Anvil: The Story of Anvil (2008)

Director:

Sacha Gervasi

Release Date:

20 February 2009 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary | Biography | Music

Tagline:

At fourteen, they made a pact to rock together forever. They meant it.

Plot:

Since 1978, Anvil has become one of heavy metal's most influential yet commercially unsuccessful acts. In 2006, after a fledging European tour Anvil sets out to record their thirteenth album and continue to follow their dreams.

Plot Keywords:

Canadian | Repetition In Title | Heavy Metal | Friendship Between Men | Friendship

Awards:

20 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Scott Ian	...	Himself - Rhythm Guitarist, Anthrax
Lemmy	...	Himself - Bassist, Motörhead
Malcolm Dome	...	Himself - Journalist, Metal Hammer Magazine
Lars Ulrich	...	Himself - Drummer, Metallica
Slash	...	Himself - Guitarist
Tom Araya	...	Himself - Bassist, Slayer
John Zazula	...	Himself - Manager of Metallica, Anthrax, Anvil (as Jon Zazula)
Steve 'Lips' Kudlow	...	Himself - Singer, Lead Guitarist, Anvil
Robb Reiner	...	Himself - Drummer, Anvil
Cut Loose	...	Himself - Anvil Fan
Mad Dog	...	Himself - Anvil Fan
Gary Greenblatt	...	Himself - Original Bassist, Anvil
Toby Kudlow	...	Herself - Steve 'Lips' Kudlow's Mother
Jane Reiner	...	Herself - Robb Reiner's Wife
Andrea Reiner	...	Herself - Robb Reiner's Sister (as Droid Reiner)
Tyler Reiner	...	Himself - Robb Reiner's Son
Ginny Kudlow	...	Herself - Steve 'Lips' Kudlow's Wife
Averey Kudlow	...	Himself - Steve 'Lips' Kudlow's Son
Glenn Five	...	Himself - Bassist, Anvil
Ivan Hurd	...	Himself - Guitarist, Anvil, 1995-2007
Tiziana Arrigoni	...	Herself - Anvil's Manager
Michael Schenker	...	Himself - Lead Guitarist, Scorpions
Brian Robertson	...	Himself - Guitarist, Motörhead
Carmine Appice	...	Himself - Drummer, Vanilla Fudge, Cactus
Jay Jay French	...	Himself - Guitarist, Twisted Sister
Tommy Aldridge	...	Himself - Drummer, Whitesnake
Gary Kudlow	...	Himself - Steve 'Lips' Kudlow's Brother
Rhonda Gibson	...	Herself - Steve 'Lips' Kudlow's Sister
Eniko Reiner	...	Herself - Robb Reiner's Mother
Chris Tsangarides	...	Himself - Record Producer
William Howell	...	Himself - Host, KNAC Internet Radio
Fraser Hill	...	Himself - Head of A&R, EMI Music Canada
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kevin Goocher	...	Himself
Glenn Gyorffy	...	Himself
Nigel Hudson	...	Himself
Bobby Razak	...	Himself
Jerry Fielden	...	Himself (uncredited)
Tony Gallo	...	Himself (uncredited)

Directed by
Sacha Gervasi

Produced by
Sean Barney	....	associate producer
Sacha Gervasi	....	executive producer
Rick Krim	....	executive producer
Lauren McClard	....	associate producer
Dana Sano	....	associate producer
Christopher Soos	....	executive producer
Rebecca Yeldham	....	producer

