Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009)

Poink · 04-12-09, 08:33 PM

I've seen users mention this, and Brian Orndorf has a glowing review of it up on DvdTalk, but haven't seen a thread for it yet.

For those unfamiliar with the band and the movie:

Anvil have been around just about as long as the metal genre has; they're right there with Black Sabbath as progenitors of metal; they laid the groundwork for what bands like Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer, etc would build upon throughout the 80's and beyond. Basically, they were the first speed metal / thrash band.

The difference between Anvil and other iconic metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, or Motorhead? Most people have never heard of them. They're a band that [i]should have[i] taken the world by storm in the 80's, but sadly never rose above "opening act" status despite their talent, influence, and perseverance.

The film looks fantastic, and judging by the reviews it will most certainly be a classic documentary about not only metal music, but also what it really means to have a "dream" that you just won't let go of no matter what.

http://anvilmovie.com/

Of note is the way the nationwide premier is being rolled out in the next week: instead of opening at small/arthouse theaters, the film will be shown at rock clubs with the band performing after wards! I'm going to try and catch it on April 22nd when it hits Chicago. $15 for a movie AND a metal show can't be beat, honestly!

astrochimp · 04-12-09, 09:01 PM

Sadly i can say i remember them

Maybe has something to do with them being from here(Canada) and i was a metal head in the 80's when they were in their "prime".Was really surprised when i heard about this project but from what im now hearing about how it turned out im interested to see it.

Here's them back in the 80's:

Dr Mabuse · 04-12-09, 09:13 PM

I'm so many rave reviews on this.

Seen them(two main members) on CNN, and somewhere else talking about the film.

I'm gonna check this out.

Coral · 04-12-09, 10:03 PM

Unfortunately I remember the band which did pretty well in the Canadian metal scene. I hated (still do) metal and I couldn't stand this band.

After watching the trailer last week and reading all the rave reviews (currently at 98% on Rottentomatoes) I'll definitely check this out.

BJacks · 04-12-09, 10:06 PM

Just watched this tonight, really enjoyed it. Ranks up there with King of Kong. I hope the release of the documentary finally gives Anvil their due.

Apple Gooncha · 04-12-09, 11:21 PM

No offense to Anvil, because I do like them for what they are (although, they aren't probably in my top 20 thrash bands), but I'm a huge metal fan and think there are tons of other innovative bands just in the metal genre that never got their dues and personally I think a lot of them were better. So, while I can certainly feel a little bad for Anvil it's not like they are the only good/innovative/original metal band to never receive a lot of recognition.

Still, I plan on seeing this and thought the trailer looked good.

B5Erik · 04-13-09, 12:50 AM

Speaking as a HUGE Heavy Metal fan from the 80's I always thought of Anvil as a decent band that was VERY earnest in what they did, but had a cheese factor that was just a little to big for most people to take them all that seriously.

Still, I think it's cool that a documentary has been made about these guys. I'm sure it's an interesting story.

kristina · 04-13-09, 11:55 AM

Thanks for the info. The first few times I'd seen the trailer on VH1, I thought it was one of those fake movie promotions.

KillerCannibal · 04-13-09, 08:23 PM

Well, it kind of is. It's a mock/documentary. I was sold when I thought it was all 100% legit, but I might still go see it for what it is.

droidguy1119 · 04-14-09, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerCannibal

Well, it kind of is. It's a mock/documentary. I was sold when I thought it was all 100% legit, but I might still go see it for what it is.

I'm pretty sure it IS 100% legit, as much as any documentary is legit. Certainly there are no actors playing characters in the movie anyway.

I saw it and I'm working on a review. Slowly.

NoirFan · 04-17-09, 06:00 PM

Okay, now I'm interested. The first line of The New Yorker's review:

Quote:

The most stirring release of the year thus far is a documentary.

Rypro 525 · 04-17-09, 06:11 PM

There's an article in this weeks Newsweek comparing the movie to Spinal Tap

NoirFan · 04-17-09, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rypro 525

There's an article in this weeks Newsweek comparing the movie to Spinal Tap

Every article on the film has done so. It's an inevitable comparison, bolstered by the coincidental fact that the drummer in Anvil is named Robb Reiner.

