Anvil! the Story of Anvil: Synopsis

Anvil! The Story of Anvil” is a timeless tale of survival, and the unadulterated passion it takes to follow your dream, year after year. The story follows Steve “Lips” Kudlow and Robb Reiner and their heavy metal band, Anvil, which released one of the heaviest albums in metal history, 1982’s Metal on Metal. The album influenced an entire musical generation of rock bands, including Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, who went on to sell millions of records. Anvil, on the other hand, took a different path—straight to obscurity. A wonderful and often hilarious account of Anvil’s last-ditch quest for elusive fame and fortune, the film features appearances by an array of heavy metal icons, including Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, Guns N’ Roses’ Slash, Anthrax’s Scott Ian, and Slayer’s Tom Araya, among others.

“Anvil! The Story of Anvil” is the directorial debut of screenwriter Sacha Gervasi (“The Terminal”). The film is produced by Rebecca Yeldham, cinematographer is Chris Soos, and the editors are Jeff Renfroe and Andrew Dickler. The film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, where it received acclaim from critics and audiences alike. It went on to win the Audience Awards at the 2008 Los Angeles Film Festival and 2008 Sydney Film Festival, as well as the Best Documentary Feature Awards at 2008 Galway Film Fleadh, 2008 Calgary Film Festival, and 2008 Edmonton Film Festival.