metal documentary a headbanger's journey

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey

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Metal: A Headbanger's Journey

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Metal: A Headbanger's Journey  is a 2005 documentary film directed by Sam Dunn with Scot McFadyen and Jessica Wise. The film follows 31-year-old Dunn, a Canadian anthropologist, who has been a heavy metal fan since the age of 12. Dunn sets out across the world to uncover the various opinions on heavy metal music, including its origins, culture, controversy, and the reasons it is loved by so many people. The film made its debut at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, and was released as a two-disc special edition DVD in the US on September 19, 2006.

A follow-up to the film titled  Global Metal  premiered at the Bergen International Film Festival on October 17, 2007, and saw limited release in theatres in June 2008. Dunn has also elaborated upon his "Heavy Metal Family Tree" in the VH1 series  Metal Evolution , which focuses on one subgenre per episode.

• 2.1 Non-musicians
• 3 Soundtrack
• 4 "Definitive metal family tree"
• 5 Reception
• 6 Criticism

Contents [ ]

The film discusses the traits and originators of some of metal's many subgenres, including the new wave of British heavy metal, power metal, nu metal, glam metal, thrash metal, black metal, and death metal. Dunn uses a family-tree-type flowchart to document some of the most popular metal subgenres. The film also explores various aspects of heavy metal culture. Notable segments include Dunn taking a trip to the Wacken Open Air festival, an interview with Dee Snider providing an analysis of the PMRC attack on heavy metal music, and an interview with several Norwegian black metal bands.

Interviews [ ]

The most insightful information given in the film comes from candid interviews with popular artists from metal's past and present. Notable interviews come from:

Non-musicians [ ]

• Bob Ezrin, record producer (Alice Cooper, Kiss, Pink Floyd)
• Deena Weinstein, sociologist
• Robert Walser, musicologist
• Malcolm Dome, journalist, writer, DJ
• Mike Guitor
• Sam Guitor, fan
• Joe Bottiglieri, fan
• Chuck Klosterman, writer
• Eric Bryan, fan, bass player (Bryan currently plays bass for Los Angeles thrash metal band, Anger as Art)
• Robert Kampf, founder of Century Media
• Joey Severance, tour manager
• Eddie Trunk, DJ
• Rob Jones, DJ
• Pamela Des Barres, groupie, writer, author of  I'm With The Band
• Donna Gaines, sociologist
• Gavin Baddeley, writer
• Monte Conner, senior VP A&R - Roadrunner Records
• Rolf Rasmussen, assistant minister of the Åsane church
• Brian Slagel, owner/CEO of Metal Blade Records
• Rose Dyson, writer
• Keith Kahn-Harris, writer

Soundtrack [ ]

• Accept  - " Balls to the Wall "
• Arch Enemy  - "Silent Wars" (live)
• Blue Cheer  - "Summertime Blues"
• Burn To Black - "Winter Rancid Skies"
• Burn To Black - "Into Shadow"
• Burn To Black - "Microcosmic"
• Burn To Black - "Hellspell"
• Cannibal Corpse  - "Decency Defied"
• Children of Bodom  - "Needled 24/7"
• David MacDonaldson - "Partita In C Minor - Chorale"
• Diamond Head  - " Am I Evil? "
• Dio  - "Heaven and Hell" (live from  A Special From The Spectrum )
• Emperor  - "Inno a Satana"
• Enslaved  - "Return to Yggdrasil"
• Enslaved  - "Havenless"
• Girlschool  - "C'Mon Let's Go"
• Iron Maiden  - "Run to the Hills" (live from  Rock in Rio )
• Iron Maiden  - "The Number of the Beast"
• Lamb of God  - " Laid to Rest "
• Metallica  - "Master of Puppets"
• Metallica  - " Fight Fire With Fire "
• Mötley Crüe  - "Girls, Girls, Girls"
• Motörhead  - "Ace of Spades"
• Motörhead  - "Killed by Death"
• Rage Against the Machine  - "Killing in the Name"
• Richard Wagner - "Faust Overture"
• Rush  - "Working Man"
• Sepultura  - "Arise"
• Sepultura  - "Beneath the Remains"
• Slayer  - "Disciple"
• Slipknot  - "(Sic)" (live)
• Tim Renwick and Andy Caine - "Ain't Got a Pot To..."
• Twisted Sister  - "We're Not Gonna Take It"
• Van Halen  - "Eruption" (live)
• Venom  - "Bloodlust"