BJacks · 04-17-09, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerCannibal

Well, it kind of is. It's a mock/documentary. I was sold when I thought it was all 100% legit, but I might still go see it for what it is.

It's not a mock documentary at all, it's completely straight.

atlantamoi · 05-13-09, 06:19 AM

Definitely an enjoyable flick. I think their music is complete crap, but still fascinating to see how people deal with life when left behind and continuing on. Also an interesting look into friendships. There were a few Spinal Tap moments even though nothing is gonna touch the comedy of that.

KillerCannibal · 05-13-09, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BJacks

It's not a mock documentary at all, it's completely straight.

I remember reading that some scenes, such as them missing thier train, were staged. I'm wondering what else was scripted? The argument with the bar manager certainly seemed a bit forced.

I thought the movie was pretty good, but their music just wasn't all that great and the whole thing just kind of meandered around until the end. It was enjoyable, but not nearly as engaging as I expected it to be. All the glad-handing from bigger musicians in the beginning felt contrived and out of place.

DullandWitless · 05-13-09, 04:11 PM

On the 23rd of May, the Belcourt Theatre here in Nashville is showing the movie followed by a performance from the band! Can't wait.

d2cheer · 05-14-09, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B5Erik

Speaking as a HUGE Heavy Metal fan from the 80's I always thought of Anvil as a decent band that was VERY earnest in what they did, but had a cheese factor that was just a little to big for most people to take them all that seriously.

Still, I think it's cool that a documentary has been made about these guys. I'm sure it's an interesting story.

Agree, I had a couple of their albums and found them to be OK.

EdTheRipper · 05-27-09, 03:29 PM

Just saw this earlier. I liked it a lot. Not a huge fan of the music but the story was interesting.

Brent L · 05-27-09, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DullandWitless

On the 23rd of May, the Belcourt Theatre here in Nashville is showing the movie followed by a performance from the band! Can't wait.

Darn, I wont be in Nashville until tomorrow!

Oh well, I'm still going to see the movie either tomorrow or the next day. I love the Belcourt in Nashville!

Traxan · 05-30-09, 10:48 PM

You know what's incredible? This movie has gotten big buzz all year. Now it's making the rounds, Lips and Robb have been on a billion talk shows, and...

ANVIL STILL DOESN'T HAVE A U.S. RECORD DEAL!

Go to the store, try and buy an Anvil CD. If you find anything it's used or an import. See if you can find classics like Metal on Metal.

JOE29 · 05-31-09, 12:54 PM

I had a few of their albums in the 80's. Some songs were good some werent
but it was good enough to buy.
Still don't have any of their cd's though as they are mostly imports and highly priced.
I had Metal on Metal and Hard n Heavy. I would get these cd's but again, overpriced
The movie I would check out definetly.

old-boo-radley · 05-31-09, 10:57 PM

I really want to check this out - even Ebert liked it!

jeffbase34 · 06-05-09, 09:09 AM

I watched this documentary last night, and found it touching. The film starts out with big acts like Lars from Metallica, Motorhead and Slash all giving homage to Anvil as major pioneers and inspiration. Yet, they never got their glory, and was ripped off by other acts.

My thought is why don't these guys help em out? Metallica has millions and millions. Could they throw their heroes in need a bone?

At the lowest point in the film, the guys play in a bar and like only 5 people show up to listen to them. The funniest part was when they go to EMI to demo their new cd, and the guy turns it off at 5 seconds of playing.

The fact is Anvil's music is pretty generic 80's metal which is a dead genre anyways. Glad these guys got some recognition with the film though.

Brent L · 06-05-09, 09:29 AM

I saw it in Nashville last week like I said I would do. I thought it was incredible, and way more touching than I thought it would be. As I watched it I kept thinking they were going to end it by them deciding to shoot a documentary of the band at a last attempt at fame.

I saw this the day after Up, and some of the themes are quite similar.

I also have a feeling that the DVD/BD release will have a ton of deleted scenes, if not a flat out longer cut, so I can't wait for that if it happens.

