In the lead up to the 7th Canadian Film Festival in Australia (August 2012), join us as we countdown the Top 100 Canadian Films of the past 30 years. We'll be posting one film a day leading up to Canada Day on July 1st 2012. Do you agree with our team favourites? Let us know your thoughts!
Lemmy, Slash, Lars and a slew of other heavy metal icons hold Anvil up, in many ways, as the pioneers of speed metal. Bands like Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth were either inspired by Anvil or “ripped them off and left them for dead”, depending on who you talk to.
So who on earth are Anvil?
Back in the 80s, Canadian metal band Anvil were unlike anything anyone had seen or heard before. Steve “Lips” Kudlow took to the stage in bondage harnesses, they played a Flying V guitar with a dildo, and they were as fast as hell. In 1984, they headlined the Super Rock Festival in Japan with Bon Jovi, Scorpions and Whitesnake, bands which all went on to sell millions of records…except Anvil. So the question begs, what happened?
Anvil! The Story of Anvil catches up with the band in 2009 to see what they have been up to, and what went wrong; Lips, the driving force of the band, is now driving trucks for Children’s Choice Catering while Robb Reiner, Anvil’s drummer, works in construction. And while they have never stopped playing, and have a band of loyal fans at their local haunts, Anvil just never turned out to be the enormous success that so many people thought they would be.
The documentary features interviews with the band members and their families and friends, and footage of them on a disastrous comeback tour in Europe. Organised by a fan, the tour delivers none of the promised crowds, or accommodation, or cash, and ends with them playing to 174 people in a 10,000 seater stadium. It’s almost hard to believe you aren’t watching Canada’s answer to This is Spinal Tap.
But through all the ups and downs, shitty gigs and debt, what becomes apparent is how they have managed to stay together for so long - the optimism and spirit of the band, particularly Lips, is relentless and infectious. They have strong support from their friends and families (Lips’ sister even lends him £12,000 to record their next album), and the band members are like brothers. Sure they fight, but they’re friends for life.
If you ever wanted to see the most earnest example of the Canadian spirit, these guys have it in bucketfuls. And even if you don’t like heavy metal music, by the end you’ll want to buy their album just to show them your support.
Watch this one with friends, start a band and never give up! ROCK!
- Karina Libbey
“See Anvil! if you love heavy metal, because these guys are legends. See Anvil! if you don't love heavy metal because this story is legendary.” - Giles Hardie, Sydney Morning Herald
To see the other films in the countdown so far, click here.