Metal Cinema: Black Metal Veins (2012)

 

Due to too many posts waiting in the queue, I decided to release them this week in the global language only - Polscy czytelnicy wybaczcie!

The director of this "movie", Lucifer Valentine (damn, what an edgy name!) is probably known around in various circles for his exploitation series "Slaughtered Vomit Dolls", which I didn't watch, and certainly don't plan to, and I certainly don't care what is this flick all about. With that said, I guess it has something to do with puking.

But I did see his "Black Metal Veins" from 2012. And judging solely from this work, the modus operandi of Mr. Valentine is to gross the hell out of the viewer by any means necessary. But then again, what did one can expect from a guy named like that?

If anyone expected this "documentary" to cover anything Metal, well, they're in a surprise. Black Metal is treated as something of a backdrop, as the main topic of this film are drugs and junkies. The subject covers a fictional band (as far as I know and researched), who don't really talk much about music, but rather, discuss their "lives", and their addictions to various substances.

In order to add some kind of realism, there are almost constant scenes of various people taking drugs for like an hour and half, consuming them as if they were some burgers or chocolate bars, as well as sharing some of their insight, namely rough childhood, various types of abuse, hatred for humankind (okay, that's actually pretty Black Metal), prostitution, crime, and all the nasty things that happen outside our windows, in the places we often avoid.

Like I mentioned before, the Black Metal elements are minimal, and they basically amount to short scenes of the interviewed characters playing some rehearsals together. For a fake band, they did capture the essence of Black Metal more or less correct.

There are also some adult scenes as well, albeit it's not necessarily a good thing (don't ask). It's worth noting how apathetic every person appearing in this movie is. One of the junkie girl has a boyfriend, who despite hating drugs himself, wilfully enables her, and uses her body when she's high. There is a father, who lost custody of his children, who, as per director's commentary, was later killed in a drug deal done bad. Nobody seems to care, though. And nobody pays any attention whatsoever over what is happening around them either. People just come and go, like ghosts.

As much as one can hope that this movie will discourage people from ever trying drugs, I can't help but feel like it's content is exaggerated in a very Spinal Tap-esque fashion, in a cynical attempt to shock the viewer for the sake of shocking. With that said, the aforementioned hour and a half passed rather quickly, despite being kinda monotonous.

Overall, the movie is obviously not for everyone, but it indeed is a pretty unforgettable experience that will have a staying power. Not recommended, but if someone is curious, now you know that something like this exists.