I'm a huge metal fan. Always have been, always will be. There's just something about the long hair, the outlandish costumes, the over-the-top machismo, the macabre lyrics, and the high intensity of the power chords that puts a big smile on my face. To me, bands like Black Sabbath, Metallica, Motorhead, Slayer, and Twisted Sister were more than just musicians: they were consummate showmen, doing more than just singing and playing instruments. They were the like the carnival act of the music world.
How mad I was at myself, then, that I had never heard of Anvil. A Canadian heavy metal band formed in 1978, Anvil was considered a seminal influence on greats like Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead, Slash of Guns 'n Roses, Scott Ian of Anthrax, and Lars Ulrich of Metallica. However, unlike their '70s and '80s contemporaries, Anvil never experienced true superstardom, despite having cult popularity and legions of dedicated fans across the world.
Despite releasing twelve studio albums, for the last twenty years Anvil has mostly played at small-time venues, still rocking hard despite their relative obscurity. However, a second chance at hitting it big arrived, and is chronicled in Anvil! The Story of Anvil, a touching, intimate, funny, and incredibly inspirational rockumentary from British director Sacha Gervasi (who actually served as one of the band's roadies for three tours during the 1980s).
The film starts with archival footage of the 1984 Super Rock festival held in Japan, with headlining acts including Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, the Scorpions, and Anvil. An onscreen title states that all of the acts went on to sell millions of records... except for Anvil. The band never went on to the success they strived for, and in the present day, they live "normal" lives, playing bars and tiny venues at night for little money (though their hardcore fans still show up).
Having been friends since they were fourteen, lead singer/guitarist Steve "Lips" Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner (no, not the director of the classic This is Spinal Tap, though some similarities can be drawn between the 1984 mockumentary and Anvil's story) made a pact to make it to the big time. Despite their mediocre success, the two remained together well into their fifties. They and their fellow band members have been going through financial difficulty, but still haven't given up on rocking hard.
Anvil! follows the band through a promising return to the limelight in a troubled European tour, money problems, a shaky production of their thirteenth album, and internal strife between Lips and Robb. But it's also a chronicle of human perserverance, chasing one's dreams, and never letting go of what you truly love. In a way, Anvil! is the non-fiction, music-themed answer to last year's The Wrestler, about the struggles of returning to one's glory days and true passions.
As the film progressed, I became more and more surprised at how I've never heard of Anvil. Several times throughout the movie, I caught myself banging my head to their songs (including their signature "Metal on Metal"). When the movie captures Anvil performing either in huge arenas or tiny bars, the cathartic joy on Kudlow and Reiner's faces says a million words: money or not, success or not, the presence of their loyal fans is all the reward they need.
Anvil! The Story of Anvil is a moving, uplifting, and highly entertaining look at an aging band's "never-say-die" attitude. The fans and the music are all that matter to them; it's what keeps them alive. At times hilarious, and at times incredibly heartbreaking (this reviewer became a little choked up a couple times throughout), but always inspirational, Anvil! The Story of Anvil not only goes to eleven, but it goes straight to your very soul.
Letter Grade: "A"
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