Customer Reviews

Anvil: The Story of Anvil

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Anvil: the Story of Anvil chronicles the journey of the band from near fame to near obscurity and back again in the unyielding pursuit of a dream. The band battles through a series of uproariously funny events, maddeningly frustrating encounters, and, finally, agonizingly poignant exchanges. Their story, expressed in the crunch of distorted guitars, the abandon of the stage and the rebelliousness of leather and long hair will excite a very pleasant nostalgia for those steeped in the ethos of 80's metal music. But the incomparable glory of this documentary is that, in the deepest sense, it is not about music at all. Music is simply the means through which deeper themes are voiced. In the end, The Story of Anvil is about loyalty, friendship and perseverence: the single-minded perseverance to follow your deepest aspirations, unbowed, in the teeth of any and all opposition.

The Story of Anvil is a Rock 'n' Roll cautionary tale for those of us living out our Rock 'n' Roll dreams. You can be an innovative band, have the respect of your peers, and have the same access to fans but still not make it into big time Rock 'n' Roll. The story of Anvil is also a story of hope, friendship and following your artistic vision to create something that not only do you like but will be there after you're gone.

Anvil is a Heavy Metal band created by childhood friends Steve "Lips" Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner. They've been together as a band for almost 30 years and while bassists have come and gone they still share a dream to make it to the big time. Their belief in themselves isn't unrealistic, as proved by interviews by such Heavy Metal luminaries as Lars Ullrich, Lemmy (from Motorhead), and Slash attest to. They credit Anvil with being Heavy Metal innovators not only in their music such as songs like Metal On Metal, which Ullrich says other bands used and borrowed without ever looking back, but in stage appearance such as Lips early penchant for wearing bondage outfits onstage, and using dildos as a guitar slide.

There is a pathos present too. As the band embarks on a European tour that was managed by an amateur promoter, they played bars where the band almost out number the patrons, or a bar owner that tries to rip them off. There's also the family and friends who are shown and they understand and support the dreams and ambitions of Reiner and Kudlow. A sister of Kudlow going so far as to front money for Anvil to record with Heavy Metal producer Chris Tsangarides (Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy).

Why didn't Anvil make it? The movie isn't about that, although, Lips and Robb wrestle with it a little. Lips seems to think it's because in 25 years of Rock `n' Roll they never had good management. Another reason that might explain why they didn't make it goes uncommented on by either the filmmaker or the band themselves. It may be the reason they didn't rise in the Rock `n' Roll world is the band members themselves. During a recording session, which they shelled out 13,000 pounds to producer Chris Tsangarides and for reasons not clear at first, Lips blows up at Reiner and even goes so far as to say Reiner is "fired." After an impromptu therapy session run by Tsangarides, Lips and Reiner make up. How much of this played into their not making it to the big time? The movie doesn't delve into that aspect at all, and keeps the focus on their struggles of the present.

Some reviewers and critics argue that Anvil just wasn't as good as other bands they were contemporaries with, such as The Scorpions, Bon Jovi, Metallica. I'm not much of an expert on Heavy Metal but both in the vintage footage of them playing in Japan and in hearing songs off their new album This Is Thirteen they sound as good as any other band in the oeuvre. Their music has moments where the music has something of interest, but my only complaint is the same I have for any other Heavy/Speed Metal band, is they blow past those moments too fast looking for the next interesting phrase.

The movie seems to elicit Spinal Tap comparisons. Maybe it's because the format resembles Spinal Tap so much. We can't leave out the coincidence that the drummer and founding member of Anvil is Robb Reiner. But there are some Spinal Tap moments in the movie such as when the band is recording and the producer turns up a volume control that you quite clearly can see goes to 11! There is also Reiner's painting of a giant anvil in the middle of a park. Other paintings of his are quite good, reminiscent of Edward Hooper. There are moments the band itself seems cognizant of being like Spinal Tap, such as when the band is being lead to the stage and Lips is delivering a monologue about them being lost backstage.

One question I asked myself while watching this movie is, it's very cool to have all those heavy hitting, heavy metal rockers saying how cool and innovative Anvil is, but couldn't they ask Anvil to open for them? That might get them the exposure they need. Hopefully, this film will bring Anvil a larger audience.

This movie was great, my boyfriend is a big fan of theirs and he showed me a YouTube clip of the movie. The clip almost brought me to tears, these guys really are endearing, so we went to see the movie and it was GREAT! You see their high's and lows (mostly lows!), and you're rooting for them throughout the whole movie. The band was big in the 80s' when metal was real popular. Then once the metal craze died down things started going sour for them...they had to get "real" jobs but they still had thier dream of playing in front of huge crowds. The ending was great (and fairly predictable!) but you really do grow fond of the guys in the group because they are trying SO HARD to make it again in the music industy. The bond between Lips and Rob is a true testament to friendship and it's a huge part of the movie. Rock on Anvil! You've got a new fan!

