This is GWAR

Director - Scott Barber (American Clown, The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story)

Starring - Dave Brockie (Holliston, The Idiot Box), Ethan Embry (The Devil's Candy, Can't Hardly Wait), and Jon Freeman 

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Documentary

Tagline - "True story of the sickest band in the world"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     

     There has been numerous rock bands that put more focus and effort into their lives shows than most. There has been several bands that are known for their stage shows and live performances ranging from Kiss to Rammstein. I was born in the late 80s and grew up in the 90s so I grew up on old MTV and visiting the local video store. It seemed like the early 90s was a time for Gwar, the sci-fi horror inspired rock band with extreme live shows and concept albums that still find an audience to this day. They were featured in a Beavis and Butthead game, films centered around their characters at the local video store, and music videos on cable. While I’m a huge fan of other bands that are known for their live performances, I still strongly believe that Gwar’s live shows are something of legend. I’ve never been able to make it to one of their shows, but I can only imagine how wild it would be. Sometime back I received a press release for the documentary This is Gwar which was premiering on Shudder. I shared it on the site and meant to check it out but time got away from me. That was until I received the press release for the physical release. Due to internet limitations where I lived, I decided to pursue a review copy. A few days back a blu copy arrived for review and I decided that even though it wasn’t a horror flick or documentary it would still be fun to watch it during my October horror binge. Hell, Gwar is as close to a horror metal act as you can get anyway so it kind of fit. 

      The documentary goes in depth in the forming of Gwar when a punk front man and a comic book artist came together to create a DYI stage show that quickly grew. The bigger their audience grew the bigger the stage show grew. We then move into the roster change and the creation of other characters while showcasing some of the bands more memorable moments and troubles behind the scenes that many fans were unaware of. 

      Gwar, like many bands, have had their share of ups and downs. What makes their trials and tribulations so interesting and worthy of a documentary is that you never hear about their backstage drama and incidents unless it featured the death of one of their members. This is Gwar is a fantastic documentary about one of rock’s most unique bands that has the potential to never end. I absolutely adored this documentary which only furthered my respect for the band. The interviews in this one ranges from former and current band members and crew to fans and those that worked with them in different capacities over the years. The interviews are very thorough and informative. What makes them stand out to me is the fact that we don’t always see Gwar and its members in a positive light. We see some negative moments from the band’s history along with interviews from people who parted with the band on not so good terms. I love seeing interviews in documentaries where we see both sides. There is nothing duller than a documentary on a specific subject and everyone is blowing smoke up it’s ass. We don’t have that here and it’s nice seeing the positive and the negatives with the band. The topics covered really pulled me in. We move from the creation of the band through the ins and outs of their live shows, DIY costumes and props, to the drama and back stage antics in the band. The doc doesn’t try to show the band as perfect. We get the pros and cons of both. Finally, this is one of the most polished docs that I’ve seen in recent years. The editing is so fucking smooth and the transitions are perfect. This is an amazing production that is top notch. Overall, This is Gwar is a must see for any rock fan regardless if you like Gwar or not. If you are a fan of Gwar this then is a must own. I can’t recommend this one enough. Check it out on physical release today!