Metallica Documentary ‘Some Kind of Monster‘ Offers Unexpected Comfort Amidst Band Turmoil
LOS ANGELES – A documentary chronicling one of rock music’s most tumultuous periods, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, continues to resonate with fans and critics alike, offering a surprisingly uplifting viewing experience despite detailing the band’s internal struggles during the making of their 2003 album, St. Anger.Released in 2004, the film provides a raw and often humorous look at Metallica’s therapy sessions, creative clashes, and the eventual departure of bassist Jason Newsted, becoming a cult favorite for its unflinching honesty and unexpected levity.
The documentary’s enduring appeal lies in its depiction of a band grappling with dysfunction, addiction, and fractured relationships – themes relatable even outside the world of heavy metal. While St. Anger itself was critically panned and remains a controversial album within the Metallica catalogue, Some Kind of Monster transcends the music, offering a compelling study of human dynamics and the challenges of long-term collaboration. The film’s exploration of failure, coupled with moments of genuine humor, has cemented its status as a “feelgood” movie for manny, proving that even amidst chaos, there’s room for delight.
The film captures over 700 days of the band’s process, showcasing moments like james Hetfield‘s frustration with pencils (“I need a pen! None of this pencil shit!”) and Kirk Hammett experimenting with an electric nail buffer on his guitar. Lars Ulrich’s father, Torben, delivers a particularly blunt assessment of early album rushes: “If you saeid, ‘you were our adviser,’, I would say: ‘delete that.'” These instances, alongside glimpses into Hetfield’s struggles with alcoholism, abandonment issues, and guilt, and a poignant meeting between Ulrich and former bandmate Dave Mustaine (fired in 1983), contribute to the film’s complex emotional landscape.
Some Kind of Monster culminates with the completion of St. anger, a promotional video filmed at San Quentin prison, and a pervasive sense that the album is a critical failure, despite Ulrich’s optimistic declaration: “You can make something aggressive and fucked up with positive energy between the people creating it!” Despite the album’s reception, St. Anger has sold 6 million copies to date, prompting reflection on perceptions of success and artistic merit.
Ultimately, the film’s lack of a conventional redemptive arc, its embrace of schadenfreude, and its portrayal of a band navigating a challenging musical landscape have made it a lasting favorite, offering a unique and unexpectedly comforting viewing experience.
