It should serve as no surprise that heavy metal and horror go hand in hand. If there’s horror there’s bound to be a heavy metal fan. If there’s heavy metal, you’re sure to come across at least a dozen hardcore horror geeks. But why do the music and the genre work so well together? Mike Schiff’s documentary “The History of Metal and Horror” is a great look at the history of the genre and the roots of heavy metal that are deeply embedded in the roots of horror. Schiff leaves no stone unturned going back to medieval times and dropping us right down in to modern times.
Author Archives: Felix Vasquez
Five More of My Favorite Fictional Movie Rock Bands
It’s that time of year again and since I haven’t continued in my quest to list all of my favorite fictional movie rock bands, I thought a sequel would be only appropriate. These are five more of my favorite fictional movie rock bands from past and present. While I took some liberties stretching the definition of rock and roll, I think this list holds up. Continue reading
Making Of Michael Jackson’s Thriller (1983)
1983’s “Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller” is a documentary I watched so much as a kid. I fondly recall my uncle owning a copy of it on VHS and while he lived with me and my family, we’d sit down with him and watch this almost everyday. Despite it being a pretty basic documentary by today’s standards, for 1983, “Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller” was humongous. Not only was it a look behind the scenes of the biggest video of 1983 and perhaps of all time, but it was an important video release that changed pretty much everything.
Thriller 40 (2023)
It’s such a breath of fresh air to watch something about Michael Jackson that is about the artist. “Thriller 40” is a ninety minute look in to the making of Michael Jackson’s historic album “Thriller” and how much it influenced a generation. As well director Nelson George digs in to how it continues to influence generations both far and wide, and the way every movement within the album was a calculated bit by Jackson to completely boost his status from superstar to near deity proportions. “Thriller 40” is a marvelous documentary that gets down to the nitty gritty of the making of “Thriller.”
Living Hardcore: “School of Rock” at 20
One of the reasons I’ve been such a rabid fan of Richard Linklater over the years is that he’s able to jump back and forth between excellent indie films, to accessible mainstream films. It’s amazing that the same man that gave us the cerebral existential masterpiece “Waking Life” is the same guy that gave us the rock and roll classic “School of Rock.” Linklater’s family comedy is not just a musical gem, but also one that manages to appeal to the genius of classic rock.
Now and Then: the Last Beatles Song (2023)
Oliver Murray’s “Now and Then” is not only a testament to the continued unending popularity of the Beatles, but to the genius that technology is capable of. In a year where AI has officially stirred up a humongous debate among artists, “Now and Then” is a great exploration of how Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr implemented groundbreaking technology to produce one last outing with their dearly departed friend John Lennon.
Here Comes a New Challenger (2023)
Oliver Harper’s origin of the iconic “Street Fighter” video game is just the right rush of nostalgia that gamers and nineties kids just might end up loving. As someone who was notoriously bad at the game but still loved it, “Here Comes a New Challenger” is a wonderful deep dive in to the making of a franchise that impacted pop culture greatly. While some may be put off at the notion of this documentary Harper spends a lot of time on exploring what inspired the initial video game, and shockingly a lot of it is derived from the movies.