Superbit strikes again...this time for "Heavy Metal" fans (1 Viewer)

[Edwin-S]

Just as an aside to the argument over the relative merits (or lack therof) of the HEAVY METAL soundtrack. The movie was not named HEAVY METAL because of the music. It was named after the anthology comic magazine that inspired the movie. The movie was even structured the same way as the HEAVY METAL magazine. HEAVY METAL, as defined by the contents of the magazine, was a reference to the sex and extreme violence present in the comic. It was not a reference to a musical style.

 

[Kevin M]

The movie was not named HEAVY METAL because of the music. It was named after the anthology comic magazine that inspired the movie.

Yeah I was going to mention this fact but....what fun would that be?

 

[Dave H]

Kevin M,

It is very self-evident to me that anyone who states a judgement about music is making an opinion. I don't think it's necessary for anyone to have to say, "in my opinion..." Anyone who says "it has aged poorly" is obviously stating an opinion. There is a clear implication.
Hell, his entire review of the DVD is his opinion.

 

[Kevin M]

That's not the impression I was receiving Dave H, I was under the distinct impression that Colin was saying that despite his opinion of the music it was a fact that it hadn't dated well.
If I misunderstood his intention then I apologize but that is the impression I was getting from his statements.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Not in my searches, that connection is almost always discounted as it was referring to Biker Lore and not a musical style/culture.

But the phrase clearly entered the culture after "Born to Be Wild". Whether or not they intended it to refer to a form of music, Steppenwolf popularized the phrase itself. William Burroughs didn't intend "steely dan" to be a band - does that mean the reference still doesn't work?

 

[Kevin M]

Others have attempted to trace its origin to the words "heavy metal thunder" in the Steppenwolf song "Born to be Wild", or the William S. Burroughs story "The Heavy Metal Kid".

It seems no one is absolutely sure where it came from.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

So joking aside, are you honestly saying that you believe it to be a fact that this music is aging badly or are you simply stating it as an opinion? While this idea may be "self-evident" to DaveH that isn't the impression that I am getting from you, and you keep dancing around the question.

"Dancing Days" - now THERE'S a metal song for you!

 

[MarkHastings]

I do not know anyone personally who watches ANY extras ever

Then they obviously don't have an appreciation on how a movie is made. The 'extras' are to help you appreciate the movie and understand why certain things were done. While I agree that the overall quality should be the #1 requirement for a movie, putting extras on a 2nd disc makes the movie that much more interesting without hurting the quality of the movie.


And Colin, your comments are the exact reason why I don't listen to reviewers. Just tell me how the DVD is, don't give me an opinion on your personal music tastes because you lose a LOT of credibility (especially with the large population out there that are buying DVD that may feel otherwise about your damning comments) :rolleyes

 

[Colin Jacobson]

And Colin, your comments are the exact reason why I don't listen to reviewers. Just tell me how the DVD is, don't give me an opinion on your personal music tastes because you lose a LOT of credibility (especially with the large population out there that are buying DVD that may feel otherwise about your damning comments)

I lose credibility because I do my job and discuss my opinions of the material? So be it. Virtually every DVD reviewer also comments on the content, and I'm not going to lie about it and pretend to like something I hated. My opinions are my opinions, and they're part of the job.

If you don't want to read that part of the review, great - skip to the sections that discuss the quality of the disc itself. Neither I nor others force you to deal with that part of the article if you don't want to see it. I treat content quality and DVD quality separately, so just because I hate a movie, that doesn't mean I'll slam the disc if it's good. The two are totally unrelated to me...

 

[Kevin M]

Yep, I guess that is the best you can do....C'Est La Vie.
Happy hunting everyone.

 

[MarkHastings]

and I'm not going to lie about it and pretend to like something I hated.

So if I think Liv Tyler is ugly, I can give Lord of the Rings a horrible review?

