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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 15935
Released: May 23, 2006 |
| Our Price: $12.78 |
| Used Price: $9.99 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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| Features:
Closed-captioned Color PAL | |
Editorial Review:
METAL: A HEADBANGER'S JOURNEY (DVD MOVIE)
Description of Metal - A Headbanger's Journey:
An anthropological study of Heavy Metal? Is this for real? Believe it man, it's true, and it's pretty darn good at that. Metal - A Headbanger's Journey is a labor of love for director/ producer Sam Dunn; anthropologist, academia, metalhead. Like a good anthropologist Dunn has often wondered about cultures, societies, and the key elements that makes them thrive. Being a life-long headbanger, Sam Dunn decided to turn his academic skills onto himself to study and attempt to explain the often misunderstood culture that shaped his existence and millions of others around the world. Structured like a traditional anthropological journal, Metal - A Headbanger's Journey is broken into sections such as "Origins," "Roots," "Environments," "Culture," "Sexuality," "Religion," and "Death." Many topics are addressed such as identifying the first heavy metal band, what in the music defines the heavy metal sound, why heavy metal unites fans from around the world, why the music has been a target for so many watchdog groups, and who really popularized the heavy metal horn salute. For non-metalheads, the structured approach keeps the documentary on track and prevents it from getting cartoonish and too fan-based and self congratulatory. Metalheads that don't care about film's structure, will thoroughly enjoy the interviews of metal's elite (including originators Tony Iommi, Alice Cooper, Dio, and Bruce Dickinson to modern day heroes Tom Morello, Rob Zombie and Lamb of God) the music, fan commentaries and the concert footage. So raise your horns up high, turn it up loud and check out the best Heavy Metal film ever made. Metal - A Headbanger's Journey will not disappoint. --Rob Bracco
Metal - A Headbanger's Journey Reviews:
Best Movie About Metal? Probably. 
2009-10-28 - I found this dvd this summer at my favorite music store. The premise of an anthropological approach to the metal culture, as well as the impressive list of interviewees, made me decide to give it a try. I am glad I did. I have watched this film and its accompanying bonus feature disc more times than I have counted. It is fairly thorough in its approach, highly entertaining, and most informative. Thanks to this film (or no thanks, depending on who you ask), I got turned on to Norwegian Black Metal. I also learned that Ronnie James Dio has a great sense of humor, Tom Araya is a very articulate man, and that Alice Cooper is as cool as I've long believed he is. I strongly recommend this film to anyone interested in metal, long-time fans or neophytes, as well as those who enjoy music documentaries. This is one of the best, by far.
Very Thorough
2009-10-04 - I teach several Rock & Roll History classes and had done very little with Metal, because the only thing I knew about it was what I learned from my son (of course!). Previously, I had a video of the Discovery Channel's presentation of "The Death Metal Murders", but had loaned it to somebody and never got it back. While looking to get a replacement, I stumbled upon this while doing a search on Amazon. It had excellent reviews, so I ordered it. I'm glad I did. From an educator's standpoint it's very comprehensive and doesn't pull any punches.
Great but biased ie:minimal to no coverage of Judas Priest and Alice Cooper. 
2009-07-23 - Most absurd was the minimal coverage of Judas Priest. They mention them for less then 20 seconds as if they had very little impact on heavy metal. They aren't called The Metal Gods for nothing. Judas Priest pioneered metal with their classic songs victim of changes, sinner, hell bent for leather, breaking the law, and screaming for vengeance. They continued their legacy with great metal albums like defenders of the faith, turbo, ram it down, painkiller, and angel of retribution. Judas Priest are NOT known as a gay band as some other amazon poster proclaimed. Other phenomenal bands that received little or no recognition are Danzig, Alice Cooper, W.A.S.P, Metallica, Megadeth, Scorpions, Accept/UDO, Ozzy, Yngwie Malmsteen, Manowar, White Zombie, Ministry, King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, and Godsmack. The director needed to focus on their accomplishments and contributions to metal. Instead you get meandering interviews.
Iron Maiden received the most coverage which I thought was silly because Iron Maiden are known for borrowing their theatrical ideas from Alice Cooper. Their music is a synthesis or spin off of Judas Priest and Rainbow. Iron Maiden are a great band and have left their charismatic mark on metal; however, Judas Priest and Alice Cooper are the true pioneers.
Dio gets honorable mentioned which he deserves. Dio has been around for ages and many metal bands have borrowed from his style. It was also very enlightening how the director covered death and black metal bands; however, they didn't include Therion which is probably the best band from that sub-genre.
I hope they do a sequel.
Good stuff!
2009-06-30 - Great job. I am 32 and into metal since I was 10. Watching it was an amazing experience. The songs, the bands... so many memories. Not to forget why I am still a head banger...
the story
2009-03-29 - If you were, are or ever wanted to be a metalhead this is a must have. It is great to show to people who have never listened to metal also. A different kind of dvd, watch and enjoy!
