Heavy Metal - The 1981 adult animated film
Heavy Metal is a sci-fi and fantasy animated film for adults of Canadian and American production in 1981, directed by Gerald Potterton, produced by Ivan Reitman and Leonard Mogel, the editor of Heavy Metal magazine, which was the basis of the film. The screenplay was written by Daniel Goldberg and Len Blum.
The film is a set of various science fiction and fantasy stories, linked by the single theme of the force of evil which is "the sum of all evils". It was adapted from Heavy Metal magazine and original stories in the same spirit. Like the magazine, the film features a great deal of violence, sexuality and nudity. Its production was accelerated by the fact that several animation houses were working on different segments at the same time. Despite positive and mixed reviews from film critics about its initial release, the film was a modest box office success and has since achieved cult status.
In 2000, the sequel entitled Heavy Metal 2000 was released.
The episodes of the film
Episode # 01: "Soft Landing "
Based on the comic by Dan O'Bannon and Thomas Warkentin.
The story opens with a Space Shuttle orbiting the Earth. The bay doors open, releasing a Corvette. An astronaut sitting in the car then begins to descend through Earth's atmosphere, landing in a desert canyon.
Episode # 02: "Grimaldi "
In the plot, the astronaut Grimaldi arrives at the house, where he is greeted by his daughter. He says he has something to show her. When it opens its case, a green, crystalline sphere rises and melts it. He presents himself to the terrified girl as "the sum of all evils". By examining the globe known as Loc-Nar, the girl sees how it has affected societies over time and space. At the end of the film (the Epilogue), the theme of the anthology returns to the girl's house.
Episode # 03: "Harry Canyon "
Original Story by Daniel Goldberg and Len Blum; based on The long tomorrow by Moebius.
In a dystopian and crime-ridden New York in 2031, cynical cab driver Harry Canyon recounts his film noir day, complaining about his fares and frequent robbery attempts that contrasts with a disintegrator installed in the back of his seat. He runs into an incident in which he saves a sexy young woman from Rudnick, a gangster who killed her father. She explains that her father discovered Loc-Nar and that they have been relentlessly persecuted by people trying to get it. Harry takes her to his apartment, where they have sex. He decides to sell the Loc-Nar to Rudnick and share the money with Harry. Rudnick is disintegrated by Loc-Nar at the exchange and attempts to trick Harry into keeping the money for himself. When she draws a gun, Harry uses the disintegrator on her. He keeps the money and summarizes the incident as a "two-day ride with a hellish tip."
Episode # 04: "Den "
Based on the character of the same name created by Richard Corben.
A nerdy teenager finds a "green meteorite" near his home and places it in his rock collection. During an experiment with lightning, the orb hurls the boy into the world of Neverwhere, where he transforms into a muscular, naked, bald, well-endowed man called Den, which stands for his earthly name, David Ellis Norman. Den witnesses a strange ritual, the rescue of a beautiful, young woman who was about to be sacrificed to Uhluhtc by another woman. Reached safety, she introduces herself as Katherine Wells of the British colony of Gibraltar. As she demonstrates her gratitude with sexual favors, they are interrupted by the minions of Ard, an immortal man who wants to get Loc-Nar for himself. When Den is brought in to see Ard, Den asks to see Katherine, but Ard orders his men to castrate Den. Den fights Ard's soldiers and shoots Ard, but since Ard is immortal, he heals immediately. Den asks where the girl is and Ard shows him that she is sleeping, encased in glass under a spell in which only Ard can wake her. Offers Den a deal; take the Loc-Nar from the queen and bring it to him and he will release the girl to Den. Den agrees and infiltrates the palace with Norl, Ard's best soldier. Den and another of Ard's servants are promptly captured by the Queen's guards, but she offers leniency as long as Den loves her. He responds, thus distracting the queen as the raiding party steals the Loc-Nar. Den escapes and runs back to save Katherine from Ard. By recreating the lightning-fast incident that brought him to Neverwhere, he is able to banish Ard and the queen. Den's voiceover makes him suspect they've been teleported to Earth. Refusing the opportunity to take Loc-Nar for himself, Den rides with Katherine into the sunset, content to stay in Neverwhere. As for the Loc-Nar, it ascends into the sky and lands on a space station where it is picked up by a person.
Episode # 05: "Captain Sternn "
Based on the character of the same name created by Bernie Wrightson.
On a space station, corrupt space captain Lincoln F. Sternn is on trial on several serious charges filed by the prosecutor consisting of 12 counts of first degree murder, 14 counts of Federation-owned armed robbery, 22 counts of high-space piracy, 18 counts of fraud, 37 counts of rape and one poignant violation. Pleading "not guilty" against the advice of his attorney Charlie, Sternn explains that he expects to be acquitted because he bribed a witness named Hannover Fiste. Fiste takes a stand after being called by the prosecutor, but his perjury is subverted when the now marble-sized Loc-Nar lets him blurt out highly incriminating claims about Sternn (though any of them are true or not are unknown) before transforming him into a massive muscular form that chases Sternn throughout the station, breaking through the bulkheads and wreaking havoc. Eventually, he corner Sternn, who gives him the promised reward, and promptly retracts to his original lanky form. Sternn opens a trap door under Fiste, ejecting him into space. Loc-Nar enters Earth's atmosphere with Fiste's severed hand in flames still clinging to it.
Episode # 06: "B17 ″
A World War II B-17 bomber nicknamed the Pearl of the Pacific carries out a difficult bombing raid with severe damage and casualties. As the bomber returns home battered, the co-pilot returns to check on the crew. Finding nothing but corpses, he notices the Loc-Nar following the plane. Informed the pilot, he returns to the cockpit when the Loc-Nar crashes into the plane and revives the dead crew members as zombies. The co-pilot is killed, while the pilot parachutes in time. He lands on an island where he finds a graveyard of airplanes from various eras, along with the zombified aviators of the destroyed planes, surrounding him, defining the fate of the horrified pilot.
