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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 |
 "Essentially a film about soul searching... "I thought it was part Dr. Phil, part Osbournes, part Spinal Tap, part "Let it Be". First,a lot of "real" Metallica fans have to be upset with this, but face it, after the "pop metal Black Album" cutting their hair, Lollapalooza, symphonies and Napster, a lot of their fans bailed on them. This was originally going to be a "reality show" a la "The Osbournes" which started out because Jason left (because they took a "my way or the highway" attitude), but when Hetfield went into rehab, things really changed. What "The Osbournes" does to Ozzy's fans, this film does to Metallica. It takes them down a peg or two with the hardcore fans of the first 3 albums who want to remember them as how they were. I would recommend watching "A Year and a Half" before or after watching this to compare the change in the band (and showed how annoying Lars was long before Napster and that Hammett is the glue of the band that keeps the conflicts between Hetfield and Ulrich somewhat stable), as well as "Cliff Em All" to see them as young guys trying to prove themselves to the world. I also recommend "Paradise Lost" about the West Memphis Three which features Metallica music and the directors of "Monster" had worked on prior. The highlights are the sitdown with Dave Mustaine and Lars. Hammett and Ulrich seeing Newsted in his new band and looking totally defeated, esp. when their producer sees a lot of their guys working for "the enemy". Towards the end, the fan appreciation day and bass player tryouts (a lot are well known) are interesting. That they wanted Trujillo as a full fledged member who deserved his fair share and not a bassist for hire shows that they are a true band and not having one person get the lion's share, which occurs with a lot of bands. It's funny to see the counselor give excuses to hang around longer than he should, and that when James comes back, the cracks are already showing when James comes back and has to work for a few hours, to the dismay of the other guys. On one hand, it led to more energy, on the other hand, it may have been a reason why the album didn't do as well as the others, even though it debuted at #1 in many countries. It does remind me of "Let It Be"... The Beatles had used a huge soundstage, Metallica had tried out Army barracks, and you really could see the same things going down, except the Beatles were far more polite on camera (but revealed themselves a lot more on the audio tapes). They both wound up doing it over in the studio, with their producer Bob being the bass player (not too different from what George Martin did). Where the Beatles took to the roof, Metallica took to San Quentin of all places,but unlike the fate that would happen with the Fabs, Metallica ends the film with them in concert. I liked James opening up about his childhood on the extras and life on the road in the film, admitting that he was not exactly a good husband, but is working on it. It's great that the directors had access to a lot of old footage to be able to show the band formerly known as "Alcoholica" that was known to get drunk on stage at almost every show. Lars' dad seems to figure in his music and life a lot, more than he should (his dad was a tennis pro as was Lars before Metallica...). Lars also shows a lot of sadness of what has happened between him and James over the years from kids having a love of music to drifting apart as friends over time. Napster is brought up, but mostly as a news clip. But it also seems that the time that James was in rehab drove Lars to be obsessed in that whole thing. You can tell that the late Cliff Burton is still a sensitive subject with the band, something that came up when Jason supposedly considered coming back. Their collective mood changed when they talked about it. As far as documentaries go, this is by far one of the best insights to the workings of a successful band at a point in their career that the end was a real possibility,and James' therapy could have led to the end of Metallica. But their discussion about letting the therapist go as a mutual decision was a sign that this isn't the case. Overall, it's a great documentary whether or not you like Metallica's music. It's open, uncut, and shows them as they are, even though there is an awareness of the camera crew. But I do think it gives a renewed interest in the "St. Anger" CD, and an optimistic look towards the future.  "not great"All this did was proove to me that Newsted and Mustaine kick ass, Lars is a panzy with no talent, Hammet is a fruitcake and Hetfield is a redneck ass.  "Spinal Tap Anyone?"It appears that the only people who care about this band is the band itself. They are their biggest fans. "Unnervingly awful and undeservedly praised."I just watched this DVD and I was appalled at the men I used to revere as my musical heroes. At every turn they seemed vain, childish, self-centered, and invariably spoiled by their success. As a reviewer before me put it, Lars, James, and Kirk have lost touch with reality. Worse still is having to sit through their pointless rationalizations for their juvenile posturings while cobbling together the worst material they've yet written for an album. The film alternates from lame psycho-babble and disingenuous shows of affection or anger to scenes of a burned-out group of musical hacks slogging away in laughable attempts at musical "experimentation." ...Only, Metallica's new direction has less to do with expanding their musical boundaries than it does with their pure laziness. They've gotten too lazy after the Black album, which in and of itself was a let down from their previous efforts. They put a ton of work into their older material, and I think they pussed out since then. Their old material truly was experimental for its time. The stuff now is just thoughtless in comparison. But, I digress. This review is really about what an utter waste of time this movie is. The only highlights were the interviews with Newsted and Dave Mustaine, the two people who've suffered most at the hands of Metallica's twin jerks, Lars and James. Kirk didn't seem so nuts, and I appreciated some of the stuff he had to say. His segments in the film were a refreshing change of pace from the melodrama between his bandmates. I have a lot of sympathy for the poor schmucks dealing with Lars and James. That poor therapist was working with men who had the emotional capacity of 9-year-olds! Heaven help him! ...And it's too bad about Trujillo. I think he's a great bass player with a lot of energy, and I hate to see it wasted on a sinking ship...Metallica that is. This film is a joke, and a self-serving one at that. "The funniest movie of 2004"This movie is good as a joke. Listening to these guys talk is a laugher. Pretentious to the core and as big of egos as the sears tower. I love Lars lying on his couch discussing his "art". Or James Hetfield driving around in his ridiculosu little hot rod going "i have a need for speed and danger". UGH! These guys are the kings of sell-out. You attack your fans and alienate all but your hardcore audience and then have the nerve to put out a video showing how emotionally draining the new album was and how depressed you all were. Except for 80's hair holdovers, no one is listening to Metallica anymore. I especially enjoyed the part where Hetfield trashed his own lyrics and then decided to put it into the song anyway. Bob Rock and the COACH were the biggest joke of all. Bob Rock is a horrible producer and shouldnt be allowed to touch a control booth much less play on a record. On to the COACH, an overpaid sissy man who gets paid obscene amounts of cash to tell men to talk to eachother about their problems, DEEP! The reason these guys need a counselor is because they are ego maniacs who have lost touch with reality a long time ago. Hungrier bands have come and gone and left a better sonic assault than Metallica in the last 10 years. Watch this if you are looking for a laugh. |
