Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004)

Directors:

Joe Berlinger
Bruce Sinofsky

Release Date:

30 July 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Music

Tagline:

The film that redefines group therapy.

Plot:

A documentary crew followed Metallica for the better part of 2001-2003, a time of tension and release for the rock band, as they recorded their album St. Anger, fought bitterly, and sought the counsel of their on-call shrink.

Plot Keywords:

Metallica | Rock Band | Record Label | Recording Industry | Rock Music

Awards:

5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

James Hetfield	...	Himself
Lars Ulrich	...	Himself
Kirk Hammett	...	Himself
Robert Trujillo	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eric Avery Weiss	...	Himself (as Eric Avery)
Cliff Burnstein	...	Himself
Cliff Burton	...	Himself (archive footage)
Crazy Cabbie	...	Himself
Stefan Chirazi	...	Himself
Dylan Donkin	...	Himself
Erica Forstadt	...	Herself
Gio Gasparetti	...	Himself
Mike Gillies	...	Himself
Lani Hammett	...	Herself
Zach Harmon	...	Himself
Eric Helmkamp	...	Himself
Cali Tee Hetfield	...	Herself
Castor Virgil Hetfield	...	Himself
Francesca Hetfield	...	Herself
Pepper Keenan	...	Himself
Danny Lohner	...	Himself
Peter Mensch	...	Himself
Dave Mustaine	...	Himself
Jason Newsted	...	Himself
Peter Paterno	...	Himself
Scott Reeder	...	Himself
Marc Reiter	...	Himself
Bob Rock	...	Himself
Brian Sagrafena	...	Himself
Skylar Satenstein	...	Herself
Niclas Swanlund	...	Himself
Phil Towle	...	Himself
Myles Ulrich	...	Himself
Torben Ulrich	...	Himself
Jeordie White	...	Himself (as Twiggy Ramirez)
Steven Wiig	...	Himself
Chris Wyse	...	Himself
Joe Berlinger	...	Himself (uncredited)
Dan Braun	...	Himself (uncredited)
Bruce Sinofsky	...	Himself (uncredited)

Directed by
Joe Berlinger
Bruce Sinofsky

Produced by
Joe Berlinger	....	executive producer
Joe Berlinger	....	producer
Michael Bonfiglio	....	associate producer
Rachel Dawson	....	associate producer
Robert Fernandez	....	consulting producer
Julie Fischer	....	post-production producer
Jon Kamen	....	executive producer
Frank Scherma	....	executive producer
Bruce Sinofsky	....	producer

Cinematography by
Robert Richman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Doug Abel
M. Watanabe Milmore
David Zieff

Production Management
Michael Balabuch	....	post-production supervisor
Cheryll Stone	....	production manager

Sound Department
Michael Emery	....	sound recordist
Jeremy Frindel	....	assistant sound editor
James Jack	....	sound recordist
Mark Kenna	....	consultant: dolby film sound
Andrew Kris	....	supervising sound editor
Eddie O'Connor	....	sound recordist

Visual Effects by
Mitch Paulson	....	digital preview colorist

Camera and Electrical Department
Eli Adler	....	camera operator: second unit
John Behrens	....	camera operator: second unit
Joe Berlinger	....	additional camera operator
Michael Bonfiglio	....	camera operator: second unit
Mike Booth	....	additional gaffer
John Chater	....	additional camera operator
Annamaria DiSanto	....	still photographer
Andrew Eckmann	....	additional gaffer (as Drew Eckmann)
Robert Elfstrom	....	additional camera operator (as Bob Elfstrom)
Ned Hallick	....	additional gaffer
Wolfgang Held	....	additional cinematographer
Brian Heller	....	aerial photographer
Don Lenzer	....	additional camera operator
Robin McLeod	....	camera operator: second unit
Nancy Morita	....	camera operator: second unit
Allan Palmer	....	camera operator: second unit
John R. Priebe	....	additional gaffer (as John Priebe)
Ben Schneider	....	additional camera operator: European crew
Tom Schnitzler	....	gaffer (as Thomas Schnitzler)
Nancy Schreiber	....	additional camera operator
Bruce Sinofsky	....	additional camera operator
Bruce Smith	....	camera operator: second unit
Niclas Swanlund	....	additional camera operator
Kerry Sweeney	....	additional gaffer (as Kieran Sweeney)
Mike Van Dine	....	additional gaffer
Bill Winters	....	camera operator: second unit

