Lemmy

Trailer—Lemmy

source: Lemmy

A bit randomly constructed biography film that chronicles a little bit of Lemmy's life story (his early phases), clips from Motörhead concerts, and a lot of interviews of fellow rockers and staff who tell their memories and comments about the main man. Some music-related documentary films like this are even better with a more cohesive "story" (like Iron Maiden's "Flight 666" which has a specific tour as the connecting element that holds all the stuff together.) This movie is more varied, like...anything Lemmy-related material just thrown together. But there is very little to complain because if there is going to be "anything Lemmy-related" then it's guaranteed to be good. Also, I liked the wide variety of people that were interviewed and overall the film is full of interesting and funny moments. Also, there is not that much emphasis on Motörhead as a band, so if you want to know the band's history I recommend get some books instead. But I think the movie manages to do what its title suggests. It gives a good impression about this legendary person. Absolutely recommended to all fans of rock'n'roll and heavy metal music.

This film doesn't even pretend to be an in depth unbiased investigation. It is definitely a hand crafted celebration of Lemmy and his music by fans for fans. Lemmy certainly has real issues and for me these could've been explored rather than giving in to the avalanche of back slapping bonhomie hero worshipping. Best bit for me was the reveal of the bitter hatred and regret still simmering after being sacked by Hawkwind. Most shocking bit, Peter Hook claiming Motorhead as an influence on New Order!!?!?!

Trendvictimized pretentious hipster, a talentless posering b*m that has milked the name of Lemmy and Motörhead for long enough. Boycotting this individual like the plague is the most sensible thing doing.

If you are a fan of Heavy Metal, Lemmy does not need an introduction. Depending on how much you are into it and how much you already know, the level of things you discover about Lemmy will vary. But even if you think you know everything about him, the movie is not wasted time. It will probably just enforce what you think and knew, but it is entertaining nevertheless. It's incredible how down to earth he remained, it is less incredible how much love he gets from everyone (especially within the industry). So apart from his metal family we also get his "real" family and his son in particular. There are some neat revelations and a lot of great moments. It may be a term that has been overused otherwise, but in this case you really can say, that Metal would not have been the same and some of the groups might not have existed or at least not the form they did and are, if it wasn't for Lemmy and Motorhead ... we'll leave it at that and you waching this documentary

Everything that a rockumentary should be, the story of the highly colourful life and career of a man who has more right than most to claim the title of Rock God, a piece that has been put together with obvious reverence, extensive background research and attention to detail. But this is more than just a parade of talking heads, although that important element is there, the film offers a snap-shot of the great man's life, delivering vignettes that nicely convey Lemmy's influence on many of those who followed in his footsteps. The film offers much to entertain those who are not Motorhead fans and for those not aware of Lemmy's legacy. It is an excellent companion piece to his autobiography White Line Fever, which is to be recommended for those wanting more detail on the subject, but that is not to say that 'Lemmy' does not manage to pack in a good amount of detail itself in tracing the man's origins, nicely cut together with scenes that illustrate his ongoing contribution and relevance to the world of rock music at the age of 67. Much credit to directors Greg Olliver and Wes Orshoski.

I caught this movie on VH1 Classic on 11/10 on their build-up to National Metal Day on 11/11/11. First off, I have never been a really big Motorhead fan, I knew Ace of Spades and I knew who Lemmy was because I love hard rock and metal but somehow managed to avoid ever really hearing Motorhead. This movie was a revelation for me. The film Lemmy shows what being a true musician really is like. the long hours on the road, the interviews and fans and shows that there is a guy who truly is living rock n roll. It is an unapologetic and unflinching view of a man who lives for playing music and who makes no excuses for his lifestyle and vices. I for one love how the filmmakers just let you see him interact with fans and to show how much they mean to him and look beyond the black clothes and raspy voice at a guy who really understands how lucky he is to be doing what he loves and what he is truly qualified to do. The movie has great music, and some very good inter-spliced interviews with various artists from Joan Jett to James Hetfield. The film is a character study in the sense that it just let's you watch and see the life of a guy who lives a block from the Sunset Strip in an apartment that he has been in for 20+ years because he knows he couldn't find a better place for the money that he pays that is that close to The Rainbow Room. A few scenes to look for: The recording session with Dave Grohl is fantastic, Not only do you see Lemmy recording Run, Run Rudolph but there is a conversation about Little Richard and a story about The Darkness that is just brilliant. The record store where Lemmy buys the Beatles box set. You see the fan that he is and the effect he has on the employees that can't wipe the grins off of their faces and the manager who gives him her mono copy that is the last one in the store. He is so gracious and respectful and it is actually kinda heart-warming. The gig with Metallica playing Damage Case. What a great performance and so cool to see him rehearsing with guys in their mid-40's and how they look up to him is just awesome. So to sum it all up, if you love rock and roll, if you love metal, if you love Lemmy or you don't know him try it out and I am sure you will come away with an appreciation for a true icon.

