As long as there is a need for adolescent male sexual fantasy, there will be an audience for Heavy Metal. Released in 1981 and based on stories from the graphic magazine of the same name, this silly and senseless the movie is an aimless, juvenile amalgam of disjointed stories and clashing visual styles. Hundreds of animators from around the world were employed, resulting in a near-total absence of creative cohesion in the finished product. It remains, for better and worse, a midnight-movie favourite for the stoner crowd--a movie best enjoyed by randy adolescents or near-adults in an altered state of consciousness. With a framing story about a glowing green orb claiming to be the embodiment of all evil, the film shuttles through eight episodic tales of sci-fi adventure, each fuelled by some of the most wretched rock music to emerge from the late 1970s-early 80s period. The most consistent trademark is an abundance of blood-splattering violence and wet-dream sex, the latter involving a succession of huge-breasted babes who shed their clothes at the drop of a G-string. It's rampantly brainless desire to fuel the young male libido becomes rather fun, and for all its incoherence Heavy Metal impresses for the ambitious artistry of its individual segments. Produced by Ivan Reitman (who went on to direct Ghostbusters), the voice talents include several Canadian veterans of the Second City improvisation comedy troupe--including John Candy, Harold Ramis, Eugene Levy and Joe Flaherty--many of whom went on to greater fame on the US TV series Saturday Night Live. --Jeff Shannon
DVD Special Features Feature-length Rough Cut with Optional Commentary by Carl MacEk, Production notes Theatrical trailer Documentary: Imagining Heavy Metal Art Galleries Deleted Scenes, Carl MacEk reading his book "Heavy Metal: The Movie" 1:85:1 widescreen anamorphic Dolby Digital 5.1