Lemmy (2010) Reviews

• Of Gods and Monsters....

  Gloobey2011-05-22

  Being as I was a part of the London metal community in the seventies and eighties, a Hawkwind fan in my youth (saw them a few times in '72 and '73) and a Motorhead fan right from the beginning (I managed to catch their first few live shows in 1975 or whenever), I was, I guess, right at the front of this movie's core audience. Not even I, though, could have hoped for a more complete and more satisfying experience as the movie turned out to be! Having had the privilege of spending time with the great man himself on a number of joyous occasions, I can happily report to any interested parties that 'Lemmy' is as honest a portrayal of the man as you could possibly hope for. He is exactly as this movie shows him to be, and that alone is enough reason for anybody - metal head or not! - to make the effort to see it. There is - and there will only ever be! - one Lemmy. Thank god (or maybe the other fella..?) that somebody had the balls to make this movie so that we may all cherish it in the years to come.

• Remarkable, well-made and highly interesting

  pivic2011-07-16

  Remarkable documentary, both by not falling into the stereotypical rock 'n' roll trap of trying to show everything as hardcore, and also by showing Lemmy from several different angles, actually portraying him as more than a regular human being: multi-faceted, stupid, intelligent, very funny and a gentleman. Interviews with fellow musicians and celebrities mostly give something, rather than trying to impress. I feel the makers of this documentary have spent quite a lot of time at trying to find Lemmy, and I think this piece of work is commendable. A gleaming little pearl, documentary-wise. Even if you dislike Motörhead or even heavy metal music at all, this is great.

• Surprisingly warm hearted movie

  BigMikeWright2011-01-16

  I managed to see this at the local cinema last night, the Riverview special late night showing, and it was a joy. It was a wonderful film and to watch it with a like minded audience enriched the experience. The film is well shot, well edited and has great access to a wide range of people from Lemmy's past, and people who have been inspired by him. All the interviews seemed to give the same image of the man, which is one of the main points about him; he lives the life he wants, accepting the consequences and living an authentic life. The film is surprisingly funny and moving, and although he lives a life very different to most people I think it is quite life affirming. The film has a fantastic cast, well interviewed, some good shots of his music (but not so much that it would alienate people who are not into heavy rock'n'roll) some careful editing to give coherence, judicious use of slow-mo and worthwhile clips after the titles. I was smiling for most of this movie, which I did not expect. This movie deserves the accolades heaped on it. It is an excellently made movie about a very interesting subject. I would love to see the team do another movie, or biographical movie, as their style here made what could have been a humdrum run through of one unusual lifestyle a wonderfully entertaining, informative and interesting film.

• Good, But More For The Converted

  crossbow01062011-02-17

  In the past two years, two great rock documentaries were made about the groups Anvil and Rush. You don't even need to like those bands to love those films. Lemmy is rightfully considered a legend and this documentary is full of accolades by metal/hard rock heroes. While it is an interesting film, I would have liked to have seen more about his childhood, what brought him to this point. I found more interesting the comments by his former band mates, and particularly Vanian and Captain Sensible from The Damned. Ozzy is here and, like Lemmy himself, is hard to understand. There needed to be more subtitles. One of the best things about this film is it shows Lemmy to be a pretty good person. Its great to be able to meet his guitarist son Paul. I think this film needed more of that, more about the man than the legend. However, if you're a Motorhead fan, my rating could be kicked up to at least 9. Rock needed Lemmy and he has delivered for decades. Its a fitting tribute, not as good as it could have been, but I'm glad it was made. I recommend it to non metal fans, so you can meet a true legend.

• Fan or not this was interesting.

  wyattej20002011-01-11

  First off I have been a Motorhead fan since the early '80's. I remember when this band was completely underground, playing gigs in the U.S. in places as small as the Rainbow Bar and Grill in which Lemmy spends a lot of time to this day. Anyways, Lemmy has always been kind of a caricature of himself, or a bit larger than life even before Motorhead became more mainstream in U.S. culture. I say this because he has always been an odd combination of being raucous, gracious, a hell raiser, and kind of a normal person who happens to get on stage in front of thousand of people 9 months out of the year. All without ever bending his morals, beliefs, or way of doing things. As far as the movie is concerned it is a very interesting look at the reality of the "rock and roll" lifestyle, it's ups and downs. The film is put together a little odd, with interviews and footage from past and present being intermixed throughout. Entire concert footage clips may not appeal to those who are not Motorhead fans, (let's face it, they are an acquired taste) but the subject matter which is LEMMY will be interesting to anyone who likes rock, or metal because it is an honest and intimate look at one person who has pretty much seen it all and done it all at every level of the music and entertainment business. What we learn is that there is at least one person on this earth who truly does not care what you as a person or a viewer think about him, but if you treat him with respect he will gladly reciprocate with an honest and no b.s. style which one rarely sees from people who are in the publics eye.