"Definitive metal family tree" [ ]

The chart from the film documents Dunn's view on the progression of subgenres of metal that have spawned over time as well as other styles of rock (i.e. hard rock, shock rock, punk rock, and hardcore) that have influence these styles of metal, while also attempting to list the prime examples of bands that fall into each category. Below is a typed version of that chart, which can be found on the second disc of the film's special edition DVD package. A new version was presented in the related TV series Metal Evolution which included a new "Pre-Metal" field that listed non-metal bands that had an influence on heavy metal and also listed additional bands as examples of the various subgenres.

• Early Metal (1966−1971)
• Cream ; Jimi Hendrix ; Blue Cheer ; Deep Purple ; Led Zeppelin ; MC5 ; Mountain ; The Stooges ; Black Sabbath
• Original Hard Rock (1974−1979)
• Thin Lizzy ; Blue Öyster Cult ; Aerosmith ; AC/DC ; Ted Nugent
• Shock Rock (1968−1983)
• Arthur Brown ; Alice Cooper ; New York Dolls ; Kiss  ; Ozzy Osbourne  ; W.A.S.P.
• Early Punk (1976−1979)
• The Ramones ; The Damned ; Sex Pistols ; The Clash ; The Dead Boys
• Power Metal (1976−present)
• Scorpions ; Judas Priest ; Rainbow ; Accept ; Manowar ; Dio ; Yngwie J. Malmsteen ; Helloween ; Blind Guardian ; HammerFall ; Primal Fear
• New wave of British heavy metal (1979−1983)
• Motörhead ; Saxon ; Iron Maiden ; Angel Witch ;  Girlschool ;  Tygers of Pan Tang ; Diamond Head
• Progressive Metal (1970−present)
• Uriah Heep ; Rush ; Queensrÿche ; Savatage ; Fates Warning ; Voivod ; Dream Theater ; Meshuggah ; Symphony X ; Evergrey
• Glam Metal (1973−1990)
• Slade ; Sweet ; Hanoi Rocks ; Mötley Crüe ; Twisted Sister ; Poison ; Cinderella ; Skid Row
• Pop Metal (1978−present)
• Quiet Riot ; Van Halen ; Whitesnake ; Def Leppard ; Europe ; Dokken ; Lita Ford ; Ratt ; Guns N' Roses ; Winger ; Warrant ; Doro ; The Darkness
• Doom Metal (1982−present)
• Witchfinder General ; Trouble ; Candlemass ; Cathedral ; Kyuss ; Today Is The Day
• Original Hardcore (1980−1986)
• Agnostic Front ; D.O.A. ; The Exploited ; Bad Brains ; Misfits ; GBH ; Discharge ; Dead Kennedys ; Minor Threat ; Black Flag
• Thrash Metal (1983−present)
• Metallica ; Slayer ; Anthrax ; Megadeth ; Exodus ; Overkill ; Kreator ; Destruction ; Sodom ; Testament ; Nuclear Assault ; Death Angel ; Pantera ; Sepultura ; Children of Bodom
• First wave of black metal (1981−1986)
• Venom ; Bathory ; Mercyful Fate ; Celtic Frost
• Norwegian black metal (1990−present)
• Mayhem ; Darkthrone ;  Immortal ; Gorgoroth ; Emperor ; Satyricon ; Enslaved ; Dimmu Borgir ; Cradle of Filth (UK)
• Grindcore (1987−present)
• Napalm Death ; Carcass ; Repulsion ; Exhumed ; Extreme Noise Terror ; Cephalic Carnage ; Brutal Truth
• Death Metal (1985−present)
• Possessed ; Death ; Morbid Angel ; Obituary ; Deicide ; Cannibal Corpse ; Immolation ; Autopsy ; Nile ; Dying Fetus
• Swedish Death Metal (1990−present)
• Grave ; Entombed ; At the Gates ; Unleashed ; Dismember ; Arch Enemy ; Soilwork ; In Flames ; Dark Tranquillity ; The Haunted
• Goth Metal (aka Doom Metal on the DVD) (1990−present)
• Paradise Lost ; Tiamat ; Therion ; Type O Negative ; My Dying Bride ; Anathema ; Theatre of Tragedy ; Katatonia ; Opeth
• Metalcore (1985−present)
• Corrosion of Conformity ; Suicidal Tendencies ; Dirty Rotten Imbeciles ; Machine Head ; Stormtroopers of Death ; Hatebreed ; The Dillinger Escape Plan
• Grunge (1988−1994)
• Green River ; The Melvins ; Soundgarden ; Mudhoney ; Nirvana ; Alice in Chains ; Mother Love Bone ; Stone Temple Pilots ; Pearl Jam
• Industrial Metal (1988−present)
• Ministry ; White Zombie ; Godflesh ; Nine Inch Nails ; Fear Factory ; Marilyn Manson ; Static-X
• Hard Alternative (1985−present)
• Faith No More ; Jane's Addiction ; Prong ; Living Colour ; The Smashing Pumpkins ; Rage Against the Machine ; Tool
• Nu Metal (1994−2003)
• Biohazard ; KoЯn ; Limp Bizkit ; Slipknot ; Godsmack ; Coal Chamber ; System of a Down ; Disturbed ; Kittie
• New wave of American metal (2000−present)
• Shadows Fall ; Lamb of God ; Darkest Hour ; Chimaira ; Killswitch Engage ; Unearth ; God Forbid