Editorial Department
Jennifer Brooks	....	assistant editor
Dave Gargani	....	on-line editor
Joe Gawler	....	digital intermediate colorist
Leslie King	....	assistant editor
Zachary MacDonald	....	post-production
Richie Roefaro	....	post-production
Kristine Smith	....	associate editor
David Zieff	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Chris Robertson	....	additional music clearance

Other crew
Ray Aparicio	....	production assistant
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer
Marc Frydman	....	technical consultant
Agnes Gardette	....	production coordinator: @radical.media, Paris (as Agnès Gardette)
Ian Kennedy	....	production assistant
Debra MacCulloch	....	rights and clearances
David Marchetti	....	production assistant
Mads Marstrand Nørfeldt	....	production coordinator: Locomotion, Denmark (as Mads Nørfelt Marstrand)
Sabrina Padwa	....	general counsel: @radical.media
Evan Schechtman	....	technical advisor
Ben Schneider	....	production coordinator: @radical.media, Berlin
Nadine Sklodowski	....	runner
Gino Tomac	....	production assistant
Nick Vuchnich	....	marketing assistant
Christian Zak	....	technical director

Thanks
Ray Aparicio	....	special thanks
Guy Pechard	....	special thanks
Steven Wiig	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Radical Media
• Third Eye Motion Picture Company

Distributors

• IFC Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Bio Rex Distribution (2004) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• U Talkin 2 Me (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• CinemArt (Czech Republic)
• Films Transit International (2004) (TV) (non-USA)
• Palisades Tartan (2009) (UK) (all media)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (2005) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Diamond Time  music clearances
• DitlevFilms  end title sequence
• Donna Daniels Public Relations  publicity
• Elektra Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Runtime:

141 min | USA:135 min (Nashville Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Czech Republic:12 | Ireland:12 | Norway:A | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Finland:K-3

Filming Locations:

Christie's Auction House, Rockefeller Plaza, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Radical Media

Trivia:

According to 'James Hetfield' Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004) was originally to be a 6 part mini-series for VH1 inspired by the success of MTV's "The Osbournes" (2002). However, after seeing much of the footage the band felt this was not a direction they wanted to take their careers and bought out VH1's rights to the material and made the film as you see it today.

Quotes:

[Lars records a yell and falls to the ground, exhausted]
Lars Ulrich:[shouts] Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!
Bob Rock:I want four of them. Do it again.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "At the Movies: Episode #1.11" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Enter Sandman

Definitely a must see for anyone with only a casual interest in Rock music

I don't know how they do it, but although Metallica lost me as a fan many years ago (sometime in the mid 90's), they still manage to release DVDs that are totally intriguing. "Cunning Stunts" was an intense concert movie that let you feel the energy of a Metallica gig, where even songs from "Load" and "ReLoad" sounded good. Now, "Some Kind Of Monster" is something even more special. Really special. As far as rock films go, this one is right up there with "The Kids Are Alright" and "The Last Waltz".

Joe Berlinger & Bruce Sinofsky are always there in time to catch the most important facial expressions, quotes and actions. The movie almost runs too perfectly, as if the whole thing had been scripted. The emotions of the band members and those around them seem so genuine, though, that it's hard to have any doubts about the movie's authenticity. It must have been a terrible stressing for the band - especially in a situation like this - to have cameras around them all the time. Throughout the whole movie you feel like you're in the room with one of the biggest rock bands on the planet and the cool thing is, that you really get a look behind the image, behind that Rock 'N' Roll dream. What you find are three guys that are just as unsure about themselves, their friendship and their career as everybody else is. Hetfield, Hammett and Ulrich try to be honest throughout the whole documentary and everybody comes across as a more or less normal person (Ulrich and his ego are more than just a bit annoying, though, and it's sad to see that the band still doesn't seem to have the tiniest bit of respect for their former bandmate Jason Newstedt, who had to put up with a lot of crap for almost 15 years). A whiny appearance by former band member/Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine sticks out as the most moving/funniest moment. It really must suck to feel like he does, regretting everyday that you've been kicked out of one of the biggest bands on earth. Respect for such an honest statement in front of the cameras, though.

"Some Kind Of Monster" entertains for more than 120 minutes (and there's more on the DVD) without ever getting boring. The weird thing about this documentary is, that it's never about the music, but more about the process of a band recording itself. Whoever said that this one is a must see for Metallica fans, documentary fans and anyone in between got it right. It's more than your usual VH1 special. This one REALLY takes a look "behind the music" and a very exciting one at that.