From Deseret News archives:

Heavy Metal

Published: Tuesday, June 25, 1996 12:00 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 

It's called "Heavy Metal" but "Lightweight Aluminum" is more like it.

Animated sci-fi erotica, this feature-length cartoon, based on the fantasies printed in the magazine of the same name, is composed of perverse, male-oriented sex-sword-and-sorcery tales that are sort of an adolescent mix of "The Twilight Zone" and Playboy videos.

The film begins with a souped-up Corvette floating in outer space, giving the impression that one has wandered into "Car Wars."

Then the auto lands on Earth and we begin to follow the adventures of a glowing, green ball that alternately destroys people and turns them into perfect (by "Heavy Metal" standards) examples of fantasy men and women — men being muscle-bound monsters and women being voluptuous sex objects.

The ball falls into the hands of various characters in an anthological series of short stories, which range from the adventures of a strange anti-hero cabbie in a burned-out futuristic New York to a courtroom drama that turns into a dull chase through an animated metal jungle to a "Wizard of Oz"-like yarn about two children changed into fantasy adults with a "bring-me-the-broomstick-of-the-wicked-witch"-style mission, etc.

Story continues below

The last is about Tarnak the Defender, summoned to help a dying world from being trampled by a cruel dictator, but the "Defender" is more of an "Avenger," as lots of red ink spurts from the bad guys.

A lush Elmer Bernstein score alternates with metal-rock sounds of Black Sabbath, Nazareth, Blue Oyster Cult, etc. (Legal rights to the songs were tied in up lawsuits, which is why the film was out of print for so long.)

You have to wonder about a bunch of animators sitting around drawing cartoon characters having sex, and all the wise-cracking dialogue here doesn't change the fact that this is simply exploitation on a very juvenile level.

"Heavy Metal" is rated R for violence, sex, nudity, profanity and vulgarity.

Recent comments

I had see this movie a long time ago and i would love to
see
...

luiz henrique m. oliveira | May 16, 2000 at 6:26 p.m.

When reviewed in the context of being the first commercial
exposure...

eng | Sept. 30, 1999 at 3:54 a.m.

Movie Info
Rated R for violence, profanity, vulgarity, nudity, sex.

Cast: Animated feature.
FIND LOCAL MOVIE SHOWTIMES
previousnext

Latest comments

Letters: Salaries questionable

The person making sure there is enough cash in the bank to cover your...

Look I can't afford health care either and it doesn't help to be forced to...

House passes health care bill

THE SKY IS FALLING! THE SKY IS FALLING!! THE SKY IS FALLING!!!

To bad Brighton isnt still in it they beat 3 of the 4 teams that are still in...

Stick a fork in the Jazz! Why even bother to pay to go see these guys "play"....

re: One More Week. 15 minutes? Try two years. You do realize they have won...

McKay is A-OK in his return

I am sure McKay is tired of the constant comparisons. It has to be tough for...

another great game in this rivalry that has really become the best in the...

"Somehow, we are missing the boat when it comes to taking seriously the...

its funny to see how people say they knew it or whatever.. we knew san juan...

Advertisements
Advertisement