Original Music by
David Norland

Cinematography by
Christopher Soos

Film Editing by
Andrew Dickler
Jeff Renfroe

Production Management
Luca Borghese	....	post-production supervisor

Sound Department
Tony Bollas	....	additional sound
John Cannon	....	assistant sound editor
Mat Dennis	....	sound recordist
Dan Gleich	....	additional sound
Daniel R. Kerr	....	stage recordist
Geoffrey G. Rubay	....	sound re-recording mixer
Geoffrey G. Rubay	....	supervising sound editor
David Young	....	sound engineering (as David M. Young)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jeremy Benning	....	Steadicam operator: Japan
Jeremy Benning	....	additional camera operator
Balazs Bolygo	....	additional camera operator
Brent J. Craig	....	additional camera operator
Ray Dumas	....	Steadicam operator: Europe
Ray Dumas	....	additional camera operator
Todd Harris	....	camera operator
Andrew Mueller	....	additional camera operator
Andrew Mueller	....	camera operator: Europe
Vasco Nunes	....	additional camera operator
Vasco Nunes	....	cinematographer: second unit
Greg Smith	....	additional camera operator
Diz Toba	....	additional camera operator
Brent J. Craig	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Heydar Adel	....	on-line editor
Joshua Alan Baca	....	on-line editor
Marc Brown	....	film output: digital intermediate
Christopher Currall	....	on-line editor
Christine Park	....	assistant editor
Sin-Halina Sy	....	assistant editor
Chris Van Duyn	....	on-line producer

Music Department
Bronwen Boyan	....	music consultant
Bryan Lawson	....	music editor
Brian Richards	....	music editor
Dana Sano	....	music supervisor
David Torn	....	composer: additional music
Libby Umstead	....	music coordinator

Other crew
Sean Barney	....	production coordinator
Andy Goldman	....	title designer
Sean Macaulay	....	creative consultant
Lauren McClard	....	production coordinator
Atsushi Naito	....	legal
Scott Peters	....	production coordinator: Europe
Karen Shatzkin	....	legal services
David Magdael	....	publicist (uncredited)
Anne Stulz	....	publicist (uncredited)

Thanks
Tony Gallo	....	special thanks
Ricki Noel Lander	....	special thanks
Robert Mailhouse	....	thanks
Michael Patterson	....	thanks
Joan Scheckel	....	special thanks
Gore Verbinski	....	special thanks
Steven Wiig	....	special thanks
Diane Wright	....	special thanks
Steven Zaillian	....	extra special thanks

Distributors

• Mushroom Pictures (2008) (Australia) (all media)
• Abramorama (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Filmswelike (2009) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• UPLINK Company (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Zootrope Films (2010) (France) (theatrical)
• Atlantic Film (2011) (Finland) (DVD)
• VH1 Classic (2009) (USA) (TV)
• VH1 Classic (2009) (USA) (video)
• Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) (2011) (Germany) (TV)
• Works UK Distribution, The (2009) (UK) (all media)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2010) (2012) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• 42West  publicity
• Hollywood-DI  HD Screening Services

Also Known As:

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:15A | USA:Unrated | Singapore:M18 | Japan:PG12 | Australia:M | UK:15 | Finland:K-11

Filming Locations:

Makuhari Messe, Makuhari, Tokyo, Japan

Quotes:

Steve 'Lips' Kudlow:I hear even the mayor of Transylvania is going to be there!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Green Hornet (2011)

Soundtrack:

Thumb Hang

"Famliy's important sh*t man."

From the Sundance Film Festival program:

"At 14, Toronto school friends Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner made a pact to rock together forever. Their band, Anvil, went on to become the "demigods of Canadian metal," releasing one of the heaviest albums in metal history, 1982's Metal on Metal. The album influenced a musical generation, including Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, that went on to sell millions of records. But Anvil's career took a different path - straight to obscurity.

Director Sacha Gervasi has concocted a wonderful and often hilarious account of Anvil's last-ditch quest for elusive fame and fortune. His ingenious film-making may first lead you to think this a mockumentary, but it isn't. Gervasi joined the legendary heavy-metal band as a roadie for a tour of Canadian hockey arenas, so he has intimate insight into the members' eccentricities. It's fascinating to see the reality of their day-to-day lives as they struggle to make ends meet, take a misguided European tour, and engage in antics on the road - which is not always lined with fans. Gervasi even finds a softer center to this raucous film, introducing us to band members' ever-supportive, but long-suffering, families. At its core, Anvil! The Story of Anvil is a timeless tale of survival and the unadulterated passion it takes to follow your dream, year after year. Anvil rocks - it has no other choice."

I saw this film at a special screening the first day of Sundance 2008 and I was blown away. This film is very watchable, even if you have no interest in metal music. It's fun, funny and emotional in a way that when it starts you are thinking "this can't be for real" then by the end it has drawn you in and made you a part of the band's struggle.

Already, I can tell it is going to be one of this year's best.