04-12-09, 08:33 PM	#1
Poink Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: near chicago Posts: 342	Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) I've seen users mention this, and Brian Orndorf has a glowing review of it up on DvdTalk, but haven't seen a thread for it yet. For those unfamiliar with the band and the movie: Anvil have been around just about as long as the metal genre has; they're right there with Black Sabbath as progenitors of metal; they laid the groundwork for what bands like Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer, etc would build upon throughout the 80's and beyond. Basically, they were the first speed metal / thrash band. The difference between Anvil and other iconic metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, or Motorhead? Most people have never heard of them. They're a band that [i]should have[i] taken the world by storm in the 80's, but sadly never rose above "opening act" status despite their talent, influence, and perseverance. The film looks fantastic, and judging by the reviews it will most certainly be a classic documentary about not only metal music, but also what it really means to have a "dream" that you just won't let go of no matter what. http://anvilmovie.com/ Of note is the way the nationwide premier is being rolled out in the next week: instead of opening at small/arthouse theaters, the film will be shown at rock clubs with the band performing after wards! I'm going to try and catch it on April 22nd when it hits Chicago. $15 for a movie AND a metal show can't be beat, honestly!

04-12-09, 09:01 PM	#2
astrochimp DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Ontario,Canada Posts: 5,095	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) Sadly i can say i remember them Maybe has something to do with them being from here(Canada) and i was a metal head in the 80's when they were in their "prime".Was really surprised when i heard about this project but from what im now hearing about how it turned out im interested to see it. Here's them back in the 80's: __________________ my small dvd collection Xbox Live tag: spacemunky49

04-12-09, 09:13 PM	#3
Dr Mabuse DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: 75 clicks above the Do Lung bridge... Posts: 8,733	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) I'm so many rave reviews on this. Seen them(two main members) on CNN, and somewhere else talking about the film. I'm gonna check this out. __________________ "Mankind have a great aversion to intellectual labor; but even supposing knowledge to be easily attainable, more people would be content to be ignorant than would take even a little trouble to acquire it." - Samuel Johnson "Most people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do." - Bertrand Russell

04-12-09, 10:03 PM	#4
Coral DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Hamilton, Ontario Posts: 3,129	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) Unfortunately I remember the band which did pretty well in the Canadian metal scene. I hated (still do) metal and I couldn't stand this band. After watching the trailer last week and reading all the rave reviews (currently at 98% on Rottentomatoes) I'll definitely check this out.

04-12-09, 10:06 PM	#5
BJacks DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NYC Posts: 3,884	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) Just watched this tonight, really enjoyed it. Ranks up there with King of Kong. I hope the release of the documentary finally gives Anvil their due.

04-12-09, 11:21 PM	#6
Apple Gooncha Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 93	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) No offense to Anvil, because I do like them for what they are (although, they aren't probably in my top 20 thrash bands), but I'm a huge metal fan and think there are tons of other innovative bands just in the metal genre that never got their dues and personally I think a lot of them were better. So, while I can certainly feel a little bad for Anvil it's not like they are the only good/innovative/original metal band to never receive a lot of recognition. Still, I plan on seeing this and thought the trailer looked good.

04-13-09, 12:50 AM	#7
B5Erik DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Southern California Posts: 4,917	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) Speaking as a HUGE Heavy Metal fan from the 80's I always thought of Anvil as a decent band that was VERY earnest in what they did, but had a cheese factor that was just a little to big for most people to take them all that seriously. Still, I think it's cool that a documentary has been made about these guys. I'm sure it's an interesting story. __________________ B5Erik's Most Wanted Blu Ray Titles: 1.) Warlock (1959); 2.) Seven Samurai; 3.) Open Range; 4.) Jurassic Park; 5.) Gojira/Godzilla King of the Monsters; 6.) The Abyss Director's Cut; 7.) Star Wars -Original Trilogy (with original theatrical versions); 8.) Tombstone; 9.) The Shootist; 10.) Young Guns II; 11.) Star Trek I, II, and VI Extended/Director's Cuts

04-13-09, 11:55 AM	#8
kristina Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LA Posts: 313	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) Thanks for the info. The first few times I'd seen the trailer on VH1, I thought it was one of those fake movie promotions.

