July 16, 2004

The Blair Witch and "That Napster Suing Guy" are responsible for one of the best documentaries of the year.

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster probably wouldn't exist if it weren't for The Blair Witch. Joe Berlinger, an ad guy turned old-school documentarian, became part of one of the most respected documentary teams in the world when he and partner Bruce Sinofsky essentially self-distributed the now-classic Brother's Keeper and helped launch the push to get docs on theatrical screens again. The team followed their success with a doc for HBO, Paradise Lost: The Child Murders At Robin Hills, and then a "sequel" to that story. But Berlinger was interested in making a fictional feature. And after pitching Artisan Entertainment his idea, repeatedly, Artisan pitched him Blair Witch 2. As Berlinger tells it, he was the worst possible choice for the film, he had serious issues with the first film and he felt his principles actually would keep him from making the most commercial film possible. But they talked him into it and he talked them into his form-bending, satirical idea for a sequel. Unfortunately, after he shot and delivered his film, Artisan marketing decided they needed more "traditional" horror elements and reshot and recut the film. Disaster followed. And a distraught Joe Berlinger needed to get out of his house, off of his floor and on with his life.

Sinofsky and Berlinger dealt with Metallica while working on the Paradise Lost films - Metallica's music was a part of the case and the band generously made their music available and affordable. When horror stuck Berlinger, he and Sinofsky took on a gig they had previously avoided… making a commercial documentary/infomercial for Metallica's record company, Elektra.

But there was something going on in the Metallica family that was far more profound than simply the next record of a record-setting heavy metal band. One band member, the bassist, had split off after lead singer James Hetfield decided that this guy was not welcome to front a side band that was "more artistically fulfilling." The band hired an organizational therapist to help the band heal and learn to communicate.

Meanwhile, Hetfield and the guy with whom he shared leadership in the band, Lars Ulrich, were at each others throats. When Hetfield's rage eventually turned and he left a couple of months into the troubled recording situation to go to alcohol rehab, there was a real chance that Metallica was over. And Sinofsky & Berlinger were there.

But Elektra wasn't so thrilled to be footing the bill. And when Hetfield returned and things started looking up, the record company was ready to pull funding for any further shooting. And that's when "That Napster Suing Guy," Lars Ulrich, and the band, stepped up and gave Elektra their $2 million investment in the doc back and put in the next $2.5 million to finish the deal.

But how do you take two years of footage and make it into a movie? Well, the structure for the film hit the guys in the face, quite by surprise, when Metallica did rock press for the new album. The band members kept telling the story of how the album came to be, their therapy and turns of life very much a part of the story. And Joe & Bruce realized… "every story they are telling, we have on film." And they did. And now, we get to watch.

Berlinger and Sinofsky are good guys… down to earth… each quite distinct. They introduce themselves as sugar and spice. (Bruce is the sugar.) After three years and millions of dollars spent on Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, they are already back to work on a third part of the Robin Hills Child Murders.

A big part of their film is the evolution of the men in this enormously successful band. You get the feeling that Sinofsky & Berlinger have evolved as well. The whole machine spins around, but they seem calm and ready to make considered decisions and move forward with intent.

If you don't like Metallica (I don't), you should still see this film. It is bigger than any band or any type of music. It is human behavior, exposing itself. And in watching it, you will find yourself reflecting on unexpected parts of yourself. Rock on!

E ME: Sorry there's not more… very long Thursday. Have a great weekend. Let me know how it went. (No photos necessary!)