As a metal head and documentary fanatic, I was worried that this movie would never live up to the "hype". I stand corrected. I was a teenager in the 80's and hung with many of the metal bands of the day. I had the chance to see Anvil, and loved the music and the show they put on (which was later copied by many of their contemporaries). I didn't keep up with them over the years, but in all fairness they were hardly a household name.

Now for the movie review...The direction of the movie was superb. You get a real sense that the band members have a genuine love for both the music and each other, despite the odds of crappy management and languishing in virtual obscurity for over 20 years working against them. In Lips, I found myself amazed by his tenacity, cock-eyed optimism, and love for his music and friends. The scene between he and Robb where he says he could "jump off a bridge, but that would be the easy way out" and Robb's subsequent reply made me tear up.

The most pleasant suprise is that AC/DC, who were NOT in any of the promos for the movie (hint..hint..Slash & Lemmy)actually took Anvil out on tour with them this summer. Its one thing to say "what a great band, what ever happened to them?" and another to put your money where your mouth is and give them a gig!

Whether you're a metal fan or not, this is a great movie that just may renew some of your faith in the human race. I'd like Lips to know that I am trying to use a little of his optimism in my own life!!!

Great luck to you guys!!!

I absolutely love this movie. I've been an Anvil fan since 1982 and was a member of their fan club in 1983. Seeing that the band still have the same passion as well as the desire to make it to the big time is inspiring. I could write a hundred great things about what I love about this movie, but the thing I think the movie fails to do is really dive into the reason they initially lost their momentum early on. The movie should have mentioned that in 1984, their 4th album was a compilation that featured a few new songs, which was hardly a good move for them. Then, they had a three year absence before coming out with "Strength of Steel" in 1987. Three years out of the public eye was disastrous for them. By the time they released the outstanding "Pound for Pound" in 1988, most metal fans moved on to something else and Anvil drifted into obscurity. Most will say the point of the movie isn't about that and I agree, but a movie called "The Story of Anvil" shouldn't leave out vital information like that because anyone can tell that these factors probably played into it. I see they have a book out too, so I'll have to read this to see if they touch on this subject there. I still give the DVD five stars because it's an incredible movie and is extremely brave in the approach. It deserves a 6th star for Lars Ulrich's incredible interview in the DVD extras. As much as I've complained about him in the past, I can't say a bad thing about him anymore!

This is a film that anyone will love. A story of friendship, humility, love, sadness and redemption. Never has the irony of the "evil" metal musician been so exposed to reveal the softer truth. This story will make you laugh out loud and tear up at the same time. Whether you are into metal or not you will be cheering for these guys for the rest of your life after seeing this film. I was so happy to see them as the opening act for AC/DC's summer tour for 2009 and now, tomorrow night, they are the featured musical guests on the Tonight Show. It is so funny that the drummers name is actually Rob Reiner. When I saw this in the theaters I knew nothing about it and thought it must be a joke for the first third of the film- especially with the inadvertent name and similarities to Spinal Tap. This is one of those rare dvd's these days that I can honestly say is worth buying and that you will want to watch every so often to warm your heart and maybe inspire you to follow your dreams and never give up. Long live ANVIL!

I can't say enough about just how much I enjoyed this film. I wasn't an Anvil fan before, but I sure as hell am now. This is a story about how two friends started a band and would absolutely not take "no" for an answer until they made their dreams come true. A concert "festival" promised to have "thousands" of fans draws fewer than 200? An almost 1:1 ratio of band members to audience members at a club show? Nothing is enough to discourage these guys to keep rocking and the life lessons for everyone are clear and touching as they maintain the attitude and the desire to keep it all going. Back in the 80's they inspired bands like Metallica, Slayer and others & they will inspire you to keep focused on your dreams no matter what bumps you might face along the road. You can't help but cheer them on & the ending is....well, just watch it yourself

Anvil! The Story of Anvil - I heard this movie was very very good - and the trailer certainly leads you to believe this would be so too - but I was still completely unprepared for the emotional roller coaster I was about to experience. Watching Lips and Robb travel the rocky road of life for 90 minutes was way more intimate than any other rock documentary that I've ever seen. I'm still a bit teary-eyed, nearly three hours after watching it. Hearing these mountains of praise for the band from band members of Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax as well as Slash was really something. "Everybody ripped them off and left them for dead," says Slash, voicing an idea which could have easily been the title of the film. Ultimately, the love and emotion between these guys for their cause, and their art, is unconquerable, even if you do get a major laugh at Robb's painting to "The Megalithic Anvil Monument", you can see that the spirit is just that huge (Robb's paintings are really very good, including the one of the drumkit, and the one that hangs at the top of his staircase, which will fetch millions on auction some day). On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie gets a 98% approval rating, which means that out of 123 reviews there cannot be more then two that are negative, making it just about the highest-ever rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It is well deserved. I'd watch the movie again, but I don't know if I'm ready to have my heart put through the wringer again so soon.