04-13-09, 08:23 PM	#9
KillerCannibal DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 7,515	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) Well, it kind of is. It's a mock/documentary. I was sold when I thought it was all 100% legit, but I might still go see it for what it is. __________________ Top 10 most-wanted BD titles:Blue Velvet/Once Upon A Time in the West/Jaws/Boogie Nights/Prince of Darkness/Videodrome/Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla ('74)/Beyond the Valley of the Dolls/Phantasm/Death Wish October Horror Movie Challenge 2009

04-17-09, 06:11 PM	#12
Rypro 525 DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: a frikin hellhole Posts: 20,902	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) There's an article in this weeks Newsweek comparing the movie to Spinal Tap __________________ "R rated and 133 minutes!!!!!. Now thats the kinda shit I'm Talking about. Bring it ON!" Chris sc77 on Park Chan-Wook's "Thirst "I stopped midway through a Keb' Mo' song to watch the video in the original post. It may very well have been one of the worst decisions of my life." invisiblegt in regards to a death metal video i posted

05-13-09, 06:19 AM	#15
atlantamoi DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Atlanta Posts: 7,262	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) Definitely an enjoyable flick. I think their music is complete crap, but still fascinating to see how people deal with life when left behind and continuing on. Also an interesting look into friendships. There were a few Spinal Tap moments even though nothing is gonna touch the comedy of that. __________________ Continues higher education in music knowledge by being schooled though Blogs.

05-13-09, 04:11 PM	#17
DullandWitless Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 226	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) On the 23rd of May, the Belcourt Theatre here in Nashville is showing the movie followed by a performance from the band! Can't wait. __________________ It always fascinated me how people go from loving you madly to nothing at all.

05-27-09, 03:29 PM	#19
EdTheRipper DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 5,392	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) Just saw this earlier. I liked it a lot. Not a huge fan of the music but the story was interesting. __________________ The only time you should care about a woman's age is if she is too young for you and I am not robbing the cradle. If anything I am robbing the grave.

05-30-09, 10:48 PM	#21
Traxan Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 205	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) You know what's incredible? This movie has gotten big buzz all year. Now it's making the rounds, Lips and Robb have been on a billion talk shows, and... ANVIL STILL DOESN'T HAVE A U.S. RECORD DEAL! Go to the store, try and buy an Anvil CD. If you find anything it's used or an import. See if you can find classics like Metal on Metal.

05-31-09, 12:54 PM	#22
JOE29 DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Millville, New Jersey Posts: 1,663	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) I had a few of their albums in the 80's. Some songs were good some werent but it was good enough to buy. Still don't have any of their cd's though as they are mostly imports and highly priced. I had Metal on Metal and Hard n Heavy. I would get these cd's but again, overpriced The movie I would check out definetly. Last edited by JOE29; 05-31-09 at 12:56 PM.

05-31-09, 10:57 PM	#23
old-boo-radley Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 331	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) I really want to check this out - even Ebert liked it! __________________ Oh, the Horror! Reviews - Join us for our 31 days, 31 reviews all throughout October! Now on Twitter!

06-05-09, 09:09 AM	#24
jeffbase34 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 979	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) I watched this documentary last night, and found it touching. The film starts out with big acts like Lars from Metallica, Motorhead and Slash all giving homage to Anvil as major pioneers and inspiration. Yet, they never got their glory, and was ripped off by other acts. My thought is why don't these guys help em out? Metallica has millions and millions. Could they throw their heroes in need a bone? At the lowest point in the film, the guys play in a bar and like only 5 people show up to listen to them. The funniest part was when they go to EMI to demo their new cd, and the guy turns it off at 5 seconds of playing. The fact is Anvil's music is pretty generic 80's metal which is a dead genre anyways. Glad these guys got some recognition with the film though.

06-05-09, 09:29 AM	#25
Brent L DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Upstate, SC Posts: 11,104	Re: Anvil! - The Story of Anvil (2009) I saw it in Nashville last week like I said I would do. I thought it was incredible, and way more touching than I thought it would be. As I watched it I kept thinking they were going to end it by them deciding to shoot a documentary of the band at a last attempt at fame. I saw this the day after Up, and some of the themes are quite similar. I also have a feeling that the DVD/BD release will have a ton of deleted scenes, if not a flat out longer cut, so I can't wait for that if it happens. __________________ "Would I rather be feared or loved? Ummm, easy, both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me."