Heavy Metal (1981)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Tim S

  
  Giving Ralph Bakshi a run for his money, the Canadian filmmaking team of Ivan Reitman, Harold Ramis, Eugene Levy and John Candy (among many others) got together to create Heavy Metal. Based on the graphics magazine of the same name, this rock and roll animated orgy of sleaze and… More
  Giving Ralph Bakshi a run for his money, the Canadian filmmaking team of Ivan Reitman, Harold Ramis, Eugene Levy and John Candy (among many others) got together to create Heavy Metal. Based on the graphics magazine of the same name, this rock and roll animated orgy of sleaze and science fiction is a feast for the senses. Carrying one of the greatest hard rock soundtracks in the history of cinema, it's filled to the brim with killer licks from the likes of Black Sabbath, Blue Oytster Cult, Devo, Sammy Hagar and Nazareth. The animation is stellar, the voice acting is superb and the stories are intriguing enough depsite the genre they originate from. Sure it leans more heavily toward male appeal, and perhaps that's mostly why it appeals to me, but I enjoy it every time I see it. It's still just as filthy and engaging as it was in 1981.

• Jacob E

  
  This movie is bad. Seriously, it's really not that good at all. The animation hasn't aged very well, the voice acting ranges from good to terrible, and the plot is about as existent as the clothing on females in this film (and if you look at the poster, that should give you… More
  This movie is bad. Seriously, it's really not that good at all. The animation hasn't aged very well, the voice acting ranges from good to terrible, and the plot is about as existent as the clothing on females in this film (and if you look at the poster, that should give you an idea of how thin that really is). So why give it even 3 stars then? Simple, the soundtrack. Seriously, the soundtrack saves this movie and gives it a pop art/music video vibe that almost makes sense. With Sammy Hagar, Journey, Blue Oyster Cult, Black Sabaath and Dio, Grand Funk Railroad, Devo, and more. One other benefit of watching this film is that watching the 1997 film "The Fifth Element" becomes a lot more interesting, considering that its practically a live-action adaptation of this film. Watch this, but only once.

• Emily A

  
  I'm glad I saw this, but I'm not in a huge rush to see it again. I'm not usually one to rip on a movie for being puerile (I am after all a big fan of Drop Dead Fred), but there was little except boobs and monsters holding this movie together. I had heard the soundtrack… More
  I'm glad I saw this, but I'm not in a huge rush to see it again. I'm not usually one to rip on a movie for being puerile (I am after all a big fan of Drop Dead Fred), but there was little except boobs and monsters holding this movie together. I had heard the soundtrack to Heavy Metal 2000 before, and I was expecting much more from the score of this movie. Watching this though, it seemed like they just played the same song over and over. The animation is quite beautiful, but it pales in comparison to other examples of the era. I don't really understand the story here; they're six separate tales that seem to centre around a glowing extraterrestrail orb that seems to exist only to fuck with people's days. I really wanted to get on board with this movie, but I just never could. Oh well.

• Cameron S

  
  After the 2 hour search for this film with my uncle I was hoping that it would live up to my expectations, it of course, did. I feel that there are a few great little stories in this film, mainly the WW2 fighter pilot one and the future cab driver one. The rest of the stories, for me,… More
  After the 2 hour search for this film with my uncle I was hoping that it would live up to my expectations, it of course, did. I feel that there are a few great little stories in this film, mainly the WW2 fighter pilot one and the future cab driver one. The rest of the stories, for me, are a bit hit or miss, I found myself enjoying some but in others I thought everything went on a bit to long. Overall an enjoyable film full of sex and violence.

• Jeff "

