Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Mark’s Review:
It’s Friday night, and I’m sitting in the Music Box Theatre on Southport Ave. with giddy anticipation. I’m waiting to see Anvil! The Story of Anvil, a film critics have called the “next great rock documentary”, and to top it all off, the stars of the film will be in attendance to answer questions afterward. Over the past few weeks, I had definitely fallen victim to the whirlwind of critical acclaim given to the flick, and despite never being a fan of the band itself, I figured the heart-felt combination of characters, music and story would be a proven winner. I was right, Anvil! The Story of Anvil is worth the hype, it is a great movie that really shows the power of music and how people live when they won’t give up their dreams.
Having missed Iron Maiden: Flight 666 earlier in the week due to the laws of supply and demand, I was determined to see this heavy metal epic. We arrived at around 7:30pm… for a 9:40pm show. This turned out to be a little too early, as I secured tickets easily and had lots of time to kill. The Music Box Theatre is a fantastic place, filled with history and charm, and the crowd is filled with a nice mix of hipsters, film buffs and hard-core Anvil fans. With a box of Swedish Fish and a large Diet Coke in hand, I was ready to rock.
The movie begins rapidly, introducing us to the founding members of Anvil, their brief history at the top, and their pedestrian lives now. We soon realize that drummer Robb Reiner and singer/guitarist Steve “Lips” Kudlow are not the heavy metal megastars they should have been, but aging rockers combining a numb existence with a drive for success that seems fruitless and ridiculous. We learn about the guys from the people close to them, their family, friends and devoted fans that have supported them through the thick and the very, very thin. From there we follow the band through a depressing gauntlet as they refuse to give up their dream of rock-stardom. There’s a European tour filled with empty bars and empty promises, an album recording session that tries their patience and bank accounts, and finally an offer from Japan at a final shot at redemption. All the while hearing the doubts from others, and ultimately themselves. It’s all very Spinal Tap-ish, and if it wasn’t real, you’d think they scripted the whole thing.
Anvil! The Story of Anvil is amazing and it deserves the credit it has received. I did feel the pace of the movie was a bit too fast, and that it hindered our need to understand Robb and Lips’ lifetime of frustration and failure. I really wanted to know more about where they have been, and more information on the blown and missed opportunities to make it big. You feel sympathetic toward Reiner and Lips, but since we do not know some of the struggles they’ve gone through, their characters at times border on parody. That being said, it is still a fantastic story and even if you’re not into metal, you can’t help but root for Anvil to succeed.
Mark’s Rating:
King says: “Unlike Anvil, my dreams are filled with foreboding visits from Grandma.”
Justin’s Review:
As an avid film fan and novice critic, I’m of the mindset that a solid docu/rocku/mocku should delve deep into the subject at hand, and present a well-rounded story or observation. While the story of Anvil appears to be a fascinating and invigorating Tragicomedy, the filmmakers of Anvil! The Story of Anvil have opted to present us with a “slice of the lives” of founding members Robb Reiner & Steve “Lips” Kudlow, rather than delving into the band’s (seemingly) rich 30-year history (which is thusly portrayed through 3 minutes of concert footage and a couple of half-assed interviews with Slash & Lars). Considering the film only clocks in at 90 minutes, I think there’s a whole lot more story to tell and room to tell it.
While it may sound like I’m being a little too particular, you have to realize that Anvil! The Story of Anvil is being touted as “A Masterpiece” and compared to the likes of “This is Spinal Tap“. I figure it’s my duty to give the film a little bit of shit that it probably deserves.
But for the most part, Anvil! The Story of Anvil largely succeeds in portraying the classic “band down on their luck” motif, inviting us into the compelling lives of two very charismatic individuals and their road to self-redemption. Pretty much everything Mark says above is spot on, and to rehash it any further would be wasting both of our time. Instead, I think I’ll head over to Best Buy, set up the tent and wait for the Flight 666 to hit the shelves (as well as put in my pre-order for Anvil! The Story of Anvil).
Justin’s Rating:
King says: “I know another band that influenced Metallica… and they too have a dvd in the works.”