Reception [ ]

The film received mostly positive reviews. It currently holds a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average rating of 6.9/10 and the critical consensus being: "Made by a metalhead, this documentary of the musical genre both informs and entertains with its range of interviewees."

Criticism [ ]

Some brief controversy arose over the film's depiction of black metal, which many fans of the genre saw as being one-sided and biased during a screening documented in the film. In the special features to the DVD of the film, Dunn attempted a restitution to the concerns of the black metal fans by including an additional featurette.

• 1 Pelle "Dead" Ohlin
• 3 Varg Vikernes

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Metal: A Headbanger's Journey Reviews

Brings on a variety of eloquent voices from both the fanbase and the gods of metal themselves.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Oct 20, 2007

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jun 20, 2007

The success of Dunn's film in support of heavy metal music might be the result of not offering the audience too much music

Full Review | Nov 10, 2006

The metal scene emerges throughout the documentary as the recruitment center of an army of misfits, where the outcasts of the world can seek each other out based on their love of the angsty, eardrum-destroying tunes their parents warned them about.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | May 12, 2006

Enjoyable whether you're a fan of the music or not.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | May 6, 2006

A documentary that preaches to the converted if ever there was one, but Dunn's enthusiasm for the subject and the range of pretension and humour of his interviewees makes for fun viewing.

A film that manages to be intelligent without being boring, making it one of the better music documentaries in recent memory.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Apr 21, 2006

This documentary about one of the most loathed, lampooned and beloved music genres isn't the kind of film to rock your world, though it may well inspire laughter.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 21, 2006

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.

The movie is woefully short on concert footage, which could have shown us the power of metal instead of just telling us.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 21, 2006

It's a measure of Dunn's success that even a total nonfan like myself could find his journey interesting.