  
  I had heard many things about this film. The film had been recommended to me by friends who told me that I would really enjoy this film to the fact that I have a passion for Horror, Sci Fi and heavy metal and rock music. They were right. But I would never get around to watching it. I… More
  I had heard many things about this film. The film had been recommended to me by friends who told me that I would really enjoy this film to the fact that I have a passion for Horror, Sci Fi and heavy metal and rock music. They were right. But I would never get around to watching it. I was showed the B-17 segment, and I was sold. As a matter of fact, the B-17 story is one of my personal favorites of the entire film. One of favorite things about the film is of course the rock and metal soundtrack. Heavy Metal is a film that combines different genres of cinema into one film (Sci Fi, Fantasy, Horror and comedy) into one film. The films multiple genres gives it an awesome edge to the medium and it works incredibly well, due to the fact that each segment has the Loc Nair plot device to jump from one segment to the next. Heavy Metal can also be seen as an anthology of stories very much like Creepshow. The vast genres this film covers is truly remarkable and simply brilliant. The films flaws are so limited that you can forgive its imperfections due to the strong story segments. Watching Heavy Metal is a unique experience. I was stunned at the artistry and how well everything was drawn. I've always loved art, and this is sublime work. Even if it's got excessive cartoon nudity, who cares? I actually didn't care much for it, I thought it was cool of course, but the aspects of the film that really stood out for me was the art, soundtrack and the talented voice cast. Plus the the intricate plots were very good. Heavy Metal may seem as a child's cartoon at first, but it definitely isn't. Heavy Metal is a multitude of difference Sci Fi, fantasy and horror plots, laced with comedy, this is a phenomenal film. A well drawn adventure, the art is sublime and the segments have something for fans of Sc Fi, fantasy and horror. Heavy Metal is an intense, unique film going experience that I can only recommend to true cinema buffs with open minds.

• AJ V

  
  A fantastic animated sci-fi horror adventure movie with awesome heavy metal music. One of my favourite adult animated films. An awesome movie.

• Chris W

  
  I can't believe it took me so long to finally see this. I had been wanting to see it for quite some time in general, having read and enjoyed a few issues of the magazine, and being a fan of hard rock and heavy metal, but the South Park episode "Major Boobage" really got… More
  I can't believe it took me so long to finally see this. I had been wanting to see it for quite some time in general, having read and enjoyed a few issues of the magazine, and being a fan of hard rock and heavy metal, but the South Park episode "Major Boobage" really got me wanting to see it. The big push that finally led to me tracking down a copy and watching it though is the unfortunate death of Dan O'Bannon, who was reported dead earlier today (12-18-09). The animation is top notch- maybe slightly dated by today's standards, but great looking nonetheless. The music (both the score by Elmer Bernstein and the soundtrack by Black Sabbath, Sammy Hagar, Devo, et al) are fantastic. I heard shades of what would later become parts of Bernstein's score for Ghostbusters, and there's nothing wrong with that. While I'm not really into the rock music from the era in which this movie came out (being more of a fa nof stuff before and after this era), which is the stuff on the soudtrack, I liked it. In context, it fits the mood, spirit, and atmosphere perfectly. This is a wild, fun, and funny sci-fi and fantasy anthology collection featuring lots of sex, violence, gore, and nudity. The voice acting is awesome, with John Candy, Harold Ramis, and EUgene Levy stealing the show. Everything is over the top, and extremely entertaining. As much as I enjoyed it, I can't help but wonder if seeing it in an altered state would add to the greatness...perhaps I'll have to try it sometime. Bottom line: this is a high water mark for adult oriented animated films that deserves to be seen.

• Conner R

  
  Outrageous, yet perfect; I never thought I'd see so much nudity and gore/disintegrations in an animated movie. The stories are all really cool in their own way and keep you entertained. It's just 90 minutes of insanity. The animation is great, even now, I only wish… More
  Outrageous, yet perfect; I never thought I'd see so much nudity and gore/disintegrations in an animated movie. The stories are all really cool in their own way and keep you entertained. It's just 90 minutes of insanity. The animation is great, even now, I only wish they'd use this style more. I feel that this is the best adult animated movie ever.

• Curtis L

  
  Got pretty darn bored, and pretty darn tired of cartoon boobs.

• James A

  
  2 stars just for the use of Mob Rules and Sammy Hagar song Heavy Metal. The lack of 3 stars will be due to horrible animation and really bad story.

• Jason S

  
  This is a good music based anthology movie but not all of the segments are great.

• Derek D

  
  I remember being a kid and loving this film as it included graphic violence and a shitload of T&A! Can't ask for much more than that, except for the voice talents of a slew of future stars. Incredible animation and interesting storylines make this one of the best animated… More
  I remember being a kid and loving this film as it included graphic violence and a shitload of T&A! Can't ask for much more than that, except for the voice talents of a slew of future stars. Incredible animation and interesting storylines make this one of the best animated features ever. Too bad the magazine went to shit.

