In 1989, BBC2 television aired a five-part music genre documentary series in the UK called “Arena.” One of the episodes, “Heavy Metal,” featured live footage from Metallica, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Napalm Death, Motörhead, Slayer and others.
The production features no narration, instead relying on interview commentary and concert clips to place the viewer in the heart of the metal scene and elliptically tell the story of the genre.
Various scenes specifically delve into metal culture: a club full of kids, but no bands, mosh around a dancefloor to music broadcast on a PA; and a kid who couldn’t be more than 10 shreds out solos with more agility than most thrash metal veterans.
There are also straight-out humorous moments, like when an interviewer asks W. Axl Rose, “Do you have anything in common with Iron Maiden, and he replies without a pause, “I hope not.”
All in all, this is one of the better metal documentaries, one that never stoops down to provide a dull history lesson and always relies on near stream-of-consciousness fim and editing to convey the excitement, chaos and intensity of the music we cherish like no other.
October 2nd, 2007 at 12:27 pm
axl might say he hopes he doesnt have anything in common with iron maiden but iron maiden has 10 time the talent axl or any member of guns n’ posers (guns n’ roses) will ever have.