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Some Kind of Monster movie

A documentary about Metallica. Well, we have certainly seen some of those:

  • on MTV
  • on VH1
  • A year and a half in the life of Metallica, Pt. I and II
  • etc.

    Some Kind of Monster is another one. And it is not just a-nother one. It is certainly among the longest, as the movie runs about 2 hrs and 45 min. It also spans several years - from 2001 to 2003. A time period in which a lot of distressful events hit Metallica as a band:

  • departing Jason Newsted (former Metallica bassist)
  • getting regular group session with a psychiatrist
  • James Hetfield going into rehabilitation due to alcohol problems
  • having to stop working on their new album.

    The movie takes you through these years and through the process. The good news is: Metallica came back stronger than ever and work better as a unit. What the movie makes terribly clear is the fact that the people behind Metallica have grown up. They are no longer just a heavy metal band. They are older than the metal cliché. They have settled a lot of their previous differences. They have changed the way they work with each other. They now function as a team. More or less with equal rights. Ironic, that this was exactly the reason why Jason Newsted left-some of the other band members did not let him be as creative as he would have liked to be.

    The story of the movie brings us closer to Metallica's psyche. This being the collective as the band had been earlier but also the psyche of the three or four individuals the band consisted of earlier.

    Most notably:

  • two remaining Metallica members visiting the concert of Echobrain ----> Jason Newsted's "new" band during the time
  • a direct confrontation between Lars Ulrich and former band member Dave Mustaine (who is very successful with Megadeth)
  • a heavy verbal fight between drummer Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield (vocals, guitar)
  • The selection of new bassist Robert Trujillo

    I am just glad, the movie has a happy ending. Naturelich, one can expect loads of Metallica music in the movie. Even some unreleased song pieces can be seen...

    Thanks to filmmakers Berlinger and Sinofsky for showing more details of what rock music is all about!

    • Posted by Naturelich on October 3, 2004 2:09 AM |

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