A lot of people just do not understand this DVD. Some say it is stupid, made by Metallica-haters. Others think it is a true portrait of the band. I guess that this is a matter of opinion (there can never be a true portrait of a band/person).
Fact is that every review I have read so far comes from people who are fans, and therefore react in a certain way to this DVD, but do not seem to get the "joke".
I came across this information while surfing around
"In the past, Braverman had written many articles lampooning METALLICA for "So What", the group's official fan club magazine. "The guys in METALLICA have always appreciated our small contribution to their legacy, which was making fun of them and their fans," he says. "But because the movie plays on the myths of METALLICA Are they total alcoholics? Are they Satanists? Is Lars Ulrich that much of a dick? Is James Hetfield really that intimidating? What planet is Kirk really from? it was felt by the band's Hitleresque management that the fans wouldn't get a film that made the band look ridiculous. In retrospect, it's hard to imagine a film that could make METALLICA look more ridiculous than 'Some Kind of Monster'.""
So, basically we have a mockumentary made by 2 friends of the band with the bands' permission, as you can read in the following paragraph quoted from the same article as the first quote.
"Uniquely qualified to bring you this story are Marc Paschke, one of the few intimates who's flown around the world with the band on its private jet, and Eric Braverman, onetime radio DJ and manager of FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, and best man at Jason Newsted's wedding. But Paschke and Braverman didn't just follow around METALLICA and its nutty fans. "We kind of went after them," says Braverman, laughing."
Now, with this in mind it is way easier to actually enjoy this DVD. The band can laugh about themselves and we should be able to adopt that attitude. This is not about the band, it is not about the music. It is just a "bad" joke. Some people love bad jokes, others don't.
Rating? Tough one....I do enjoy this because it is different, however you do not watch this DVD over and over again. I'd give it an 8, it was refreshing and unique.....but the joke gets old really fast.
The article I quoted from can be found here www.4horsemensite.com and here http://blabbermouth.net/(Type METALLIMANIA in the "Search News" box)
Fact is that every review I have read so far comes from people who are fans, and therefore react in a certain way to this DVD, but do not seem to get the "joke".
I came across this information while surfing around
"In the past, Braverman had written many articles lampooning METALLICA for "So What", the group's official fan club magazine. "The guys in METALLICA have always appreciated our small contribution to their legacy, which was making fun of them and their fans," he says. "But because the movie plays on the myths of METALLICA Are they total alcoholics? Are they Satanists? Is Lars Ulrich that much of a dick? Is James Hetfield really that intimidating? What planet is Kirk really from? it was felt by the band's Hitleresque management that the fans wouldn't get a film that made the band look ridiculous. In retrospect, it's hard to imagine a film that could make METALLICA look more ridiculous than 'Some Kind of Monster'.""
So, basically we have a mockumentary made by 2 friends of the band with the bands' permission, as you can read in the following paragraph quoted from the same article as the first quote.
"Uniquely qualified to bring you this story are Marc Paschke, one of the few intimates who's flown around the world with the band on its private jet, and Eric Braverman, onetime radio DJ and manager of FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, and best man at Jason Newsted's wedding. But Paschke and Braverman didn't just follow around METALLICA and its nutty fans. "We kind of went after them," says Braverman, laughing."
Now, with this in mind it is way easier to actually enjoy this DVD. The band can laugh about themselves and we should be able to adopt that attitude. This is not about the band, it is not about the music. It is just a "bad" joke. Some people love bad jokes, others don't.
Rating? Tough one....I do enjoy this because it is different, however you do not watch this DVD over and over again. I'd give it an 8, it was refreshing and unique.....but the joke gets old really fast.
The article I quoted from can be found here www.4horsemensite.com and here http://blabbermouth.net/(Type METALLIMANIA in the "Search News" box)