Episode # 07: "So Beautiful & So Dangerous "
Based on the Angus McKie comic of the same name.
Dr Anrak, a prominent scientist, arrives at the Pentagon for a meeting on the mysterious mutations that are plaguing the United States. At the meeting, the doctor tries to dismiss the events. When she sees the Loc-Nar in Gloria's locket, a beautiful curvy stenographer, he begins to behave erratically and sexually assaults her. A colossal spaceship pierces the roof and kidnaps the doctor and, by mistake, Gloria. The ship's robot is irritated with Anrak, who is actually a malfunctioning android, but his mood changes when he sees Gloria. With the help of the ship's alien pilot Edsel and co-pilot Zeke, the robot convinces Gloria to stay aboard and have "robotic sex". Meanwhile, Edsel and Zeke snort a huge amount of a powdered drug called Plutonian Nyborg before flying home, isolating themselves in the cosmos. Too drunk to fly straight, they crash unscathed into a huge space station.
Episode # 08: "Taarna "
Original Story by Daniel Goldberg and Len Blum; based on Arzach of Moebius.
Loc-Nar, now the size of a giant meteor, crashes into a volcano on another world and attracts a large mass of onlookers. When they start climbing the volcano, it erupts and the green slime covers the crowd, turning them into an evil barbarian army. The mutants subsequently attack a nearby city of peaceful scholars. Desperate, the city leaders mentally summon the Taarakians, a once powerful but declining warrior race with whom the city had a deal, but the city falls before the call can be answered.
Taarna, a beautiful warrior and the last of the Taarakians, is summoned and, having ritually prepared herself, she and her giant eagle fly to the besieged city, only to find the dead citizens. Determined to avenge them, she begins to track their assassins and meets a small band of mutant barbarians. After killing them, and with more information on hand, she travels to the mutant camp, but she and her eagle are captured.
Taarna is tortured and thrown into an open pit, unconscious. His eagle flees and saves her. She tries to go towards Loc-Nar, but the mutants chase her and take her down. The mutant leader confronts Taarna in a duel to the death, wounding her, but Taarna manages to kill him. With their last strength, Taarna and her companion make a deadly flight to the volcano. As they approach, the Loc-Nar warns her, arguing that sacrificing herself would be useless. Ignoring Loc-Nar, Taarna unleashes the power imbued in her sword and dives into the volcano, destroying Loc-Nar.
Episode # 09: "Epilogue"
At the end of the story, the Loc-Nar who was terrorizing the girl explodes, destroying the mansion in the process. Taarna's reborn mount appears outside and Taarna flies away happily on it. It is then revealed that Taarna's soul has reincarnated in the girl, transforming her into a new Taarakian.
Production
Animator Robert Balser directed the “Den” animated sequence for the film.
The film uses the rotoscoping technique of animation in multiple shots. This process consists of shooting models and actors, then tracing the shot on film for animation purposes. The B-17 bomber was actually fired using a 10-foot (3m) replica, which was then animated. Additionally, Taarna was drawn in rotoscoping, using model Carole Desbiens for the animated character. During the development of this film, Canadian animation studio Nelvana Limited was offered the opportunity to work on Heavy Metal , but they turned down their offer, working on their first motion picture instead, Rock & Rule .
Fantasy illustrator Chris Achilleos designed and painted the iconic promotional poster image, commissioned in 1980, which features the central character Taarna on his bird-like steed. That artwork continues to be used for the home video releases. Achilleos also did some conceptual design work for the character of Taarna.
Music
The soundtrack was released on LP in 1981, but for legal reasons it was not released on CD until 1995. The album peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200 chart. The theme song of the film, "Heavy Metal (Takin 'a Ride)" was sung by Don Felder. It was released as a single in the United States and reached number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the Mainstream Rock chart on September 19, 1981.
Blue Öyster Cult wrote and recorded a song called "Vengeance (The Pact)" for the film, but the producers refused to use the song because the lyrics provided a capsule summary of the "Taarna" cartoon. "Veteran of the Psychic Wars" was used in its place. Both songs can be found on Blue Öyster Cult's Fire of Unknown Origin album. Although used in the film, the songs "Through Being Cool" by Devo and "E5150" by Black Sabbath were not included on the released soundtrack album. These songs are on New Traditionalists and Mob Rules respectively.
Legal difficulties surrounding the use of certain songs in the film delayed its release on home video. The production company's use of some songs was limited to theatrical release and soundtrack only and did not include domestic media releases. It wasn't until 1996 that there was an official home media release on VHS when Kevin Eastman, who had bought the publishing rights to Heavy Metal magazine in 1992 and had previously contributed to the magazine, reached a deal with the copyright holders. of music.
The original LP contained four tracks per side and was programmed in stackable order (A, D, B, C).
Technical data
Original title Heavy Metal
Country of Production Canada
Year 1981
Duration 90 min
Relationship 1,85:1
Gender action, science fiction, fantasy, horror, musical
Regia Gerald Potterton
Subject Dan Goldman, Len Blum Dan O'Bannon, Richard Corben, Angus McKie, Bernie Wrightson
Film script Dan Goldberg, Len Blum
Producer Ivan Reitman
Executive producer Leonard Mogel
Photography Claude Lapierre, Brian Tufano, Ron Haines
Editor Janice Brown, Mick Manning
Music Elmer Bernstein
scenography Mike Ploog
