Metal: A Headbangers Journey

Tonight I experienced something that is hard to put into words. It was a youthful dream come true, yet it was also an amazing revelation. I went to see Metal: A Headbangers Journey. This documentary on the history of metal on the outside seemed to be something that only a true Motley Crue fan would enjoy, but I went with my friend Bubba, who is anything but a true Motley Crue fan and he loved it as much as me.

It is directed by Sam Dunn who is a 30 year old anthropologist and a lifelong metal fan. Sam has spet much of his life studying diverse cultures, but in this movie he turns his camera to the culture of Heavy Metal Music. The movie is about his goal to find out why metal is consistently stereotyped, dismissed and condemned and yet still holds true. It is one of the best documentaries that I have ever seen on culture and a cultural phenomenon. It covers the origin of the name Heavy Metal to Ronnie James Dio marketing the metal sign. The movie talks about original metal (Sabbath), heavy metal (Maiden), glam metal (Poison), death metal (Slayer) and beyond.

The movie is revealing in parts, funny in parts and very disturbing in parts. It is a great look at a culture that we are around every day. It talks about why people do the things they do. It talks about why people hate their families, and it deals with hatred towards the church of Jesus Christ. It is not for the faint at heard, or for those easily offended by language, but I highly recommend this movie if you are interested in culture, people, music, history, religion, politics and making movies.

Check it out as it is only showing in select cities. Enjoy.