Full Review | Apr 20, 2006

You might not go out and buy the latest Slipknot album after seeing it, but you will understand why some disenfranchised kid would.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 14, 2006

A lightweight fanboy valentine for ostensibly heavyweight music.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Apr 14, 2006

Acts not as the window for the outsider into the spectacle of heavy metal music, as the filmmakers proclaim it to be, but an unprovoked fan's defense for liking what he likes

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Apr 14, 2006

Interviews with metal practitioners such as Tony Iommi, Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie and Dee Snider, journalists and academic types paint a compelling portrait of a vibrant society of outsiders.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Apr 13, 2006

The film is packed with hilarious, often poignant interviews with metal luminaries.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 13, 2006

At once playful and thorough, the documentary is also stacked teased-hair high with wicked performance footage.

Full Review | Apr 13, 2006

Unlikely to win many new converts, but its core audience should have a rockin' good time.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Apr 7, 2006

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.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 1, 2006

Those who only remember metal as an MTV aberration from the 1980s will learn a lot from Dunn's film, and metal heads will find vindication for their dedication to a music that has been condemned and dismissed as infantile and depraved.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Mar 21, 2006

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Metal: A Headbanger's Journey

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• Houston Chronicle Bruce Westbrook A lightweight fanboy valentine for ostensibly heavyweight music.
• Los Angeles Times Kevin Crust Interviews with metal practitioners such as Tony Iommi, Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie and Dee Snider, journalists and academic types paint a compelling portrait of a vibrant society of outsiders.
• Boston Globe Erin Meister The metal scene emerges throughout the documentary as the recruitment center of an army of misfits, where the outcasts of the world can seek each other out based on their love of the angsty, eardrum-destroying tunes their parents warned them about.
• New York Post 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.
• New York Times Manohla Dargis This documentary about one of the most loathed, lampooned and beloved music genres isn't the kind of film to rock your world, though it may well inspire laughter.
• Seattle Times Ted Fry It's all jolly good fun captured with proficiency, professionalism and the keen sense of someone who truly wants outsiders to understand what makes a dyed-in-the-wool headbanger so passionate about his music of choice.
• Chicago Tribune Allison Benedikt The film is packed with hilarious, often poignant interviews with metal luminaries.
• Dallas Morning News Chris Vognar Unlikely to win many new converts, but its core audience should have a rockin' good time.
• Salt Lake Tribune Sean P. Means The movie is woefully short on concert footage, which could have shown us the power of metal instead of just telling us.
• Los Angeles Daily News Glenn Whipp You might not go out and buy the latest Slipknot album after seeing it, but you will understand why some disenfranchised kid would.
• Rob's Movie Vault Rob Gonsalves Brings on a variety of eloquent voices from both the fanbase and the gods of metal themselves.
• Deseret News (Salt Lake City) Jeff Vice A film that manages to be intelligent without being boring, making it one of the better music documentaries in recent memory.
• Austin Chronicle 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.
• Los Angeles CityBeat Andy Klein It's a measure of Dunn's success that even a total nonfan like myself could find his journey interesting.
• L.A. Weekly Scott Foundas At once playful and thorough, the documentary is also stacked teased-hair high with wicked performance footage.
• Film Threat KJ Doughton Dunn effortlessly smashes the cliché of metal-bands-as-Neanderthal-lunkheads.
• FilmJerk.com Edward Havens Acts not as the window for the outsider into the spectacle of heavy metal music, as the filmmakers proclaim it to be, but an unprovoked fan's defense for liking what he likes
• Reel Film Reviews David Nusair ...an engaging, entertaining little documentary...
• Seattle Post-Intelligencer Bill White Those who only remember metal as an MTV aberration from the 1980s will learn a lot from Dunn's film, and metal heads will find vindication for their dedication to a music that has been condemned and dismissed as infantile and depraved.

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Metal: a headbanger's journey.

2005 Directed by Jessica Joy Wise , Sam Dunn …

The film discusses the traits and originators of some of metal's many subgenres, including the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, power metal, Nu metal, glam metal, thrash metal, black metal, and death metal. Dunn uses a family-tree-type flowchart to document some of the most popular metal subgenres. The film also explores various aspects of heavy metal culture.

