Day 119: "Everything on the tour went drastically wrong. But at least there was a tour for it to go wrong on."

I heard good things about the latest "Rock-Doc" about another metal band plummeting from the heights of popularity to complete anonymity, so I decided to give it a shot. Anvil! The story of Anvil must have been what Rob Reiner envisioned when making This Is Spinal Tap, it had to be.  The similarities between the fictional band Spinal Tap and Anvil areA mighty just too close to be coincidence.  This is such a tragically funny movie, I had trouble watching it at times.  Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner (really!) are the only remaining original members of the 80's heavy metal group Anvil, and they want to regain the relevance the had in the 80's when they were opening acts for such heavyweights as Metallica and Anthrax.  After a completely insane, disastrous Eastern European tour (they played a gig for 3 people in a bar an one of the people was the bartender), they decide to go back to the studio for one last shot at fame with their album "This Is 13". 

This is a niche movie, if you are not a fan of metal, you may be turned off by the music, but the story is about the band and their relationship with their music and dreams.  Like I said before, this is heartbreaking to watch at times, as these guys have been friends and playing since they were teenagers.  Now in their fifties and with families, they are visibly desperate (especially Steve) for one last gasp of heavy metal glory.  Short and sweet, Anvil clocks in at only 80 minutes, but it is packed with the kind of raw emotion you rarely see in any modern documentary not about the Holocaust.  If you enjoyed Metallica: Some Kind of Monster or any of the mockumentaries by Rob Reiner or Christopher Guest, see this movie.  It is in no way a fake documentary like Spinal Tap or A Mighty Wind, but the laughs and the tears are there, and, being real, are that much more touching.  7.75/10.

See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!

P.S.- I saw these guys in 1985, they were great on stage, and their music is great.  The new album was a throwback to the days of my youth and worth a listen.  Check it out too.