Before I start I better confess right away that I am a huge admirer of Mr Kilmister, his music has branded me since I was a kid, his legacy is present everywhere around the modern Rock scene. This is exactly with what this film starts and where the excitement may take its path, BUT, I'm not reviewing Lemmy as a person but a film portraying a human being. After the first 15 minutes I was in mood, I was hungry to know more about someone that inspired millions of people. But the more the film moves on the more it becomes clear that the people who made this film are obviously die hard fans. This is not a bad thing, but unfortunately it leads to this impression of "Hey, didn't I just hear that same statement out of another mouth with other words about 5 minutes ago?" - The news factor decreases steadily and the repetition factor grows with every minute of this documentary. After about an hour I was a little skeptical on how this film is supposed to end. Yes, it's nice to see him meet, talk (about), perform and socialize with lots of other giants of the Rock industry - but even that becomes a little repetitive as this documentary continues. I thought "Ok, I got it, this guy is god, stop reminding me!" - In fact it's Lemmy himself who "downs" most of those glorifying statements with really grounded responses that reflect the wisdom that he has gathered during the years of his stunning career. Long story short: Lemmy Kilmister is not just an amazing musician, he's a great person too. But it doesn't take 116 minutes to make that clear. Lemmy is simple, maybe that's what makes him so great, but this film tries to stretch that over almost two hours and to be honest, this becomes quite boring. Why 7 out of 10? Because "Lemmy" has its/his moments for sure. The most interesting thing about it is the fact that as a viewer you don't start distancing yourself from Lemmy but rather coming closer to him in a very natural way. If that is what the makers intended -> applause! Still I believe that 70 minutes would have done that too.

A documentary following veteran hard-rocker Lemmy, bassist and singer with the band Motörhead, and detailing the high esteem in which he is held by many other musicians. Lemmy, aka Ian Fraser Kilmister, is an interesting man. Most rock stars either burn out or become respectable, but he continues to live the same lifestyle and produce the same music he did when he first climbed on stage. With his cowboy boots and hat, he's a bit like Charles Bronson in Once Upon A Time In The West - an outlaw who has steadfastly refused to change whilst the world around him moves on. In a business where - as Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl here puts it - integrity is everything, his appeal comes from the fact that he is the genuine article. What I find intriguing about him is his musical style and its place in rock culture; he's a bassist but plays more like a rhythm guitarist (there's a funny Spinal Tap moment where he demonstrates the big difference between his style and other bass players). Motörhead's fans - and most commentators here - are from the hard-rock / heavy-metal fraternity but the band's short four-chord songs are much closer to punk (and by association fifties rock-and-roll) than your typical heavy-metal numbers with extended guitar solos and tricky time-changes. I'm also interested in his lyrics - a song like 1916 has incredibly poetic words - but unfortunately the movie doesn't really explore Lemmy's music in detail; it's more interested in his larger-than-life personality. He talks eloquently about the things he likes (the history of rock and roll, his penchant for slot machines, an amazing collection of military daggers), but is self-effacing on more personal issues - at one key moment he refuses to either glorify or bemoan his drug use. For rock fans though the film is a smorgasbord of interesting talking heads, with key bandmates such as Dave Brock of Hawkwind and Captain Sensible from The Damned, but also some unexpected folks, like rapper Ice-T, actor Billy Bob Thornton and wrestler Triple H (whose theme music Lemmy sings). There's a musical highlight when Lemmy duets with Metallica on stage for a performance of Damage Case, and lots of footage of legendary Sunset Strip rock hangout The Rainbow. A vivid documentary about a fascinating guy, but there's too much here about the man and not enough about his music. Independently produced, but given a small theatrical release and showcased at several film festivals.