Customer Reviews

Metallica: Year and A Half Parts 1 & 2

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm a both a musician and a filmmaker, so I'm extra-picky about music documentaries. This one stands as one of the best visual representations I've ever seen of what it's like to be a musician.

Sure, it's shot on video, so don't expect the glorious black-and-white photography of U2's Rattle and Hum or the lush richness of Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz. Sure, the camera is often wobbly. But what director Adam Dubin does so well in this piece is capture the intricate details of recording an album, in Part 1. The setting was ripe for such exploration: This was shot during the crucial period when Metallica, then known as one of the most uncompromising bands in music, was first paired up with ace producer Bob Rock, known both for his crystalline productions and his rock-hard stubbornness. The ensuing conflict among band members and producer makes for endlessly fascinating viewing. Part 1 exhaustively explores every aspect of recording Metallica's eponymous 'Black Album' (obviously, you'll get much more out of this documentary if you know the album well). Highlights include Kirk Hammett's frustrating search for a solo to "The Unforgiven"; the battle between a sore-throated James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich; and a vocal session where you become intensely aware of just how much editing is required to put together one perfect lead vocal take. If you love music but have never immersed in this process, it's extremely illuminating -- it points out to you how the music comes into being. Plus you get three videos -- the casual studio-performance piece "Nothing Else Matters"; "The Unforgiven", a beautifully photographed expressionistic piece under director Matt Mahurin's lyrical, languid treatment; and the classic "Enter Sandman", a manic romp which stands as director Wayne Isham's crowning achievement.

Part 2 is a little more for fans. With its numerous live performances and less coherent structure, this part appeals more to longtime fans of Metallica who want to see how the band works when the scope of its fanbase suddenly increased tenfold. There are still fascinating bits even for casual perusers: The tensions between the Metallica/Guns N' Roses camps when the two bands joined up for a massive, trouble-ridden tour; an after-show meeting where the Metallica members discuss changes and critique one another; and backstage footage from the Freddie Mercury tribute concert. The two official videos, "Sad but True" and "Wherever I May Roam", are passable, with near-interchangeable footage and a distinct lack of character.

I used to put on my old VHS copy of Part 1 every couple of months just to delve into the terrific in-studio interactions of Bob Rock and Metallica. The release of both volumes of this video on DVD was a pleasant surprise to me, and anybody who wants to know more about the process of being a professional musician (and star) should check this one out. After seeing the amount of painstaking work put into each stage of the band's music, you might be less inclined to crucify Metallica for fighting against Napster.

This is truely a good DVD. It may well be the most interesting and by far the longest documentary of any band in history. This DVD contains well over 4 hours of metallica stuff including live performances, studio rehersing and music videos. The sound and video are quite good considering that this DVD is remastered from a previous video release. The DVD is presented with really cool menus and easy to follow links between the 4 hours of footage. The picture is very sharp and the sound is presented in Dolby Digital Stereo which was very crisp and clear. A 5.1 Digital remix would have been better but to remix 4 hours is quite rediculous. This DVD is the best thing that could happen for any metallica fan! Anyone would love this DVD and it would be a great addition to anyones collection.

WOW! Ever wonder what it's like to produce an album?...or tour with a heavy metal band? Then this is it. In part 1, see Metallica and Bob Rock make the hit "Black Album" and watch as the songs take form in the studio...mistakes, pranks, masterpieces and all.(Very candid!) In part 2, Tour with the band around the world including appearences at the MTV Music Awards, the Grammys, and a special farewell concert for Freddie Mercury of Queen where James Hetfield sings with Queen and other legendary rock stars. See what the band does in their spare time. It's one of the best DVD's in my collection. IT ROCKS!