Sam Dunn Chris Adler Tom Araya Gavin Baddeley Blasphemer Randy Blythe Alice Cooper Pamela Des Barres Bruce Dickinson Ronnie James Dio Malcolm Dome George Fisher Tony Iommi Joey Jordison Lemmy Kerry King Geddy Lee Tom Morello Jørn Stubberud Vince Neil Doro Pesch Dee Snider Corey Taylor Alex Webster Rob Zombie

Directors Directors

Jessica Joy Wise Sam Dunn Scot McFadyen

Producers Producers

Scot McFadyen Sam Dunn

Writers Writers

Scot McFadyen Jessica Joy Wise Sam Dunn

Editor Editor

Cinematography cinematography.

Brendan Steacy

Banger Productions Seville Pictures 235 Films Chum Television

Releases by Date

14 sep 2005, 01 jun 2006, 20 jun 2006, 21 jun 2006, releases by country.

• Theatrical 12
• Theatrical R

91 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Dylan van Frankfoort ★★★★ 5

I'm relatively new to the world of Metal but it's definitely one I can understand, it being analogous to that of Pro Wrestling. The dedicated fan bases; the tendency to bemuse outside observers; the power fantasy element—Bruce Dickinson and Sting are gods over their respective domains—the, frankly, strange T-shirts (as I write this, I'm wearing a shirt depicting a wild-eyed Brian Pillman flanked by tigers and skulls); the extreme offshoots in stuff like Norwegian Black Metal and Deathmatch Wrestling (I could see Nick [Fuckin'] Gage burning down a church like Varg Vikernes); and, above all else (apart from the music and wrestling, of course), the sense of community fostered within. This is the Beyond the Mat of Metal, expounding what…

Review by Headhunter666

MASTER, MASTER, WHERE`S THE DREAMS THAT I`VE BEEN AFTER? MASTER, MASTER, YOU PROMISED ONLY LIES LAUGHTER, LAUGHTER, ALL I HEAR OR SEE IS LAUGHTER LAUGHTER, LAUGHTER, LAUGHING AT MY CRIES

Herzliche Doku die immer noch Spaß macht und einen vergnüglichen Drive und Überblick der HEAVY METAL-Kultur bietet. Sam Dunn ist schon ne sympathische Type und erkundet in rund 90 Minuten sämtliche Länder, interviewt sämtliche Musiker, Fans und Soziologen die den Spirit und die Fackel der schönsten Musikrichtung überhaupt hochhalten. Allerdings sind 90 Minuten hierfür viel zu kurz um einen tieferen Blick zu gewähren. Die Themen die angesprochen werden sind aber sicherlich vernünftig gewählt. Ein bisschen Geschichte über die Ursprünge, bis hin zum Urknall der harten Klänge, über die vielen verschiedenen…

Review by zeroforconduct 2

No wonder that I watched this half a dozen times in high school! Its main purpose seems to be reaffirming how awesome people who like metal are. And that's not necessarily a criticism, as metal is still a genre I love, and it feels good to share that love with fellow enthusiasts for 90 minutes.

This time around blond bowl-cut guy had my favorite perspective, especially his observation that the band KISS has a subtle narrative in their songs implying that their fans are being persecuted... for liking KISS. But that's exactly what Sam Dunn is doing with this movie: wondering why metal fans are persecuted. His primary example is Tipper Gore's PMRC conservative values campaign against metal bands in…

Review by Lester ★★★

I’ve seen this so many times since it came out but it’s been a while. Approaches the history of Metal and the culture around it not only from a fan’s perspective but also from an anthropologist’s point of view. The end product’s generally pretty dry and isn’t as compelling as it sounds though as the fandom supersedes everything else it’s trying to do, so the movie doesn’t really delve as deeply into the, say, psyche of the Metal fan as I wanted. Made me really think about what connected me to the music in the first place, though. 

But hey, I love the interviews with Dio, Lemmy, the weirdo from Gorgoroth, Chuck Klosterman says a bunch of words and verbally contorts…

Review by Constance_Prue ★★★★

Autumn Rewatch Challenge 2022 30. Rewatch a film just for fun.

