Review of Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008) by Fredrick S — 11 Nov 2011

Anvil: The Story of Anvil opens with grainy footage of a heavy metal band playing to an exuberant crowd of Japanese headbangers at Super Rock '84, alongside megasellers Scorpions, White Snake, and Bon Jovi.

Through interviews, Guns N' Roses guitarist/god Slash and Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich praise a Canadian band called Anvil; a drummer casts massive spells of drum rolls throughout the frolicking Japanese crowd - probably throughout universe, also - and a guitarist in bondage gear plays his axe with a vibrator! They all wonder the same thing: what happened to this incredibly talented band that should have made it? Over twenty years later; we are privy to where Anvil ended up.

Guitarist Steve "Lips" Kudlow, sans bondage gear, drives trucks for a Scarborough-based food delivery service called Children's Choice Catering, while drummer Robb Reiner works at a construction site; a far different path than Bon Jovi.

The Story of Anvil documents their hilarious - but grievous - 2007 tour attempt across Europe. The follies are devastating: missed connections, lost in the Czech Republic, a scuffle with a bar owner refusing to pay them for being late, running out of money.

And a final performance at a concert called Monsters of Transylvania in a 10,000 seat venue. They are promised a crowd of at least 5,000 - only 174 show up. Unlike the 1988 Penelope Spheeris doc The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years - a sad meditation on the decadent 1980s Los Angeles hair metal scene - Story of Anvil does not look down on its subjects.

Lovingly filmed by fan/ex-roadie Sacha Gervasi, the band is immensely loveable: you seriously come to unconditionally love these people and their dreams. This doc is about the pure unironical/uncynical love of the music.

And the perseverance of relationships. Especially friendship. There is a beautiful scene near the end - under Japanese cherry blossoms - where Robb and Lips finally realize their hapless permanence to each other: and they aren't saddened by it.

It really took my breath away for a second.