Heavy Metal (1981)

Director:

Gerald Potterton

Writers:

Daniel Goldberg (screenplay) &
Len Blum (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

7 August 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Fantasy | Horror | Music | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

A Step Beyond Science Fiction

Plot:

A glowing orb terrorizes a young girl with a collection of stories of dark fantasy, eroticism and horror.

Plot Keywords:

Heavy Metal | Anthology | Future | Sphere | Taxi Driver

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Rodger Bumpass	...	Hanover Fiste (segment "Captain Sternn") / Dr. Anrak (segment "So Beautiful and So Dangerous") (voice) (as Roger Bumpass)
John Candy	...	Desk Sergeant (segment "Harry Canyon") / Dan (segment "Den") / Den (segment "Den") / Robot (segment "So Beautiful and So Dangerous") (voice)
Jackie Burroughs	...	Katherine (segment "Den") (voice)
Joe Flaherty	...	Lawyer (segment "Captain Sternn") / General (segment "So Beautiful and So Dangerous") (voice)
Don Francks	...	Grimaldi (segment "Grimaldi") / Co-Pilot (segment "B-17") / Barbarian (segment "Taarna") (voice)
Martin Lavut	...	Ard (segment "Den") (voice)
Marilyn Lightstone	...	Whore (segment "Harry Canyon") / Queen (segment "Den") (voice)
Eugene Levy	...	Sternn (segment "Captain Sternn") / Male Reporter (segment "So Beautiful and So Dangerous") / Edsel (segment "So Beautiful and So Dangerous") (voice)
Alice Playten	...	Gloria (segment "So Beautiful and So Dangerous") (voice)
Harold Ramis	...	Zeke (segment "So Beautiful and So Dangerous") (voice)
Susan Roman	...	Girl (segment "Harry Canyon") / Satellite (segment "Harry Canyon") (voice)
August Schellenberg	...	Nort (segment "Den") / Taarak (segment "Taarna") (voice)
Richard Romanus	...	Harry Canyon (segment "Harry Canyon") (voice)
John Vernon	...	Prosecutor (segment "Captain Sternn") (voice)
Zal Yanovsky	...	Navigator (segment "B-17") / Barbarian (segment "Taarna") (voice)

Runtime:

86 min | USA:90 min (premiere)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Iceland:12 | Italy:VM14 | South Africa:13LS | Brazil:18 | Australia:MA (video rating) | Australia:M (original rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Finland:K-16 | New Zealand:R16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

In the "So Beautiful, So Dangerous" segment, the two Plutonian Nyborg snorting aliens are named Zeke and Edsel.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the Den segment, when Katherine is first going to be sacrificed, she goes from being tied up to untied and struggling to tied up again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: A shadow shall fall over the universe, and evil will grow in its path, and death will come from the skies.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Step Brothers (2008)

Soundtrack:

Heartbeat

Incorrect.

A lot of reviews of this film are negative, and I spotted one that said this film is merely for the older generation. Well, I just have to say that this comment is incorrect. I myself was not produced until after the film had been around for some years (*raises hand* 1986), and I highly enjoy this wonderful flick.

I got the chance to sit down and watch the movie with my mother when I was 13, and I instantly fell in love with it. I love the way the green orb links the stories together, the humor, the music, and yes - even the animation.

True, the animation is nothing compared to the stuff that's out there these days, but this film is a classic. If you don't understand the film's stories, then you clearly weren't paying attention.

Heavy Metal magazine is fantastic, and this movie is nothing short of the magazine's beautiful creativity.

Also? Comparing Heavy Metal to its sequel, Heavy Metal 2000, is simply wrong. Heavy Metal 2000 pales in comparison to the original. Sure, the soundtrack is amazing, but in my opinion, that's about it.