Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
| Metal: A Headbanger's Journey |
Original Theatrical poster |
| Directed by |
Jessica Joy Wise
Sam Dunn
Scot McFayden |
| Produced by |
Sam Dunn
Scot McFayden
Sam Feldman |
| Starring |
Sam Dunn |
| Distributed by |
Seville Pictures
Warner Home Video |
| Release date(s) |
2005 (2005) |
| Running time |
96 min. |
| Language |
English |
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey is a 2005 documentary directed by Sam Dunn with Scot McFadyen and Jessica Wise. The film follows 31-year-old Dunn, a Canadian anthropologist, who has been a heavy metal fan since the age of 12. Dunn sets out across the world to uncover the various opinions on heavy metal music, including its origins, culture, controversy, and the reasons it is loved by so many people. The film made its debut at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, and was released as a two-disc special edition DVD in the US on September 19, 2006.
A follow-up to the film titled Global Metal premiered at the Bergen International Film Festival on October 17, 2007, and saw limited release in theatres in June 2008.[1]
Contents
The film discusses the traits and originators of some of metal's many subgenres, including the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, power metal, nu metal, glam metal, thrash metal, black metal, and death metal. Dunn uses a family-tree-type flowchart to document some of the most popular metal subgenres. The film also explores various aspects of heavy metal culture. Notable segments include Dunn taking a trip to the Wacken Open Air festival, an interview with Dee Snider providing an analysis of the PMRC attack on heavy metal music, and an interview with several Norwegian black metal bands.
Interviews
The most insightful information given in the film comes from candid interviews with popular artists from metal's past and present. Notable interviews come from:
| Artist |
Band |
Birthplace |
| Angela Gossow |
Arch Enemy |
Cologne, Germany |
| Tom Morello |
Rage Against the Machine |
New York City, New York |
| Ronnie James Dio |
Dio, Black Sabbath, Rainbow |
Portsmouth, New Hampshire |
| Tony Iommi |
Black Sabbath |
Aston, England |
| Alice Cooper |
Alice Cooper |
Detroit, Michigan |
| George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher |
Cannibal Corpse |
Buffalo, New York |
| Alex Webster |
Cannibal Corpse |
Buffalo, New York |
| Ihsahn |
Emperor |
Notodden, Norway |
| Samoth |
Emperor |
Tromsø, Norway |
| Grutle Kjellson |
Enslaved |
Rogaland, Norway |
| Kim McAuliffe |
Girlschool |
London, England |
| Jackie Chambers |
Girlschool |
London, England |
| Gaahl |
Gorgoroth |
Espedal, Norway |
| Jørn Inge Tunsberg |
Hades Almighty |
Norway |
| Bruce Dickinson |
Iron Maiden |
Worksop, England |
| Mercedes Lander |
Kittie |
London, Ontario |
| Morgan Lander |
Kittie |
London, Ontario |
| James "Munky" Shaffer |
Korn |
Rosedale, California |
| Randy Blythe |
Lamb of God |
Richmond, Virginia |
| Mark Morton |
Lamb of God |
Richmond, Virginia |
| Blasphemer |
Mayhem |
Norway |
| Necrobutcher |
Mayhem |
Norway |
| Vince Neil |
Mötley Crüe |
Los Angeles, California |
| Lemmy |
Motörhead |
Stoke-on-Trent, England |
| Geddy Lee |
Rush |
Willowdale, Ontario |
| Tom Araya |
Slayer |
Viña del Mar, Chile |
| Kerry King |
Slayer |
Los Angeles, California |
| Joey Jordison |
Slipknot / Murderdolls |
Des Moines, Iowa |
| Corey Taylor |
Slipknot / Stone Sour |
Des Moines, Iowa |
| John Kay |
Steppenwolf |
Toronto, Ontario |
| Dee Snider |
Twisted Sister |
Massapequa, New York |
| Snake |
Voivod |
Jonquière, Quebec |
| Piggy |
Voivod |
Jonquière, Quebec |
| Doro Pesch |
Warlock, Doro |
Düsseldorf, Germany |
| Rob Zombie |
White Zombie, Rob Zombie |
Haverhill, Massachusetts |
Non-musicians
- Bob Ezrin, record producer (Alice Cooper, Kiss, Pink Floyd)
- Deena Weinstein, sociologist
- Robert Walser, musicologist
- Malcolm Dome, journalist, writer, DJ
- Mike Guitor
- Sam Guitor, fan
- Joe Bottiglieri, fan
- Chuck Klosterman, writer
- Eric Bryan, fan, bass player
- Robert Kampf, founder of Century Media
- Joey Severance, tour manager
- Eddie Trunk, DJ
- Rob Jones, DJ
- Pamela Des Barres, groupie, writer, author of I'm With The Band
- Donna Gaines, sociologist
- Gavin Baddeley, writer
- Monte Conner, senior VP A&R - Roadrunner Records
- Rolf Rasmussen, assistant minister of the Åsane church
- Brian Slagel, owner/CEO of Metal Blade Records
- Rose Dyson, writer
- Keith Kahn-Harris, writer
Soundtrack
"Definitive metal family tree"
The chart from the film documents Dunn's view on the progression of subgenres of metal that have spawned over time as well as other styles of rock (i.e. hard rock, shock rock, punk rock, and hardcore) that have influence these styles of metal, while also attempting to list the prime examples of bands that fall into each category. Below is a typed version of that chart, which can be found on the second disc of the film's special edition DVD package.