A thoroughly entertaining rock-doc narrated by Sam Dunn, Canadian anthropologist and heavy metal fan. Some really great interviews here with many metal icons, like Tony Iommi, unexpectedly every bit the English gentleman in his country manor, Bruce Dickenson, and icon Ronny James Dio (RIP), who takes potshots at Gene Simmons in BOTH his interviews (lol).

The film is also educational, showing the branches of metal and its roots, its connection to classical music, and the use of the tritone, the Devil's Interval, to create an unsettling tone in music that goes back hundreds of years. The film closes out with a really sinister Norwegian black metal dude sipping on a glass of wine, the only guy interviewed who I think could possibly start a murderous cult.

Watch for free, all fun and all good: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tozcgBDz6aA

Review by Jon Hillman ★★★½

Metal fans probably won't learn anything new, but just living in that world for 90 minutes is fun enough.

Review by Matthew Donahue ★★★★½

An anthropological look at the history and social mechanics of Heavy Metal. Fascinating.

Review by SnowboardJunkie ★★★ 12

Metal is a finite culture and it’s grown up through the blistered veins of defiance and rebellion with a beginning in unsuspecting places, such as the blues. However it might be a more accurate depiction if one were to replace Journey with Journal for it’s completely one sided view. That’s not to say it’s bad there just isn’t much conflict in a story about the origins of metal. For something that must be considered so abrasive, why does the journey come off as a victory lap then? I’ve never thought of metal as docile but the journey sure appears this way. If nothing else it’s a worthy surface tutorial on the history of metal, it’s sub genre’s and the views of those who hail on bended knee. It’s an outsiders sport of lyrical eardrum bursting good times. And some great behind the scenes footage to enjoy as well.

Review by Darren ★★★★

"This music has millions of passionate fans worldwide, yet for 35 years, it's been consistently stereotyped, dismissed and condemned."

From Sam Dunn, the mind that gave you Metal Evolution, comes Metal: A Headbanger's Journey.

Filled with so many good interviews from everybody metal from Lemmy to Angela Gossow from Arch Enemy.

Great examples of interviews include interviews with metal fans of all ages, Tom Morello putting "Fuck you I won't do what I tell you" into context, Ronnie James Dio talking about the creation of the "devil horns" and dissing Dee Snider; Dee Snider talking about the homoeroticism of metal music, and a Norwegian priest talking about metal fans burning down a church.

The interview with Gaahl from Gorgoroth was creepy and terrified me a bit.

Review by khensk ★★★★

Really good ethnography, broke down the culture of metal really well with great interviews

Review by Zac_ ★★★½

Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey is a decent documentary that focuses on interesting topics with great pacing and structure. It never got boring and all of the interviews were great fun. However, I didn’t really get any new information out of it. If you listen to lots of metal, chances are, you are already aware of a lot of these topics. I wanted the documentary to get into more detail and really dig deep into it’s topics. Even then, just watching all of the history and topics of this subject is interesting enough that I could recommend it to everyone.

Review by youssefmouf ★★★★

As a metalhead, the director is living our DREAM. But when Gorgoroth leader said "SATAN" I lost it 😂

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Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (2006) Stream and Watch Online

Want to behold the glory that is ' Metal: A Headbanger's Journey ' on your TV, phone, or tablet? Hunting down a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or view the Sam Dunn-directed movie via subscription can be a challenge, so we here at Moviefone want to do the heavy lifting. Below, you'll find a number of top-tier streaming and cable services - including rental, purchase, and subscription options - along with the availability of 'Metal: A Headbanger's Journey' on each platform when they are available. Now, before we get into the nitty-gritty of how you can watch 'Metal: A Headbanger's Journey' right now, here are some finer points about the Banger Productions, Seville Pictures, 235 Films, Chum Television music flick. Released June 21st, 2006, 'Metal: A Headbanger's Journey' stars Sam Dunn , Chris Adler , Tom Araya , Gavin Baddeley The R movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 31 min, and received a user score of 76 (out of 100) on TMDb, which compiled reviews from 145 knowledgeable users. What, so now you want to know what the movie's about? Here's the plot: "The film discusses the traits and originators of some of metal's many subgenres, including the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, power metal, Nu metal, glam metal, thrash metal, black metal, and death metal. Dunn uses a family-tree-type flowchart to document some of the most popular metal subgenres. The film also explores various aspects of heavy metal culture." .