After I watched the movie, I went and read everything I could find out about the band. The story about Sacha Gervasi, and how he had been their roadie at 16, went off and done all sorts of incredible things, and then re-entered their lives to make this movie, is amazing. His touching personal note at the movie's website is also something amazing to read. I bought a signed DVD with extras for $20 on their website, I'm sure it's going to be well worth it.

The band's classic album, "Metal on Metal", was released in 1982, and I remember hearing several songs from it on the radio, including the title track and "Stop Me." Great tunes. That year Slash was 17, Lars Ulrich of Metallica and Scott Ian of Anthrax were 19 and Tom Araya of Slayer was 21. Now, 27 years later, people are still talking about it. Amazing.

This is by far the best movie I've seen this year. Don't watch "Avatar", watch "Anvil"!

For those who love Anvil for those that love the Anvil movie, there's nothing like owning a copy DVD signed by Lips and Robb. The DVD does offer a few interesting tidbits, the most "interesting" (not sure that's the right word) is the full interview with Lars, where we see what director Sacha Gervasi had to go through to get a soundbite out of rock's most eager interviewee (this guy can talk and talk and talk).

Other extras are three deleted scenes ("Children's Catering", "Former Band Members", "Lips' Brother") and a scene of Sacha drumming with the band's performance of "School Love" in Japan. Of the deleted scenes, "Former Band Members" should have been in the film, as it interviews two of the five ex-Anvil guitarists and bassists. INterviewed is Dave "Squirrelly" Allison, a formerly skinny metalhead who's turned into a middle-aged Canadian hoser with a mullet, baseball cap and mustache driving a pickup and chilling out at his cottage up north. More interesting is former bass player Ian "Dix" Dickson, who was a handsome Steve Harris-type young metaller who has turned into a successful artisan/goth/lutist with a home arts and crafts studio. Drinks his coffee from a cool skull mug.

The "Children's Catering" scene is extended out of scenes that are in the movie, the most part of it shows Lips driving to work, talking about his life and the jobs he's had (delivering flowers, delivering fish), his aborted studies in cinematography, the end of a fifteen year relationship chronicled on the "Worth the Weight" album, a.k.a. the death album (death of Robb's father, death of Lips' marriage, flower deliveries to funeral homes where he saw his first dead bodies, etc.). That is also the theme of the segment Lips' brother Jeffrey, who has been diagnosed with a neural degenerative disease and only has a short time left. The clip shows Lips with siblings Jeffrey, Gary and Rhonda in Birmingham, Alabama, it is a very sad, private moment.

While this is a great film, don't expect to feel good after watching this. The whole film is mostly really depressing as you watch the lead singer desperately trying to cling to something that just is no longer there. It's interesting, and it's great to see their attitude about the situations they're in, but it's also kind of sad as you realize that this is how most bands turn out, being left behind by the music industry and all but their fiercest fans. As a musician it really pierced my heart even more so.

(Caution, spoiler ahead)
This is a wonderfully funny, sad and moving documentary about two close friends who formed a metal band in the early 1980s, made it big very briefly, and then descended into obscurity for decades while the many groups they inspired enjoyed great success. The lead singer and the drummer are in dead end jobs (one delivers school meals, the other operates a power drill) and yet they are convinced, against mounting evidence, that they will make it. What really makes this succeed is the total honesty and emotional openness we see in the two characters, who are often excited, angry or in tears. There are no cold characters here -- everyone, despite their flaws, is warm and honest and reflective.

After a part-hilarious and part-tragic tour of Europe, where the large crowds promised by the hapless promoter singularly fail to materialise, Anvil records a demo tape of their 13th album and reestablishes contact with the English music producer who worked on their first album in the 1980s. He is very blunt about why their star faded so quickly -- bad songs, bad production, bad recording labels and bad promotion. The lead singer borrows $25,000 from his sister to make the album and yet, despite all the effort and sacrifice, it attracts little interest.

(Here's the spoiler). My problem with the documentary is what comes next. The band are as down on their luck as ever, when all of a sudden, they get a phone call from a Japanese promoter who promises them a big gig in Tokyo. Over they go to Japan and hey presto!, they're playing in a huge space in front of thousands and thousands of young screaming fans, finally hitting the big time after all those years of poverty and frustration. This all seemed just a little bit too convenient to me.

That said, the richness of the relationships between the lead singer, the drummer and their families is what makes this stand out. You don't need to know anything about, or even like, metal music. The hapless promoter may be not very good, but she's a warm human being, and ends up marrying one of the back-up band members.

The other notable thing about this delightful work is that it's only 80 minutes long, yet never feels forced. I can't believe it didn't make the Oscars shortlist.