- Cream; Jimi Hendrix; Blue Cheer; Deep Purple; Led Zeppelin; MC5; Mountain; The Stooges; Black Sabbath
- Thin Lizzy; Blue Öyster Cult; Aerosmith; AC/DC; Ted Nugent
- Arthur Brown; Alice Cooper; New York Dolls; Kiss; Ozzy Osbourne; W.A.S.P.
- The Ramones; The Damned; Sex Pistols; The Clash; The Dead Boys
- Scorpions; Judas Priest; Rainbow; Accept; Manowar; Dio; Yngwie J. Malmsteen; Helloween; Blind Guardian; HammerFall; Primal Fear
- Motörhead; Saxon; Iron Maiden; Angel Witch; Girlschool; Tygers of Pan Tang; Diamond Head
- Uriah Heep; Rush; Queensrÿche; Savatage; Fates Warning; Voivod; Dream Theater; Meshuggah; Symphony X; Evergrey
- Slade; Sweet; Hanoi Rocks; Mötley Crüe; Twisted Sister; Poison; Cinderella; Skid Row
- Quiet Riot; Van Halen; Whitesnake; Def Leppard; Europe; Dokken; Lita Ford; Ratt; Guns N' Roses; Winger; Warrant; Doro; The Darkness
- Witchfinder General; Trouble; Candlemass; Cathedral; Kyuss; Today Is the Day
- Agnostic Front; D.O.A.; The Exploited; Bad Brains; Misfits; GBH; Discharge; Dead Kennedys; Minor Threat; Black Flag
- Metallica; Slayer; Anthrax; Megadeth; Exodus; Overkill; Kreator; Destruction; Sodom; Testament; Nuclear Assault; Death Angel; Pantera; Sepultura; Children of Bodom
- Venom; Bathory; Mercyful Fate; Celtic Frost
- Mayhem; Darkthrone; Immortal; Gorgoroth; Emperor; Satyricon; Enslaved; Dimmu Borgir; Cradle of Filth (actually from UK)
- Napalm Death; Carcass; Repulsion; Exhumed; Extreme Noise Terror; Cephalic Carnage; Brutal Truth
- Possessed; Death; Morbid Angel; Obituary; Deicide; Cannibal Corpse; Immolation; Autopsy; Nile; Dying Fetus
- Grave; Entombed; At the Gates; Unleashed; Dismember; Arch Enemy; Soilwork; In Flames; Dark Tranquillity; The Haunted
- Paradise Lost; Tiamat; Therion; Type O Negative; My Dying Bride; Anathema; Theatre of Tragedy; Opeth
- Corrosion of Conformity; Suicidal Tendencies; Dirty Rotten Imbeciles; Machine Head; Stormtroopers of Death; Hatebreed; The Dillinger Escape Plan
- Green River; The Melvins; Soundgarden; Mudhoney; Nirvana; Alice in Chains; Mother Love Bone; Stone Temple Pilots; Pearl Jam
- Ministry; White Zombie; Godflesh; Nine Inch Nails; Fear Factory; Marilyn Manson; Static-X
- Faith No More; Jane's Addiction; Prong; Living Colour; The Smashing Pumpkins; Rage Against the Machine; Tool
- KoЯn; Biohazard; Limp Bizkit; Slipknot; Godsmack; Coal Chamber; System of a Down; Disturbed; Kittie
- Shadows Fall; Lamb of God; Darkest Hour; Killswitch Engage; Unearth; God Forbid
Reception
The film received mostly positive reviews. It currently holds an 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 6.9/10 and the critical consensus being: "Made by a metalhead, this documentary of the musical genre both informs and entertains with its range of interviewees."[2]
Controversy
Some brief controversy arose over the film's depiction of black metal, which many fans of the genre saw as being one-sided and biased during a screening documented in the film. In the special features to the DVD of the film, Dunn attempted a restitution to the concerns of the black metal fans by including an additional featurette.
References
External links