Most has already been said about this release, but for those who are still unsure... this DVD is an excellent addition to any Metallica fan's video library. The sound and picture is quite good considering it had to be remastered and the task behind such a project (4 hours of footage...). Of course, 5.1 channels would have been the ultimate, but this stereo version lives up to expectations. This DVD gives great insight in the process of recording an album and touring, with all the up and downsides, including little things that go wrong. Handpicked concert footage including the awesome Freddie Mercury Tribute concert adds to the lineup. A must for anyone interested in Metallica, but beware if you're just "sort of" interested, 4 hours is a long time...

this gives you the inside scoop. Metallica fans will love it because it's got it all - behind the scenes footage, interviews, recording sessions, and concert footage. But anybody who's ever wanted to live the rock & roll life (and do it successfully) will get a great insight into how much hard work it takes. The first half of the DVD covering the recording of the "Black Album" is worth the price alone. After seeing this, you'll know what it's really like to be in the studio and how gruelling it can be. No wonder Lars has an attitude about people ripping their songs of the internet! The concert footage is awesome - it's what you'd expect from Metallica. These guys are talented musicians, cool dudes, and funny. As always, Metallica gives you your money's worth - this is a long DVD. I suggest watching it over a 2-night period to attain maximum absorbtion. Buy it. Watch it. Crank it Loud, and Rock On!

If u love the black album then u will love this. It covers the bands tour of the black album plus sad + roam videos. Also live performances of for whom the bell tolls and harvester of sorrow,sad, sandman (twice !), and nothing else matters. Also backstage at the grammys.i got it 3 months ago and have wathched it 20 times since.

The only reason I would hesitate to recommend this to anyone who even has a passing interest in Metallica is the sheer length of it - four hours! It's an awful lot to digest at once, or even in pieces, but of course if you love this band, four hours is not an inconvenience, it's a BONUS. It's also a great insight for everyone interested in the recording process. The second part of the disc covers the band on tour, which is a scenario covered in countless other rock documentaries. But the first part, covering the recording of the "Black Album" offers some intriguing information into what a producer actually does, and the producer here is one of the most legendary in the business. Bob Rock probably ranks only behind "Mutt" Lange and the late Bruce Fairbairn on the list of sucessful hard rock/metal producers.

It also succeeds in showing Metallica as a relatively down-to-earth band. Of course this is back when they were only used to selling 3 or 4 million copies of an album instead of the 10 million that this one managed to move, so who knows how egotistical they are now (all you pro-Napster/anti-Lars fans hush, I'm talking raw personality here, not their business ethics).

The most amusing thing I saw in this video was the very first scenes - Metallica fans lined up outside music stores just before the official midnight release of the "Black Album", and stacks of Metallica CASSETTES and CD's in CARDBOARD LONGBOXES sitting next to the cash registers. That along with the decidedly 80's hairstyles and fashions let you know that you're definitely not watching anything from the post-hair metal era in music (that would occur only a few short months after this footage was shot - when Nirvana would come along and change the rules about everything).

The first part of this superb documentary takes you through the creation of the album that changed metal music forever. Excellent studio footage, as well as no holes barred coverage of the production decisions for the record. Combine to give you an excellent view of what the album took to create. It also clearly shows that Lars Ulrich is a complete prat!!
The second part takes you through the mammoth tour that followed the release of the black album; including the tour with Guns n Roses, playing in Moscow, and the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. All in all it is a superb buy for anyone who wishes to see the roots of todays band. Also in some ways it can provide a stepping stone to the less accessible, pre Bob Rock Metallica Catalogue. When you see the amount of production that went into the black album it gives you a fresh view on their previous albums and you can appreciate how special Master of Puppets really is...

this is the greatest video ever! It makes you feel like youre in the studio. you see the candid behind the scenes, you see the boys in action as they record one of the greatest albums in rock history. this video is deffinately worth the money. so kick back, grab a cold one and enjoy.

This is a great documentary I have a band and we all watched it and after we watched it we started jamming. It shows you what MetallicA did when creating MetallicA or(The Black Album). After vewing this you'll start your own band . It also show's you all you have to go through when recording an album. If you have a band and don't know where to start get this video.