Following the success of METALLICA, SOME KIND OF MONSTER heavy metal gets another turn in the spotlight with this informative and entertaining doc that mixes archive and contemporary performance footage with ‘talking headbangers’ since the ’60s. Metal men on screen, representing the full array include Alice Cooper, Lemmy, Dee Snider, Vince Neil and Rob Zombie.
Sam Dunn is a 30-year-old anthropologist. He’s also a lifelong metal fan. After years of studying diverse cultures, Sam turns his academic eye a little closer to home and embarks on a journey into the heart of heavy metal. His mission: to figure out why metal music is consistently stereotyped, dismissed and condemned. Sam visits heavy metal landmarks as far flung as L.A.’s Sunset Strip, the dirty streets of Birmingham, and the dark forests of Norway. Along the way, the two sides of Sam Dunn – curious anthropologist and rabid fan – collide, as Sam explores metal’s obsession with sex, religion, violence and death, meets his heroes, and discovers some things about the culture that even he can’t defend.
“Kicks ass.” Variety