Metal: A Headbanger's Journey

Name: Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
Genre: Music, Documentary
Released: April 14, 2006
Duration: 96 min
Rating: 73

2006

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Generally favorable reviews based on 10 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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8.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Home Video | Release Date: April 14, 2006 | R

Summary: 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 an epic journey into the heart of heavy metal. His mission: to try and figure out why metal music is consistently stereotyped, dismissed and condemned, evenSam 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 an epic journey into the heart of heavy metal. His mission: to try and figure out why metal music is consistently stereotyped, dismissed and condemned, even while the tribe that loves it stubbornly holds its ground - spreading the word, keeping the faith and adopting the style and attitudes that go way beyond the music.… Expand

Director: Jessica Joy Wise and Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen

Genre(s): Music, Documentary

Rating: R

Runtime: 96 min

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Critic Reviews

Ken Eisner

Superbly crafted documentary is strong enough to make believers out of non-metalheads, and inside enough to get the devil's-horns salute from the most diehard followers. Read full review

Marc Savlov

There's so much information and so many finely honed arguments in this ultimately joyous film that it's liable to send audiences scurrying home to their computers to download the bands they've just heard. Read full review

Kyle Smith

It'll make you want to dig out your Whitesnake T-shirt. It might even convince Tipper Gore that heavy metal thunder is all in good fun. Read full review

J.R. Jones

Metal culture is a giant topic, and Dunn has made an ambitious stab at it, exploring the music's social, religious, and sexual implications. Read full review

Kevin Crust

Dunn says he's been defending his choice in music since he was 12, and the film is a carefully organized and thoughtful argument for the merits of metal. Read full review

Erin Meister

As charming as Dunn's kid-in-a-candy-store exploration is at times, it's apparent that his ''anthropological" take on the scene isn't much more than the love letter he always dreamed of writing to his headbanging pals. Read full review

Manohla Dargis

Mr. Dunn and his colleagues dig up some interesting information during their inquiry, like the origins of the devil-horns hand signal, metal's signature salute, but their insider love of the music finally proves as big an obstacle to the film as their ploddingly pedagogic approach. Read full review

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User Reviews

AmandaC.

Jan 5, 2009

This documentary really makes you realize a whole aspect of metal that people don't allow themselves open enough to see. I think Dunn did a splendid job of basically proving that metal is what makes any individual stand out. You can percieve it to be an act of the devil, or you can This documentary really makes you realize a whole aspect of metal that people don't allow themselves open enough to see. I think Dunn did a splendid job of basically proving that metal is what makes any individual stand out. You can percieve it to be an act of the devil, or you can understand and accept. You can criticize this movie any way you prefer, but this came from a true metal fans heart, and thats a right in your face 10 rating for me.… Expand