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Metal: A Headbanger's Journey

From docuwiki, [ edit ] general information.

Arts , Culture Documentary hosted by Sam Dunn and published by Others in 2005 - English narration

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An anthropological study of Heavy Metal? Is this for real? Believe it man, it's true, and it's pretty darn good at that. Metal - A Headbanger's Journey is a labor of love for director/ producer Sam Dunn; anthropologist, academia, metalhead. Like a good anthropologist Dunn has often wondered about cultures, societies, and the key elements that makes them thrive. Being a life-long headbanger, Sam Dunn decided to turn his academic skills onto himself to study and attempt to explain the often misunderstood culture that shaped his existence and millions of others around the world. Structured like a traditional anthropological journal, Metal - A Headbanger's Journey is broken into sections such as "Origins," "Roots," "Environments," "Culture," "Sexuality," "Religion," and "Death." Many topics are addressed such as identifying the first heavy metal band, what in the music defines the heavy metal sound, why heavy metal unites fans from around the world, why the music has been a target for so many watchdog groups, and who really popularized the heavy metal horn salute. For non-metalheads, the structured approach keeps the documentary on track and prevents it from getting cartoonish and too fan-based and self congratulatory. Metalheads that don't care about film's structure, will thoroughly enjoy the interviews of metal's elite (including originators Tony Iommi, Alice Cooper, Dio, and Bruce Dickinson to modern day heroes Tom Morello, Rob Zombie and Lamb of God) the music, fan commentaries and the concert footage. So raise your horns up high, turn it up loud and check out the best Heavy Metal film ever made.

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• Video Codec.......: XviD
• Video Bitrate.....: 885 kb/s
• Video Framerate...: 23.976
• Resolution........: 560x304 (1.84:1)
• Audio Codec.......: MP3 VBR
• Audio Bitrate.....: 106 kb/s

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[ edit ] Related Documentaries

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• No Manifesto: A Film about the Manic Street Preachers
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• Heavy - The Story of Metal
• Heavy Metal Britannia
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Categories : Arts | Culture | Sam Dunn | Others | 2005 | English | Name | Music Language > English Name Publisher > Others Sam Dunn Subject > Arts Subject > Arts Subject > Culture Theme > Music Year > 2005

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Watch Metal: A Headbanger's Journey

• 1 hr 36 min
• 8.0   (12,428)

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey is a 2005 documentary film directed by Sam Dunn, Scot McFadyen, and Jessica Joy Wise. The film delves into the world of heavy metal music, exploring its history, evolution, and cultural impact. The film is presented by Sam Dunn, a Canadian anthropologist and metalhead himself. He narrates the film while interviewing musicians, fans, and experts on the genre. The documentary features interviews with some of the most influential and iconic figures in metal, including Tom Araya of Slayer, Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, Rob Zombie, and many more.

The film begins by exploring the roots of heavy metal music, tracing its origins to early blues and rock music. Dunn interviews musicians like Ronnie James Dio and Tony Iommi, who were key in creating the distinctive sound of heavy metal in the 1970s. The film then moves on to explore the various subgenres that emerged in the 1980s and 1990s, including thrash metal, death metal, and black metal. Dunn provides an in-depth look into these subgenres, discussing their musical characteristics, cultural significance, and controversies.

Throughout the film, Dunn touches on some of the criticisms and stereotypes that heavy metal has faced over the years. He interviews academics, journalists, and religious leaders who have spoken out against the genre, highlighting the role that heavy metal has played in various controversies, such as the Satanic Panic of the 1980s. However, the documentary also showcases the positive aspects of metal, including its ability to bring people together and provide a sense of community.

