Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004)

Awesome!

My brother gave me this DVD to borrow and I wasn’t expecting much. The reviews for this doc have been great but I still wasn’t dying to see it. For me, Metallica was a band that peaked in the 90s. I thought their last album, St. Anger fell short of the material they released in the past and I never bothered purchasing a copy (or downloading it from Napster).

This documentary has renewed my interest in the band and it’s a great example of the magic in documentary filmmaking. What started out as a doc about the making of an album and group therapy sessions led to a lot of exciting drama—lead singer James Hetfield left the band to go into rehab for almost a year. This was totally unexpected and at the time, left the future of the band and the documentary in question.

The tension after Hetfield’s return is brutal. There are fights, reunions, the hiring of a new bass player, mixing sessions with hip hop artists and more. There are some really great moments captured here that give the audience and fans a glimpse into the lifestyle and struggles of a rock band.

You don’t have to be a Metallica fan to enjoy this documentary. Highly recommended.

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Posted in DVD Reviews at 9:47 AM