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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 |
 "Self-indulgent though Strangly Compelling"This rock-u-mentary is a fly-on-the-wall view of arguably one of the most successful heavy metal bands in music history. After twenty-five years, Metallica have reached a serious creative impasse, and the band member's are not getting along, particularly Hetfield and Ulrich. To add insult to injury, their bass player has quit the group (or subtly pushed) and their long time producer, (Bob Rock) is sitting in as they slog away, creating the new album. Because nothing is working, the band hire a psychotherapist for $10,000 a week, to sort out the situation, which opens up a can of worms, emotionally and creatively, for all concerned. These group therapy sessions, for me, at least, was uncomfortable to watch, as they reveal the all-too-humanness of these icons of rock, all too often whining like spoiled children, not happy with their success. For the most part, I found these therapy sessions self-indulgent in the extreme. Ulrich had to be the most annoying, feeling so much "pain", selling his multi-million dollar art collection, and feeling a small sense of "relief", when the paintings sold for over thirty-four million. Give me a break. Hetfield came across as the member who seriously confronted his demons, admitting himself into re-hab for alcoholism and returning after six months a changed man, his creativity in tact. Ulrich, on the other hand, after a year of group therapy, didn't change in the slightest. After Hetfield returned from re-hab, Ulrich continued to play his ego games and constant nonsensical whining, only this time, Hetfield wouldn't respond to his childish rantings, thus progress was made on the record. Let's face it, Ulrich, although an excellent drummer, is not the heart of Metallica, Hetfield is Metallica, and without him, the band would fade into history. I sense Ulrich knows this, but cannot confront it, thus his over compensation towards Hetfield. Astonishingly, St Anger managed to get made, despite everything, and the record is one of their better endeavors in years. The most entertaining part of the film was the auditions for the new bass player. This young man has great style and plays from his guts, which suits Metallica's style as well. The million dollars they handed to him up front for joining the band, shows how much money this band is worth in the market place. Astounding. Some Kind of Monster is a true behind-the-scenes look into Metallica's creative process, their individual personalities and the dark side to ultimate success. Though self-indulgent to the point of irritation, the film manages to convey certain honesty, and that, in the end; it all comes down to the music. "I thought it was good"I find it hard to figure out where all the negative reviews and hatred for Metallica are coming from. Documentaries are supposed to show the real side of something, which this documentary does very well. I think a lot oif people are dissapointed to see that Metallica isn't the rebels they were in the eighties, that they are mnillionares who have cushy lives and problems of thier own. For me, documentaries like these always make me appreciate the music a lot more because when you see how hard it was to make and how many arguments it causes, it makes you appreciate how much work goes into it. Another documentary that shows a band making an album is I Am Tring to Break Your Heart about the band Wilco (which I think is better than Some Kind of Monster). If you liked this doc, you'd probably like that one too, even though the music is in no way haevy metal. Overall, I though SKoM was a very good watch, and regardless of whether or not you are a Metallica fan, if you like documentaries, you should enjoy this. "less about a rock band than about human nature"I don't know much about heavy metal music - and even less about the heavy metal band Metallica - but I do know that I thoroughly enjoyed "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster," an incisive and insightful documentary that is less about a particular group of rock musicians than it is about human relationships and the raw, unvarnished emotions that those relationships lead to. In what turned out to be a fortuitous bit of timing for directors Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, filming on the project began in January 2001, right at the moment when the three remaining members, Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett had decided - for the sake of the band's future and the future of themselves as individuals - to go into group therapy. The hope was that the members would be able to iron out some of the interpersonal problems that had arisen and been allowed to fester over the twenty some odd years of the group's existence. It also happened to be a time in which the band was working on a brand new album, the first in over three years (it would come to be called "St. Anger," when it was finally completed and released in 2003). Thus, thanks to the presence of the ubiquitous but largely unobtrusive camera and microphone, we are given an up-close-and-personal glimpse into the dark underbelly of the creative process. Actually, considering the fact that Metallica is now entering its third decade as a viable rock'n'roll band, we shouldn't be all that surprised that there is a great deal of stress and strife taking place behind the scenes. The wonder is that there isn't even more of it, to tell you the truth! As is very often the case with human relationships, it is the people who are the most similar in terms of personality and temperament who wind up engaged in the greatest conflict. Lars and James are both equally strong-willed, obstinate and obsessed with personal power, and, indeed, it is they who we see most commonly butting heads, while it is Kirk, more mild-mannered and less ego-driven by nature, who takes on the role of mediator-conciliator for the group. One of the focal points of the film is James' struggle with alcoholism, his time spent in rehab and recovery, and the effect all of that has on the group as a whole. The movie also touches lightly on the history of the band, Elgin's running battle with Napster, and the group's search for a new bass player to replace the one who had just recently left. But the movie always comes back to the therapy sessions, during the course of which old scores are settled, long standing wounds are opened up and cauterized, and a new sense of camaraderie and purpose settles over the group. Metallica's diehard groupies might have preferred it if the filmmakers had devoted a little less footage to the musicians gabbing and a little more to them playing, but the movie provides enough of a musical sampler to whet the appetite of non-fans without driving them screaming from the theater (or living room).  "Get over yourselves."A mess. The video was alright, but the members are pathetic. My favorite part was Lars explaining that it didn't matter how much his artwork sold for only to get drunk and watch with great anticipation and excitement as his paintings sold for millions. Psychotherapy abounds. Enjoy.  "Some Kind of Bums"I wondered why ST Anger was so pitiful, then this movie answered all my questions. Pretty much all through this movie Hetfield goes through therepy and everyone argues with each other. No one practices as much as they used to, and you wonder why they can hardly play on st anger? There was so much crap going on in there lives it was almost impossible to make a good album. Plus I think they lost any inspiration. In the movie, it seemed they were making the album, pretty much just to make one and get some money. You never get the feeling that they were really enthestiastic about it. Even Mustain, in the movie, is full of joy that Metallica has fallen on there faces. Bob Rock, a producer, should havetold then what they were making was crap. This movie should give musicians warning not to hire him. However, I must admit there are some funny parts. I always find it funny when a 40 year old throws a chair or knocks a door down or when a group of them sit around and cuss at each other. A documentary? Maybe. A comedy of a fallen band, yes! |
