Metallica - Some Kind Of Monster (DVD)

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Characters / Performances	Good
Soundtrack	Outstanding
How does it compare to similar films?	Good

Advantages:	Insight into both the St .  Anger recording process and the evolution of the band
Disadvantages:	None that come to mind

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Originally, when it was conceived by co-directors Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, this was simply going to be a behind-the-scenes 'making-of' 'St. Anger'. What they found as time went on was a very different creature - 'Some Kind Of Monster' if you will.

The movie, (or rock-umentry if you prefer) follows Metallica through what has since become known as one of their "darkness-hours". It offers a rare insight into the world of Metallica - to some extent the recording process of 'St. Anger', but more so into the characters and the relationships between them within the band.

The movie itself is interesting and having watched it, I felt I had a better insight into the nature of the individuals and how they interact, (Lars screaming into James' face stands out in my mind). I was quite surprised that I was amused by certain scenes too. Some scenes are genuinely funny, such as Kirk playing guitar with a nail-polisher, or Lars' sulk about not being informed people were wearing Hawaiian shirts for Kirk's birthday.

Berlinger and Sinofsky have taken great care with this movie. I thought the editing in particular was fantastic and, although there's no real plot to the movie for obvious reasons, it flowed well and I was never left wondering what was going on. A great piece of editing involves Lars saying, "Can we fast forward to that right now?" when told to imagine the crowds of people moshing to one of the new songs. Sure enough, the scene cuts to the band on stage with swarms of fans 'rocking-out'. I think this shows how much care and attention has gone into the making of 'Some Kind Of Monster' and I felt it really added to my enjoyment of the movie as a whole.

I pretty much found every scene enjoyable and interesting. At no point did I find myself feeling bored or restless, (which can be quite common with these sort of things). A few scenes in particular that stood out for myself are the brief interviews with Jason Newsted, as well as seeing James' slow decline before going into rehab. I thought Berlinger and Sinofsky treated the subjects with care and consideration, trying to be observers rather than actually take part in the day-to-day lives of the band. Another interesting scene is the 'reconciliation' between Dave Mustaine and Lars, which I thought was quite revealing about Mustaine and in some ways made me sympathise with him.

I think where the movie succeeds most is in humanising the band member. Rare glimpses into their private lives, such as moments with their families, or the friendships that exist within the band itself really help you to connect with the band members. Even though I've been a fan for many years, I felt after watching this I had a deeper respect for Metallica and the individuals who form it.

Here we have a two-disc release. The first disc has the movie itself, whilst the second has 'Deleted Scenes' that were edited out mostly for time restrictions, although some were taken out because it was felt the core messages both directors and band wanted to convey were being clouded. These additional scenes really add to the movie as a whole. One of my favourites is after James has come out of rehab and is unsure whether he wants to continue the filming. Berlinger and Sinofsky show the band some of the footage they've taken and edited and I thought James' reaction to this was interesting and gave you a little more insight into his character.

The menus are well produced and, on the whole, easy to navigate around. The design fits in well with the cover-art of the DVD and helps add a level of consistency that adds to the experience.
I can't recall whether the DVD came with a booklet or not, (there not one in my copy, but it's possible that's been misplaced as time's gone on). If it didn't come with a booklet I don't think that's any great loss, as for once, the DVD really doesn't need anything adding to it. If it does come with a booklet, then my apologises that I can't comment any further as I've lost mine...

The movie has an 18 rating, which I think is a little excessive personally. I personally think a 15 rating would have sufficed. There's no nudity or reference to sex, there's some occasional references to drugs, but this is more in passing than as a feature. It really is just the language that has given this its 18 certificate and I personally didn't find the language that bad. Probably not for the easily offended, but anyone familiar with Metallica live would probably be quite accustomed to the swearing.

I have been a Metallica fan since my early teens and whilst I don't necessarily agree with some of the things they've done in recent years, (the suing of Napster, the shockingly poor production of 'St. Anger'), they are still among my favourite bands. Seeing 'Some Kind Of Monster' helped me gain an insight as to why 'St. Anger' came out the way it did and by the end of it I felt I had a better understanding of the environment in which the album was recorded. . I had always thought that some of the songs were good, but the production was terrible. Under the circumstances, I think it's understandable why St. Anger was not there strongest album. Watching the movie gave me a different opinion about St. Anger and helped me to appreciate it more. The movie also gave me a little bit of hope that the next album would be much, much better.
I also found that I had a newfound appreciation for the band as a whole. In particular, the movie completely changed my opinion of Rob Trujillo. I was always a big fan of Jason Newsted's and thought Rob, although musically gifted, wouldn't have the personality or stage-presence of Jason. The interviews shown on the Extra Scenes made me re-think this opinion and I quickly warmed to him being in the band. His impression of Ozzy Osbourne is uncanny and I thought it was a shame that more footage hadn't been included in the movie itself as I think it would have helped more fans warm to him as the new Metallica member.

If you're not a fan, or you only really have a passing interest in the band, I doubt this would appeal to you very much. If, however, you are a fan than I think you would find 'Some Kind Of Monster' an entertaining and insightful addition to your collection, one that I would highly recommend.