• Lafe F

  
  When I was a wee-lad, I wanted to see this movie badly; when I finally did, I found it boring, sexy, badly drawn, and not my kind of music. I preferred "Rock and Rule"!

• Dean M

  
  Not bad episodie animation which is wild based on the adult comic.

• Fascade F

  
  Whoever read the sci-fi magazine already knows the imminent wealth of this cartoon classic...Harry the cab driver is here.....just don't get into his cab and piss him off ! LOL! See this classic...it is an sci-fi anime jem.

• Danny R

  
  A animated cult classic based upon the adult fantasy magazine of the same name, with a innovative mixture of different animation styles. An anthology of stories which are very original and very entertaining. The central premise of the film is that of good vs. evil, the story concerns… More
  A animated cult classic based upon the adult fantasy magazine of the same name, with a innovative mixture of different animation styles. An anthology of stories which are very original and very entertaining. The central premise of the film is that of good vs. evil, the story concerns a green orb called the "Loc Nar" which holds a super powerful entity of pure evil, which is involved in each of the six vignettes beginning with "Harry Canyon" about tough N.Y.C. cabbie in a dark distant future, full of gangsters, corrupt cops and femme fatales, "Den" about a nerdy teenager transported to another world of big-breasted women and monsters, as a hulking muscleman, My personal favorite is "Captain Sternn" which is a hilarious story full of wit and chaos, Captain Lincoln F. Sternn is a sleazy scoundrel who is on trail for his life, for his many heinous indiscretions, and has the perfect plan to win, a character witness named Hanover Fiste, "B-17" is a creepy segment that captures the flavor of the old E.C. comics, it concerns a flight crew of a bomber in World War II who encounter the evil power of the "Loc Nar" in the form of the living dead, "So Beautiful, So Dangerous" is full of juvenile humor, it is about a couple of wacky, stoner aliens that pilot a gigantic smiley face spaceship, they abduct a sexy hot jewish secretary, that befriends a little horny robot, and finally "Tarrna" about a stunning voluptuous and lethal mute warrior woman who is mankind's last hope to vanquish evil. Elemer Bernstein's lush score is superb, the film also has a amazing 80s rock soundtrack that includes music from Black Sabbath, Blue Osyster Cult, Cheap Trick, Devo, Donald Fagen, Journey, Nazareth and Stevie Nicks. There is much inspired imagination here, robustly entertaining. Highly Recommended.

• Alec B

  
  Maybe if I saw it in the 80s with my high school friends while I was stoned out of my mind, the film would serve as a great nostalgia trip. Whenever I hear all those generation Xers talk about this movie, that's really all I hear, and now that I have seen it, it is really just… More
  Maybe if I saw it in the 80s with my high school friends while I was stoned out of my mind, the film would serve as a great nostalgia trip. Whenever I hear all those generation Xers talk about this movie, that's really all I hear, and now that I have seen it, it is really just stupid in so many ways. The soundtrack and score are undeniably great, but the rest of the movie makes no damn sense to me. Oh well, maybe I'll try it high next time . . .

• Ed Fucking H

  
  Another example of a movie from my childhood that holds up as an adult (I actually think I liked it even better this time.) The animations are really awesome. The stories are all badass featuring a healthy mix of dystopian science fiction, fantasy and horror. The soundtrack is a bit… More
  Another example of a movie from my childhood that holds up as an adult (I actually think I liked it even better this time.) The animations are really awesome. The stories are all badass featuring a healthy mix of dystopian science fiction, fantasy and horror. The soundtrack is a bit of a disappointment, but it kind of works anyways. And every female character has ginormous boobs. Kind of dumb in a lot of ways, but do I care? Nope.

• Lee K

  
  Freaking cool animated flick that is better to watch under the influence or not its all good, featuring alot of the guys from s.c.t.v lending their vocals for.

• Buddy A

  
  If male fantasies ever confuse you, watch this film. It explains it better than any other. This is also a great example of American animation in its hey day. Plus, Elmer Bernstein's score is amazingly brilliant, and is worth watching the movie for by itself. This is in addition… More
  If male fantasies ever confuse you, watch this film. It explains it better than any other. This is also a great example of American animation in its hey day. Plus, Elmer Bernstein's score is amazingly brilliant, and is worth watching the movie for by itself. This is in addition to the awesome songs.

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