Metallica: Some Kind of Monster

Region 4 DVD

Paramount
Director Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky

Some Kind Of Monster is a documentary you will either love or loathe, it is the product of three years work for filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, chronicling an important period in the history of the rock band Metallica. While it is marketed as a film about relationships and people, it will help to have a love for the type of music Metallica produces and hence it is a film which has achieved great renown primarily due to the excessive adoration of Metallica fans.

The story behind this film is a real music soap opera. Metallica had recently lost their bass player, Jason Newsted, after some fourteen years in a less than an amicable separation and were going through a hard patch. On the advice of their management, the band called upon Phil Towle, a “life and performance” coach who primarily worked with high profile sports teams and bands (such as Aerosmith) and charges fees to match. Towle is not a psychologist and depending on where one stands he seems like either some sort of new age feelgood guru or a counselor.

This is where the documentary in my view becomes like a long episode of Ophra or like “the Osbournes” but way too serious. We seem intent on spending over two hours in a voyeuristic journey into the dirty laundry of these rich and rather spoilt rockers. Don’t get me wrong, I actually like their music, but I cannot see that it enhances my experience by hearing their constant sniping at each other, their need for a $40,000 US “counselor” or about their substance abuse problems. I realize this is an unpopular review, this is a documentary hailed by fans and critics alike, but if one looks at the reviews that currently abound they seem to be either by fans or those in the rock industry who seemed entranced by the wild and audacious lifestyle of those in rock bands.

(I think there is a bit of transferal here, rock journalists in comfortable lives wanting to be more cutting edge and more “at the brink”. Experience drug addiction and alcohol problems all from the comfort of your own home !!)

Sure, gossip is fun, sure, it is always interesting to see how the other half lives, but hours of it are a little much. Rather than being deep and insightful as marketed, or an intense journey into the “heart of rock and roll”, it seems all too American - loud, brash, lots of noise and very little substance.

Video Quality

For a documentary this is a clean and clear copy, some of the historical clips of Metallica show their age, but that is to be expected. It is a shame there isn’t a widescreen edition but the fullframe is adequate. Considering the filmmakers state that when they began this project they had no idea it would end up as a theatrical release it is a pretty good result !

Audio Quality

There are three soundtracks accompanying this documentary on DVD. The default soundtrack is English Dolby Digital 5.1 (448Kb/s). Two feature commentaries are also included; one each from the band and filmmakers respectively. There is minimal use of surround and little to no subwhoofer as one would expect in this sort of documentary.

Extras

Nice animated Menus with Music

Disc 1

Commentaries

Two commentaries; one from the band and another from the filmmakers. Both are presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo (192Kb/s).

Feature Commentary-Metallica

This is a bit overblown, they seem to have little to say except to dissect the film. There is some humor but all in all it is only vaguely interesting.

Feature Commentary-Filmmakers (Joe Berlinger & Bruce Sinofsky)

Interesting commentary exploring the filmmakers background, successes and failures, experiences and memories.

A Theatrical and Concert Trailer.

Disc 2

Audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo throughout.

Additional Scenes

Lots of extra footage, many focused on the making of the album and the music of Metallica. These were dropped as the film changed direction, in my mind, some of these are more interesting than the film !

Festivals and Premieres

A Wide range of clips from various festivals, premieres and screenings.

The Monster Lives

More additional scenes and interviews.

Music Video - Some Kind of Monster

2 x Filmmaker Bios (2)

Summary

For fans of Metallica this will be a real revelation, for anyone else it is just too much like a long soap opera.