Metallica: This Monster Lives: The Inside Story of Some Kind of Monster

I loved the Metallica documentary "Some Kind of Monster", and after I read the book, I loved the film even more. The book to me fills in all the right gaps that the film couldn't present - for sake of time only. I love to know how things work and operate, so I loved reading how filmmakers decide on a piece of work, how it's filmed, and then how the footage gets made into a masterpiece. What insight. Great book - Highly recommended!

In a time where sitting down and reading book is as rare as finding a good slice of pizza outside of New York; and attention span's are shorter than the line at a showing of Gigli, Joe Berlinger and Greg Milner's "This Monster Lives," certainly brought back a good reason to throw on your favorite pajama pants, grab a hot beverage, snuggle into that oh-so-comfortable spot on the couch, and lose yourself in a great piece of literature. "This Monster Lives," delves into the behind-closed-doors aspect of the movie Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, which was dreamt up and filmed by acclaimed documentary filmmakers Bruce Sinofsky and co-author of the book, Joe Berlinger. Berlinger and Sinofsky, best known for their HBO documentaries, Paradise Lost : The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, Paradise Lost 2: Revelations and Brother's Keeper, filmed rock band Metallica through what could quite easily be considered the roughest and bumpiest road in the Bay Area band's tumultuous career. "This Monster Lives," tells the story of how the idea of making a movie about Metallica came to be, how that idea became a reality, and how it didn`t become another This is Spinal Tap. Joe Berlinger and Greg Milner tactfully give us the insider's look at what it was like to work with one of the world's most successful rock bands of all time. From pitching the idea to the band and management to the red carpet premiere(s) of the movie, "This Monster Lives," lets the reader feel like they were there every step of the way, becoming absorbed into this world of rock 'n roll, filmmaking and yes, even therapy sessions. For someone who can't get through a magazine article without stopping mid-way through to go do something else, I felt compelled to read chapter after chapter until I found myself either late for work or looking up to see that it was 4am and I had to be up in a couple of hours. All in all, "This Monster Lives,' is certainly a great book for anyone that's ever had the strive to accomplish a seemingly impossible project. You don't have to be a musician, an author, a filmmaker or even a fan of Metallica to appreciate the art that both Metallica and Berlinger, Sinofksy and Milner have released. "This Monster Lives" did for books what Metallica has done for music. After reading it, you just might be able to find that good slice of pizza outside of New York.

As a fan of Metallica, deciding to watch the Some Kind of Monster (SKOM) documentary was a no-brainer. So was the decision to read the book, THIS MONSTER LIVES. After all, why not get a behind the scenes peak at what the documentary chronicles? This book, written by half the SKOM directorial team, is a fascinating read. I plowed through it relatively quickly. I would have read it at an even quicker pace, but at times I felt compelled to put it down. And that wasn't for the lack of interest, nor did it have anything to do with any negative reaction to the style of the writing. What it had to do with was the in-depth glimpse at the therapy sessions. Berlinger includes transcripts from specific therapy sessions that the members of Metallica had with (performance enhancement coach) Phil Towle. He also elaborates, throughout the book, on what we DIDN'T see in those sessions, and discusses why certain things made the cutting room floor. As a Metallica fan, these tidbits are interesting yet tough to read. It is sad to see just how close Metallica came to ceasing to exist. As a matter of fact, it is pointed out that during the filming of SKOM, it was realistic to say that there was no Metallica. As a film fan, or for someone who is into documentaries (watching them or making them), this book serves as a great tutorial. Berlinger uses some pages in the book's beginning to fill you in on his background (and Bruce Sinofsky's as well) as a filmmaker. He takes you through Brother's Keeper and the Paradise Lost films briefly, pointing out the challenges to making a successful documentary. Interestingly enough, throughout his discussions of the making of SKOM, he intertwines his other films, making comparisons to how he filmed Metallica and how decisions he and Sinofsky made in the past, effected SKOM. Reading this book did two things for me: 1.) It opened my eyes even wider [than the film did] as to what went on during Metallica's hiatus, therefore it touched me to see what James, Kirk and Lars, three men whom I have so much respect and admiration for, went through (Rob comes in at the end of the book, of course). 2.) It taught me a few things (all interesting) about documentaries and filmmaking. I recommend it to Metallica fans, but also to fans of film and music in general, especially if you have seen the movie.

So what do you do when you're a film maker that's just shot over 1600 hours of footage for the biggest heavy metal band on the planet and have assembled it into a highly praised documentary? You write a book about it, of course. Some may question, with the existence of the film Some Kind of Monster, what is the need for a book? Doesn't the film already tell us everything we may want to know? Well, that's not entirely true. While the book does cover same territory, it goes into a lot more depth behind what we see on screen and more on what we didn't. If the film is about a broken band struggling with the creative process, the book is about a film maker dealing with the exact same struggles he's documenting. I think anyone who's creative and has ever had to balance the tug of war between commerce and art will really get this. While Metallica fans will get a lot out of the details within, the average reader with an interest in the creative process and how the industry (music and film) can screw over the very people that keep it running is fascinating stuff. Joe Berlinger's rancor over the critically drubbed Blair Witch Project sequel (a bad idea to begin with), which he wrote and directed only to have the studio alter the final product, is sadly probably more common than most of us realize. That Metallica, who clearly have major control issues, feel a need to be creative and do what they feel - and yet understand that any serious misstep will also affect the lives and livelihood of all the people who are also a part of the 'monster'-puts unrealistic pressure on their work. It's no wonder they need a performance coach to help them get in touch with themselves and rediscover why they're in a band in the first place. It's too bad that even with all the honest intentions, the album St. Anger is not their best work (although it becomes more accessible after reading this book - something I didn't feel from the film).Berlinger really does a wonderful job of capturing the essence of certain moments, and his comments on what he thinks is really going on below the surface reveal the talent that enabled him to become an acclaimed documentary creator. Filming reality, without knowing what you're going to get is a lot harder to do than it sounds (unlike the unscripted contrivances that pass for 'reality' on TV). Turning that footage into an emotionally powerful work that transcends its base audience is something else altogether. Berlinger is also quick to credit his partner in crime Sinofsky, and the other members of the crew, which does a lot to save this book from coming across as a narcissistic pat on the back for a job well done. There's a lot of ego floating around in these pages, but it's kept in check for the most part.Pluses include Berlinger's admission that he played fast and loose with chronology at times in order to strengthen the narrative, filling in relevant details to events that couldn't be included in the film (due to length and/or breaking up

I had seen the movie, but the book goes much further. I read it in one sitting- I couldn't put it down. Anybody who loves documentary film will love this book. It goes way beyond the scenes in the film and gets into the heads of the filmmakers, Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky. A very original book- the photos are great too!