If you don't like 70's & 80's metal, then fine, but if the movie requires that kind of music, then you should respect that and keep your insensitive comments to yourself. I would have no problem if you said that you weren't crazy about it, but to say "For some strange reason, the phrase "pathetically dated music" springs to mind" that just makes you sound arrogant and juvenile. A good reviewer needs to keep this in mind. I wish you reviewers would get off that high-horse and be more professional about it. :rolleyes

 

[Colin Jacobson]

If you don't like 70's & 80's metal, then fine, but if the movie requires that kind of music, then you should respect that and keep your insensitive comments to yourself. I would have no problem if you said that you weren't crazy about it, but to say "For some strange reason, the phrase "pathetically dated music" springs to mind" that just makes you sound arrogant and juvenile. A good reviewer needs to keep this in mind. I wish you reviewers would get off that high-horse and be more professional about it.

I'll express myself however I see fit, thank you very much. If you don't like that, it's your prerogative. Sometimes I and others feel the need to use forceful phrases to express our thoughts. In such cases, I'm not simply going to write some milquetoast review like "Hey, it didn't do much for me, but some people might like it." That'd be dull and useless, and I kind of doubt that you express yourself in that way when you chat about music/movies YOU dislike.

Personally, I think your referral to "you reviewers" about being on high horses and unprofessional sounds pretty darned arrogant and juvenile myself...

 

[Kevin M]

P.S. Just for the record, I never once said that I felt Colin's dislike for the music affected his technical review, I personally don't think it did...although I have to admit that I also raise an eyebrow at "Based on my comments from my original 1999 review, the new one demonstrated a significant improvement over the old release. Unfortunately, I got rid of that DVD years ago, so I couldn’t make direct comparisons between the two discs. Nonetheless, I believe that the Superbit version presented a significantly cleaner and superior image", that's a pretty large assumption, I read the older review and I didn't see any amazingly in depth description that could honestly lead to saying that it was a "significant improvement over the old release". I'm sure it is, considering the quality of the other Superbit titles, but that is nonetheless an assumption without a direct side by side comparison.

I personally wouldn't have made the call quite that way but then again it isn't my review & it isn't my site so it's a moot point at the end of the day.
(shrugs shoulders)

 

[MarkHastings]

I kind of doubt that you express yourself in that way when you chat about music/movies YOU dislike.

But chatting and reviewing are different. At my job, I have to always be professional. I can't just come right out and say "that sucks!", a statement like that has no point in a review. But if you don't want to be professional, that's fine with me.

I'm also not saying that you have to like the music, but there are better ways to write about your dislike for the music than the way you did. Why couldn't you have said that the music doesn't suit your tastes, but it works well for what the movie is marketed towards. I highly doubt that anyone looking for a review on Heavy Metal hates that kind of music and wouldn't appreciate a comment like "pathetically dated music".

 

[Colin Jacobson]

But if you don't want to be professional, that's fine with me.

Why, that's mighty big of you!:rolleyes

 

[TonyD]

i always thought that whomever was in the movie could also reflect on your opinion of the movie itself.

i don't like Meryl Streep. i dont know what it is. there is just something about her that when i see her in a movie it takes me right out of the illusion of the movie.

all i see is a person trying to pretend she is someone else. all i see is "oh look thats meryl streep."

i have enjoyed very few movies she is in therefor my opinion of a movie she is in will not be very high.
regardless of whether or not the majority thinks it's a classic.
like movies such as...French Lieutenant's Woman, and Kramer vs. Kramer and Silkwood.

if she is in it i know i won't like it.

 

[Kevin M]

I'm not the biggest Kevin Bacon fan out there but I thought he did a fine job in A Stir Of Echoes.
I despise Julia Roberts but I thought she turned in a pretty good performance in Erin Brokovich.

I try not to let my personal opinions of an actor color my opinion of what may just be a damn fine performance....I try not to at least.

 

[Edwin-S]

I would like to know why someone would re-review a film that he has stated a hatred for. I thought "MAGNOLIA" was a crappy film and I would never bother watching it again no matter how good the picture was on any re-release. As a teenager I thought HEAVY METAL was pretty good but looking at it now I do not think it has aged particularly well.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I would like to know why someone would re-review a film that he has stated a hatred for.

1) Guide for readers - better to have the person who saw the earlier disc review the new one so at least SOME internal consistency will exist;

2) Easy review to write;

3) You never know - opinions change, and I might have liked it more the second time...

 

[Edwin-S]

Reasonable explanation.