Jackson Booth-Millard
This was one of the newer editions to the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, this was described as being like This Is Spinal Tap, so I wasn't sure if it was a mock film or real life, but I was looking forward to this rockumentary either way, from director Sacha Gervasi (Hitchcock). Rock bands like Scorpions, Whitesnake and Bon Jovi have become very successful and influential, selling millions of records and filling concert venues, and since the 1970's the rock band Anvil have tried to live the same dream, they are indeed influential, but have got nowhere close to the same success. Singer and guitarist Steve 'Lips' Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner have known each other and been together as Anvil since they were young, and dream to making great music to reach thousands of fans, but they only have a small group of dedicated fans, Lips has to work delivering food to schools and institutions and Robb works in construction. Anvil do get an opportunity to play the Sweden Rock festival and a short tour, they are promised thousands of fans will be watching in venues, but problems with ticket sales, lack of promotion, the band being late, and refused payments to them them means they are again not much of a success at all, the final concert at Monsters of Transylvania rock concert was meant a 10,000 seat arena expecting 5,000 of their fans, but only 174 people showed up. Returning home the band continue to struggle with their personal difficulties, mostly in finance, but their families continue to support them whatever move they make, and they decide that perhaps the writing and producing of their last few albums has not been up to scratch, so they call on an old friend to help them back into the limelight. Music producer Chris "CT" Tsangarides agrees to come and see them, he has experience working with Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy and Judas Priest, he says that their written songs and the sound of them do have potential for their thirteenth album, "This Is Thirteen", and they get to work recording the songs in a studio, with their nearest and dearest helping to pay most of the costs. Spending a month making the album there is a point between Lips and Robb when they have a very heated argument, it gets so bad that Robb threatens to quit the band, but Tsangarides helps him and Lips reconcile and finish the album, but they fail to get a real record label behind it, but they consider what they have produced a success, and the band say they have stayed true to their roots. In the end Lips receives a phone call that Anvil are wanted to play a concert in Japan, this is exciting because they are returning to the site their career had its highlight, their spirits are lowered though when they are the first act on the bill of a three day festival, they fear the worst, but on stage they finally have an audience of thousands. With contributions from Lips's wife Ginny Kudlow, Lips's son Averey Kudlow, Lips's brother Gary Kudlow, Lips's sister Rhonda Gibson, Robb's wife Jane Reiner, Robb's sister Andrea Reiner, Robb's son Tyler Reiner, Robb's mother Eniko Reiner, Anthrax rhythm guitarist Scott Ian, Motörhead bassist Lemmy, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, band manager John Zazula, Slayer bassist Tom Araya, Anvil fan Cut Loose, Anvil fan Mad Dog, original Anvil bassist Gary Greenblatt, Anvil bassist Glenn Five, Anvil guitarist Ivan Hurd, Anvil manager Tiziana Arrigoni, Scorpions lead guitarist Michael Schenker, Motörhead guitarist Brian Robertson, Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French and Whitesnake drummer Tommy Aldridge. Knowing that the band of the film were real was interesting, the feel of the Spinal Tap style definitely resonates with this film, it is full of funny mishaps and terrible low points, despite the fact you probably never heard of them before you do go on the journey with the lovable band members of Anvil and hope that they can gain better success, a most watchable music documentary. Very good!
E. Catalan
"The Story Of Anvil" is a funny, yet touching "rockumentary" about a Canadian heavy metal band that somehow "missed" the boat to success in the early 80's. Myself being a metalhead in my mid 40's I remember reading lots about these guys, yet for some reason, their records were always hard to find and their music mag interviews were scarce. Musically, Anvil played heavy metal stylistically close to New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM)bands such as Saxon, Iron Maiden, Tank, Angel Witch and Motörhead. Those bands were predating the more successful (and more musically extreme) thrash metal movement heralded by Metallica and the rest of the big four. Their most known album, "Metal On Metal" was a decent stab at worldwide success, yet it was a flash in the pan and quickly faded away. With this documentary, those who've heard or knew of Anvil before will finally know the reasons of their falling by the wayside. Although rock and metal fans (and especially musicians) will no doubt enjoy the film, broader audiences will also enjoy the perils the band goes through as they struggle to get their much sought out recognition. There are some very touching moments that have nothing to do with metal and this makes the movie appealing to audiences abroad. For Lips (the band's singer and lead guitar player) and Robb (the drummer) what's more fulfilling than money is the recognition and the acclaim. We're talking middle aged men here, guys that are easily 5 years older than your James Hetfields and Lars Ulrichs, yet their passion for music has gotten stronger. Their story is the story of countless of bands with talent that never got that "golden opportunity". Where as in "This Is Spinal Tap" we laugh at the circumstances, with "The Story Of Anvil" there are moments where you could almost cry, and for those who are musicians in the making or road veterans it will hit you as hard as a freight train.I am sure with this documentary, Anvil the band got more popular than ever and hopefully they will take advantage of this opportunity. If you're a true music fan you will surely enjoy this really entertaining documentary!
Jim Kobayashi
The most of people in the world probably put a priority on the safey when they choose the most important aspect in their lives. "The safety for the own future" That's the life all about, isn't it? We just give up the dreams such as be a musician, dancer, or painter, and get boring "but decent" jobs in order to spent happy life in the future.But what is the happiness anyway? Isn't it sarcastic too many people work hard and do some crappy jobs to get "happy life" and end up being "unhappy" because of their work. Isn't it better if you chase your dream and end up poor but have no regrets in your life. In this film, Anvil prove that's one of the way of living.Chasing their dream and giving their middle finger to the safety for the future. After I watched the film it got me thinking for a while. Maybe Lips and Robb didn't get a big house and enough pension for rest of their life, and they did'nt even succeed as a band. But they've been doing what they wanted through their entire life and that's the thing we call happiness, isn't it? Anyway, the movie is just great. Everybody can enjoy the movie without knowledge for Heavy Metal History.
