Author Topic: [Movie] Global Metal  (Read 3816 times)

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Offline Dr. DTVT

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[Movie] Global Metal
« on: December 17, 2009, 10:31:07 PM »
Link to Amazon (which is where I purchased it from): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00267N3FO/ref=oss_T15_product

Global Metal is a documentary film by Sam Dunn, who's other (more known) works are "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" https://www.amazon.com/Metal-Headbangers-Journey-Chris-Adler/dp/B000EGEJIY/ref=pd_bxgy_d_text_b (his first film) and the documentary portion of "Iron Maiden: Flight 666" https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Maiden-Flight-666/dp/B001W63DX2/ref=pd_bxgy_d_text_c.  To bring everyone up to speed on who Sam Dunn is, he is an anthropologist with a Master's Degree, and a metal head.  In his first film he set about to interview metal musicians and fans to explore metal's roots and influences, but he focuses mainly on American and European metal.  While his first film is entertaining and very informative, most of the information presented would be either known or easily obtained by a metal head.  "Global Metal" is a look at how seven different cultures: Brazilian, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian, Jerusalem, and the Middle Eastern have been introduced to heavy metal; how those cultures have integrated, embraced, or opposed metal; in some cases how those cultures have put their own spin on metal; and what metal means to those cultures.  Much like in Dunn's first film, and more so in "Global Metal", what really makes this documentary great are the interviews, from the well known (Max Cavalera, ex-Sepultura for the Brazilian segment; Marty Friedman, ex-Megadeth for the Japanese segment), to the local metal fans and musicians who are among their culture's first wave of metal heads.  Without going into too much detail on each segment, the Brazilian segment focused on why metal is popular in Brazil (there is even a mall dedicated solely to heavy metal  :metal ); the Indian segment focused on how metal is a way for Indians to express themselves in a culture where social norms expect deference to their elders and traditional song and dance; the Japanese segment was on how metal became popular in Japan (you can too, listen to Deep Purple's Made in Japan), and how the Japanese culture does not use metal as an outlet of rage and anger, while making it their own - just check out this Death Panda teaser https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxPhIGzGH8E.  The Chinese segment focused on the emerging Chinese metal community.  The Indonesian segment focused on how metal music is made by and for a largely Muslim population, and how their music reflects the struggles of everyday life, where the gap between the have's and have not's is very stark and wide.  The section on Jerusalem featured metal bands from the city (most of them Jewish), and their struggle for acceptance in a city that is holy to many religions.  The Middle Eastern section came about because many Iranian metal heads had contacted Sam after his first documentary, but after failing to get a visa to enter Iran, settled on a metal festival in Dubai, where he interviewed some Iranian and other Middle Eastern fans.  This section focused on how the oppressive religious police in Iran and Saudi Arabia have driven the fans underground and how they are only just starting to discover metal.

In many ways, I find "Global Metal" to be Dunn's finest film.  I have left out many details as to not ruin the experience for you, but the film is very informative, has excellent music, and the interviewees are very passionate about metal music, and proud of their region's form of metal.  Even with the extras, I really wished some of the sections were longer, as I felt like there was a lot left on the table, particularly with the Indonesian and Jerusalem sections - however most people probably would not want to sit through a 6 hour film like I would.

Being exposed to wide variety of cultures through grad school made me realize that world is full of interesting, friendly, and engaging people we have many misconceptions about.  "Global Metal" shows that the world will soon be full of people who are  :metal .

Overall rating: 4.5/5
« Last Edit: December 17, 2009, 11:00:39 PM by dreamtheatervt »
     

Offline skydivingninja

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Re: [Movie] Global Metal
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2009, 04:07:01 PM »
That sounds really cool actually.  I'll be on the lookout for it.  When is he gonna get back to work on that Rush documentary?  :metal

Offline Darkes7

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Re: [Movie] Global Metal
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2009, 05:15:47 PM »
Since I liked "The Headbanger's Journey" a lot, that sounds very interesting for me and I'll check it out when I have the chance. Thanks for recommendation ;)

Oh, and the necessary :2metal: :D

Offline Dr. DTVT

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Re: [Movie] Global Metal
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2010, 04:53:52 PM »
Bump to say that as great as it was, Global Metal is still Dunn's best work, even after the fabulous Rush documentary "Beyond the Lighted Stage".