff Shannon From Description Featuring the most successful heavy metal band of all time, METALLICA: SOME KIND OF MONSTER offers a revealing and exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the legendary band as they confront personal demons and their relationships with each other while recording their Grammy-winning album, St. Anger. |
 "Some Kinda Monster? yeah Maybe Theirselves"Being a former Metallica fan (thank you very much Load and Reload)I got St. Anger, and found that at least they tried to recapture some of their old fire. So being daring i watched this movie and gained some respect for some (and I stress some)and yet lost even more for others. So I offer my win and loss respect column for this movie. First the winners from this movie. 1. James Hetfield - Kudos goes to James for getting his life together, going to rehab, and trying to keep his band together when it would have been easier to walk away. 2. Kirk Hammett - Kirk comes off as the peace maker and is really the heart and soul of the band. plus standing off with Lars Ulrich when Lars tried to stop all guitar solos on the album. 3. Jason Newstead - Kudos to Jason for having the courage to leave one of the biggest rock bands in the world, and to state how weak Metallica was for having a therapist come in and help them make a album together instead of being a true band and working together, and remain true to metal and on a personal note Echobrain rules! and now for the absolute losers. . . . 1. Lars Ulrich - Just when you thought this punk couldn't be any more of a [...], he goes and really outdoes himself. Case In point, when Lars and Bob Rock go to the Echobrain concert, Ulrich seemed like he was enjoying the thought of Jason Newstead falling flat on his face, but when Echobrain rocked the house, It left poor Lars depressed and upset about his band. How [...]! 2. Dave Mustane - Yes Dave makes an appearance in one of the therapy sessions. First of all after Metallica defected to alternative rock (If you wanna even call it that) The only thing us Metal heads had to hang our hats on is that we still had Megadeth, then here is Dave Mustane leader of Megadeth face to face with Lars Ulrich, thinking he was going to bury Lars, Mustane goes snotting and crying about how he thinks his whole career after Metallica has been a "backfire" and crying how he wished it was 1982 again and he had another shot with Metallica. Thanks alot Dave for giving any legitamacy to what Metallica has done to metal. Every metal fan now needs to disown Megadeth as well now. Thanks alot for burying metal in a trail of tears and [...]. Summation: This is a interesting video to have it takes you deep inside a rock band and it is very interesting to see a album taking shape, but if you dont want to get upset at some of your heroes looking like wussies dont watch this train wreck.  "kinda depressing?"okay so some parts of it was, boring. i was almost asleep thru some of the stuff and scenes. and b/c of the fact that i'm not a fan of documentaries and actually sat thru THIS, i give it a 4. too high? it's pretty good actually (except some u kno). there u see metallica not just metallica, the greatest metal group in the 80's, or in the world. afterall they're just 5 normal guyz, with incredible talents. they've got their own problems as well. in this dvd, u see the real thing. alcoholism, family issues, bandmate conflicts, it's tough i gotta say. it makes u understand more about the guyz, below the surface. i don't really recommand BUYING this dvd, but borrowing it would an excellent idea. u cant miss this  "a must have."a really great dvd if you really into metal music particularly metallica. keep on rockin in the free world. "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster "By Phillip Cenere Documentary Directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky A fly-on-the-wall insight into the world's most successful and notorious heavy metal band, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster is a documentary more about relationships than music. Three years in the making, when the film begins Metallica haven't had a tour in several years and have just spilt with their long-time bassist Jason Newsted, leaving many fans and music journalists questioning the group's future. Relationships between vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield, percussionist Lars Ulrich and guitarist Kirk Hammett are volatile, and any remaining morale is quickly disintegrating. Under pressure to record their first album in five years ( St. Anger) while faced with the seemingly impossible task of finding a replacement bass player, the band's management hire therapist and 'performance enhancement coach,' Phil Towle, in a desperate last-minute ploy to stop the band from calling it quits. Tucked a way in a makeshift studio in San Francisco 's Presidio what follows is a surprisingly intimate and revealing journey about three middle aged men who have dominated the heavy metal industry for over two decades. In group therapy sessions and through the lyric writing process the band members confront their personal 'monsters,' their relationships with one another, and the consequences of their lifestyles and multi-million dollar careers. Monster avoids the superficial stereotypes about heavy metal musicians. Watching the film we forget that these men have won 6 Grammy Awards, sold over 90 million records worldwide, and in the last ten years have sold more albums than Madonna, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Aerosmith, Janet Jackson, Celine Dione, or The Beatles. As Metallica goes through a transformation, we begin to realize that these aging rock stars are actually vulnerable human begins with real emotions and problems, and at heart decent guys. We learn that Hetfield is a father of three and we watch as he plays with his children and takes them to ballet practice; that Ulrich is a keen art collector; and that Hammett likes relaxing on his ranch and watching his horses. We see them sitting in a circle looking at one another's family holiday photos, eating lunch together, composing music, and joking around. With the guidance of Towle, the band write a mission statement and objectives for the future and for a while things begin to look promising, so promising that the group decides that they've gotten all they can out of the therapy sessions and it's time for Towle to go. However, at US$40,000 per month Towle is not going to leave easily, and we get the feeling his using every psychology trick up his sleeve to make the band feel that firing him will mean devastation for the group's mental stability - "Lets get to the fear" he says. All plans are halted though when Hetfield decides to check into a rehabilitation centre for his alcohol addiction, leaving the band in limbo. No one knows when or if the lead vocalist will return. After a year of doubts and speculation, a sober but gloomy Hetfield comes back to work with a strict condition: he can't work longer than four hours per day. Of course this arrangement is alien to an industry that requires long grueling hours and nothing short of total commitment, and causes the wedge between Hetfield and Ulrich to widen further. All this leaves us wondering if they'll ever complete the album and how much longer the band will stay together. Filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky are old hands at capturing gut-retching real life drama on tape. Their Emmy award-winning television documentary Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996) followed the trial and conviction of three young men charged with the horrific murders of three children, and its sequel Paradise Lost 2: Revelations (2000) documented their appeals and featured extraordinary scenes with the father of one of the victims believed to be the true killer. In Monster they have delivered another powerful piece of nonfiction, splitting at the seams with human drama and emotion. While the film is slow and staggered in some parts and doesn't have the humor of This is Spinal Tap, it is still worth a look, and a must see for die-hard Metallica fans - but they don't need convincing. www.cenere.com.au "Pathetica"I would recommend this to any metallica fan who is still wondering why on earth they no longer can make a good album. This DVD has managed to turn my anger against what once was my favourite band into sympathy: it seems they just can't do any better nowadays. It also looks as if Hetfield & Ulrich were expecting the making of the movie to work out the band's problems, while it may have only served the purpose of feeding the monster they created, i.e., all the people who have been working for them all these years. Surely all those people are still interested in making money out of Metallica, even by doing this big brother thing. However, none of the band members appears to feel comfortable being shooted, especially James |
