Metallica: Some Kind of Monster DVD Review:

Originally a documentary crew was going to follow the biggest heavy metal band in the world, Metallica, as they wrote and recorded their latest album in 2001 but what they ended up recording was the most turbulent time in the band’s history. Bass player Jason Newsted had just left the band, they had collectively decided to hire a therapist to deal with their drug, drink and communication problems, Lars Ulrich had become public enemy number one after taking on Napster and internet downloader’s and the cracks were starting to show. Everything was starting to boil over and Metallica was about to reach its breaking point.

Usually documentaries about bands contain lots of live footage, backstage chats and interviews but Metallica: Some Kind of Monster is very different.

Most rock documentaries are just promotional material for their latest album or tour and this film was supposed to be the same but what directors Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky ended up capturing on film is one of the most traumatic times in the history of Metallica. Instead of cancelling the film, the band decided to give the filmmakers full access and show everything that was going on. For Metallica fans and for anyone who is interested in music, this is fascinating stuff as it gives you an insight into how even established bands can struggle with the trappings of fame.

The film starts with the band moving into their new recording studio at the Presidio in San Francisco, just after the bass player Jason Newsted left band to form his own group. The movie starts as normal, showing them writing songs, rehearsing and recording songs but you soon get an inkling that something is not right, when you see the footage of them talking to their therapist. This is James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett at their most honest, argumentative and vulnerable. Here you start to witness the cracks starting to form, especially between frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich. Creative differences, their contribution to the album and the fact that they have been together for over 20 years, starts to take its toll to the point that James Hetfield leaves and books himself into a rehabilitation centre and then doesn’t return for a year.

With arguments abound and if you didn’t know the outcome, you would swear that Metallica would be no more. You have to take you hat off to the band, as this is very personal and revealing material that is as far removed from their heavy metal personas as you could get. Rock gods are people as well, as you get to see their families and their everyday lives but it is the intense, interpersonal moments between James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett that make this documentary standout.

For all Metallica fans this is a must watch as it is a fascinating insight into the trials and tribulations of one of the biggest bands in the world. Charting over two years covering key moments in the completion of their award winning album ‘St. Anger’ including the fights, the break ups and hiring of a new band member, fans will be enthralled and everyone else will be gripped, even if they are not a fan of the music.

Star Rating = * * * *

BONUS FEATURES

DVD Extras – Disc 1
• Metallica commentary (James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett,

Robert Trujillo)

• Filmmaker commentary (Joe Berlinger & Bruce Sinofsky)

• Theatrical trailer (2.28)

• Concert trailer (3.11)

Special Features - Disc 2
28 Additional Scenes (77.54 total)

(5 with Commentary - 24.53 of total);

• Photo shoot with Kirk (1.17)

• Lars with his newborn son (1.52)

• Metallica, Swizz Beatz & Ja Rule (10.00)

• Lars and Kirk webchat (2.34)

• Management discusses Metallica's future (4.12)

• Should the filming continue? (3.34)

• James talks about growing up (4.13)

• Surprise gig at Kimo's (4.59)

• Metallica honours Aerosmith at MTV's Icon (2.38)

• Take the Metalheads bowling (0.23)

• Bass lines for ‘My World’ (3.01)

• More work on ‘My World’ (3.31)

• Kirk's birthday (3.41)

• Tough Riff (3.14)

• ‘All Within My Hands’ vocals (1.44)

• Castor doesn't want headphones (0.37)

• Bob is bitter (0.47)

• Lars stews in his anger (0.45)

• Lars and James have made progress (3.15)

• Kirk goes to traffic school (3.07)

• James' new artwork (0.52)

• Album packaging (2.08)

• Hammering it out (1.47)

• Sounds good (3.46)

• Rob goes snowboarding (2.54)

• Kirk's father-in-law plays with Rob (1.43)

• A lot of work to be done (1.38)

• ‘Frantic’ at the Fillmore (7.55)

Festivals & Premieres (46.32 total):

• Sundance Q&A (10.45)

• Sundance press conference (14.46)

• San Francisco International Film Festival (10.45)

• New York premiere (6.05)

• Metallica Club screening (4.11)

This Monster Lives (13 Parts - 61.37 total)

(5 with Commentary - 28.07 total);

• Predictions about the album (1.39)

• Being original (2.13)

• Lars and Dave Mustaine, alternate cut (5.30)

• ‘F$%@! meeting extension (6.37)

• LA Raiders tailgate show

• Raiders fallout (4.39)

• The new face of metal? (2.11)

• Touring confusion (3.07)

• Dee Dee's legacy (4.11)

• Talking about bass players with Pepper (2.47)

• Rob's first interview (3.27)

• Lars visits his childhood home (3.37)

• The Oslo interviews (11.42)

• Music video (4.53)

• Filmmaker Bios (menu text pages) - Joe Berlinger (3 pages) - Bruce Sinofsky (3 pages)

Jamie Kelwick

If you are considering buying or renting the Some Kind of Anger DVD because you think that it is a rock documentary about the history of Metallica, you are under false impressions. If you refuse to watch the documentary because you don’t like heavy metal, you may want to reconsider. Also, if you though that the men in Metallica are among the toughest that live, watch this film and you will realize how deadly wrong you were. Some Kind of Monster is not a documentary about all of Metallica, but rather just a documentation of the issues that they went through in order to record their latest album St. Anger. For anyone who knows nothing of the band, or isn’t a fan of the music, there is still plenty to enjoy about the film. On the other hand, fans of the band may enjoy the film, but they may also be disheartened to find that the three remaining members of the band spend almost all of their time discussing their feelings with their therapist rather than rocking as they did in their younger years.

After losing their bass guitar player, who left to start his own band, the remaining members of Metallica decide to use their manager as the bass player for the recording of their new album, and worry about finding someone for tour later. Almost immediately there are problems when the band rents out an old military base, Presidio, in order to begin creating. Some of the problems come out in their therapy sessions where they each discuss how they feel, while other times it is in an outburst during recording. Although there are times when they all seem to be collaborating quite nicely, it seems that more of their time is spent discussing issues and feelings until everything has been said and nobody has budged on their stance. Although the therapy is admirable, it isn’t exactly how I pictured one of the hardest rock bands in the history of Metal.

Other issues come forth as well, including the lawsuit they took against Napster, the addiction and recovery of one of the band members, and the long delay they took in finishing the album. Finally, once all else was done, they had the task of seeking out another bass player as well. In all of the time that Metallica has been together it seems as though a better time could not have been picked to make the documentary. Although it took over two years to complete even filming the rock-doc, it is well worth it as a fascinating look into the world of rock and recording. Despite my disinterest in the music or even the band itself, I found myself getting drawn into their world and waiting on the edge of my seat to see what would cause the next fight.

Fans of Metallica will be especially excited to find that this two-disc set contains enough special features to make anyone get a headache. Along with the feature, which is already over two hours long, there are 40 additional scenes, and a music video. There are also highlights from festivals and premieres (it was the official selection at the Sundance Film Festival), interviews and trailers. To top everything else off there are also two audio commentaries with both filmmakers and members of the band. This means a great deal more fighting between the members of the band.

Ryan Izay

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