If I had gone to the Sundance Film Festival, this is the assignment I’d want to get — reviewing Anvil: The Story of Anvil.

Seriously, it’s a movie made for me.

But, alas, I’m not at Sundance now, so I haven’t seen Anvil: The Story of Anvil, a documentary about the 1980s metal band, Anvil. Therefore, I will direct you to what I consider to be a fair, detailed, f**king awesome review from self-proclaimed non-metalhead James Rocchi over at Cinematical. Horns up, dude, for keeping an open mind. \m/\m/

I, on the other hand, am a self-professed, diehard metalhead for life. I dig Anvil, I’ve seen Anvil live (in the ’80s), I still have my Anvil albums on vinyl. So, yeah, I know a little bit about Anvil.

The Toronto-based band was one of the forerunners of the early 1980’s speed metal movement, paving the way for the likes of Metallica and Anthrax. Unfortunately, Anvil never gained the popularity and success of its successors.

Sacha Gervasi (who wrote the Steven Spielberg movie, The Terminal, which starred Tom Hanks), makes his directorial debut with Anvil! The Story of Anvil and apparently the London-born director goes way back with the band, having roadied for them in the 1980s. His film follows founding band members and childhood friends Steve “Lips” Kudlow (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Robb Reiner (drums), who are now in their 50s, as they record Anvil’s 13th album and deal with the everyday struggle to keep the band alive.

Apparently, people who’ve seen the film liken it to This is Spinal Tap, which was a mockumentary on 80’s heavy metal — I guess it doesn’t help that Anvil has an amp that goes to 11. But Anvil! is dead serious, and from what I can tell from reviews of the film (like the aforementioned one in Cinematical, as well as a piece in the LA Times), Kudlow and Reiner’s passion for their music and belief in their dream is not a sad tale, but rather one of hope.

My hope is that Anvil: The Story of Anvil gets a lucky Sundance break and gets picked up. If any of you out there will be at Sundance, your last chance to see the film is Saturday, January 26, at midnight at the Egyptian Theatre, Park City. See the clip here after the jump of Gervasi at the Sundance Film Festival, and there’s even a part where he chats it up with Sundance mastermind Robert Redford!

Otherwise, keep hope alive by grabbing an Anvil album — I recommend Metal on Metal to start.

:::off to find my vinyl copy:::