Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (2005)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Directors:

Sam Dunn
Scot McFadyen
(more)

Writers:

Sam Dunn (writer)
Scot McFadyen (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

21 June 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Music

Plot:

Sam Dunn is a 30-year old anthropologist who wrote his graduate thesis on the plight of Guatemalan refugees...

Plot Keywords:

Metal | Heavy Metal | Censorship | Conservative Morals | Rock Festival

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Chris Adler	...	Himself
Tom Araya	...	Himself
Gavin Baddeley	...	Himself
Blasphemer	...	Himself
Randy Blythe	...	Himself
Alice Cooper	...	Himself
Pamela Des Barres	...	Herself
Bruce Dickinson	...	Himself
Ronnie James Dio	...	Himself
Malcolm Dome	...	Himself
Sam Dunn	...	Himself
Robert Ezrin	...	Himself
George Fisher	...	Himself
Gaahl	...	Himself
Donna Gaines	...	Herself
Al Gore	...	Himself (archive footage)
Tipper Gore	...	Herself (archive footage)
Angela Gossow	...	Herself
Ernest F. Hollings	...	Himself (archive footage)
Ihsahn	...	Himself
Tony Iommi	...	Himself
Joey Jordison	...	Himself
John Kay	...	Himself
Kerry King	...	Himself
Chuck Klosterman	...	Himself
Mercedes Lander	...	Herself
Morgan Lander	...	Herself
Geddy Lee	...	Himself
Lemmy	...	Himself
Tom Morello	...	Himself
Necrobutcher	...	Himself
Vince Neil	...	Himself
Doro Pesch	...	Herself
Samoth	...	Himself
James 'Munky' Shaffer	...	Himself
Brian Slagel	...	Himself
Dee Snider	...	Himself
Corey Taylor	...	Himself
Eddie Trunk	...	Himself
Robert Walser	...	Himself
Alex Webster	...	Himself
Rob Zombie	...	Himself
Einar Darri	...	Himself (uncredited)
Hellhammer	...	Himself (uncredited)
Ingo	...	Himself (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Dunn
Scot McFadyen
Jessica Joy Wise

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sam Dunn		writer
Scot McFadyen		writer
Jessica Joy Wise		writer

Produced by
Erin Berry	....	line producer
Sam Dunn	....	producer
Sam Feldman	....	executive producer
John Hamilton	....	executive producer
Scot McFadyen	....	producer
David Reckziegel	....	executive producer
Noah Segal	....	executive producer
Robert Wilson	....	line producer

Cinematography by
Brendan Steacy

Film Editing by
Mike Munn

Production Design by
Kenneth Mak

Production Management
Erin Sharp	....	production manager
Douglas Wilkinson	....	post-production supervisor

Sound Department
Fred Brennan	....	dialogue and adr editor
Fred Brennan	....	sound
Fred Brennan	....	supervising sound editor
Louis DiFlorio	....	adr recordist
David K. Grant	....	production sound recordist mixer
Kirk Lynds	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sean Munavish	....	sound recordist
Nathan Robitaille	....	sound effects editor
Lou Solakofski	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
John Choi	....	additional cinematographer
David K. Grant	....	cinematographer: opening scene
Martin Hawkes	....	additional photographer

Editorial Department
Louis Casado	....	film timer
Jim Fleming	....	digital film colorist
Rob Gyorgy	....	DI editor
Andrew Kowalchuk	....	on-line editor
Marcia Leeder	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Yuri Gorbachow	....	music editor
Andrew Wright	....	music editor

Other crew
Lisa Clapperton	....	production coordinator
Samir Rehem	....	additional director
Erin Sharp	....	archival researcher
Frank Shortt	....	additional footage
David Steinberg	....	legal
Chris Stiles	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Jordan Clark	....	special thanks
Amy Fritz	....	special thanks
Denis McGrath	....	special thanks
Lan Tran	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Banger Productions
• 235 Films
• Chum Television
• Government of Ontario

Distributors

• Momentum Pictures (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• Pretty Pictures (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2006) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Seville Pictures (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Atlantic Film (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Keep Me Posted  post-production

MPAA:

Rated R for language, violent images, some nudity and sexual content.

Runtime:

USA:96 min | Canada:96 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | Canada:96 min | Australia:98 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:18A | Australia:M | USA:R | Finland:K-11 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:M18 | Brazil:14

Filming Locations:

Canada

Company:

Banger Productions

Trivia:

Varg Vikernes was released from prison the week of May 13 2009 after serving nearly 16 years.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the movie Sam says that Varg Vikernes received a life sentence for his crimes. In Norway, however, there is no life sentence. He got the maximum 21 years.

Quotes:

Sam Dunn: Ever since I was 12 years old I had to defend my love for heavy metal against those who say it's a less valid form of music. My answer now is that you either feel it or you don't. If metal doesn't give that overwhelming surge of power that make the hair stand up at the back of your neck, you might never get it, and you know what? That's okay, because judging by the 40,000 metalheads around me we're doing just fine without you.

Movie Connections:

Features Heavy Metal Parking Lot (1986)

Soundtrack:

Summertime Blues

Heavy metal man!

Opening with the age-old question of what was the first heavy metal song before launching into a metal head's history of the genre this fascinating documentary is a must. With interviews from rock greats like Lemmy, Tomy Iommi, Alice Cooper and Vince Neil to name but a few and concert footage of various heavy bands from Black Sabbath to Slipknot this is a sweaty, mosh pit inducing, bleeding ears look at what heavy metal music is and means to thousands of fans the world over. It is well made, surprisingly funny and brilliantly paced. There were moments in the film when the hairs on my neck stood up as memories were evoked by what I was watching. Seeing Rage Against the Machine performing killing in the name of and all the fans singing along reminded me of when I saw them fourteen years ago in room with no more than a hundred people. You can't beat the feeling of seeing a massive rock concert and the film manages to capture that feeling with the sights and sounds it is almost like you can smell the sweat. The makers also don't shy away from the controversy that has been levelled at the music over the years and delves into the various court cases and why so many believe it's the devils music. Overall it is a thoroughly engaging look at heavy metal and all that encompasses, made by a fan for fans but open to anyone, are you ready to rock?