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey also explores the visual aspects of heavy metal, including the iconic album covers, stage performances, and music videos that have become synonymous with the genre. The film discusses the importance of aesthetics in metal and how they help to convey the themes and messages of the music.

One of the most unique aspects of this documentary is its anthropological approach, exploring metal as a culture and way of life. Dunn interviews fans from all corners of the world, discussing their love for the genre and its communal aspects. He also visits different metal scenes around the globe, including Norway, Japan, and Brazil, showcasing the diversity of the metal community.

Overall, Metal: A Headbanger's Journey is a comprehensive, entertaining, and informative documentary that delves deep into the world of heavy metal. The film offers a nuanced look at the genre, exploring its history, subgenres, visual aspects, and cultural significance. It's a must-watch for any metalhead or music enthusiast interested in understanding the cultural impact of heavy metal.

• Genres Documentary Music
• Cast Tom Araya Gavin Baddeley Blasphemer
• Director Sam Dunn Scot McFayden
• Release Date 2005
• MPAA Rating R
• Runtime 1 hr 36 min
• Language English
• IMDB Rating 8.0   (12,428)
• Metascore 73

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (2005)

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A Headbanger's Journey [DVD]

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Product Description

Music documentary, following anthropologist Sam Dunn as he explores the enduring subculture of heavy metal. Travelling from the UK to the USA, from Germany to Norway, Dunn tries to find out why heavy metal music has been so stereotyped and dismissed, and yet loved so passionately by its millions of fans. Featured bands include Slipknot and Black Sabbath, as well as leading singers such as Bruce Dickinson and Rob Zombie.

Product details

• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.35 x 0.67 x 7.48 inches; 7.3 ounces
• Item model number ‏ : ‎ 5060116720723
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ PAL
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 36 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ August 7, 2006
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Metal
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Entertainment One
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000FS9OZY
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• #205,249 in DVD

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Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey

Dec 23, 2023 | Music , Videos

Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey is a thought-provoking documentary directed by Sam Dunn and co-produced by Scot McFadyen and Jessica Wise that follows the journey of Canadian anthropologist, Sam Dunn. This 31-year old metalhead has been passionate about heavy metal music since his tender age of twelve and embarks on a mission to explore the various aspects of the music, its culture, controversies, and its immense popularity among fans.

The documentary takes an in-depth look at different subgenres of metal including New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), power metal, Nu metal, glam metal, thrash metal, black metal and death metal. It also provides viewers with a visual representation in the form of a family tree type flowchart which helps to make it easier to understand the subtle yet important differences between these genres.

The film makes sure to touch upon every aspect of heavy metal culture such as taking us on a trip to Wacken Open Air festival where we get to witness first hand the sheer passion that hundreds of thousands show for their favorite genre of music or an analysis from Dee Snider about PMRC attacks on heavy metals and how it affected the scene overall. It goes even further by introducing us to some members from Norway’s Black Metal bands who are very open about their Satanic beliefs.

If you are interested in learning more about heavy metal music or if you simply enjoy documentaries then Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey is definitely something you should consider watching. The film not only provides insight into different types of heavy metals but also sheds light on various issues regarding its culture and even its controversies while providing some great insight into why this genre continues to be so popular over time.

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Metal: A Headbanger's Journey

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• #56 Best Music Documentaries
• #102 Best Documentaries of the 21st century
• "Superbly crafted documentary is strong enough to make believers out of non-metalheads" Ken Eisner : Variety
• "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."  Marc Savlov : Austin Chronicle
• "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." New York Post
• "At once playful and thorough, the documentary is also stacked teased-hair high with wicked performance footage." Scott Foundas : LA Weekly
• "Metal culture is a giant topic, and Dunn has made an ambitious stab at it, exploring the music's social, religious, and sexual implications." J.R. Jones : Chicago Reader
• "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." Kevin Crust : Los Angeles Times
• "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." Boston Globe
• "A documentary that preaches to the converted if ever there was one, but Dunn's enthusiasm for the subject and the range of pretension and humour of his interviewees makes for fun viewing." Empire

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