It’s been something of a GWAR heavy day but, having reviewed the quite excellent new album The New Dark Ages (check it out here), it felt like a good time to check out the band’s history on Shudder…
I approached This Is Gwar with some trepidation, because I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to see the human side of a band that has long prided itself on its otherworldliness. Yet, not only is the film a remarkable testament to artists who brought GWAR to the stage, but it’s also incredibly entertaining. Carefully avoiding the sort of promotional hyperbole that can dog such an endeavour, the film is nevertheless put together with such obvious love that it’s impossible not to emerge from the film without a deeper sense of respect for what the band has done over the years. That said, this is still a warts ‘n’ all account that is not afraid to lay bare the friendships and enmities of this long-running act, while also considering some of the pitfalls the band endured. As such, it’s up there with the similarly brilliant Autopsy Born Undead Documentary and a must watch for fans of the band.
Featuring a wealth of interviews, with pretty much all the major players taking part, This Is GWAR traces the story of the band from its humble origins at the Richmond Dairy; an iconic place that just seemed to be one of those magical places that spawn art; through to the GWAR’s current place as a globe-straddling entity. Via archival footage (of which the band maintained a remarkable amount), talking heads interviews and some truly brilliant animated / comic book pieces, This Is GWAR looks at the band’s gestation, the brilliance of the costumes with which they made their name, the fragile egos of artists fighting to be at the top of the pack and the sheer heart that the various members put into a project that no one expected to last thirty-something years.
Particularly prominent are Mike Derks and Brad Roberts, who lived it all and saw it all from pretty much the beginning through to the present day, and both come across as the sort of guys that you could happily spend the day chucking back beers and talking music. Through it all, it’s remarkable to see that they’re still fans and, despite various members leaving under more of a cloud than others, there’s a real desire among all the participants to tell the story of GWAR and tell it right.
With stories of roadside holdups, arrests for indecency (a particularly funny episode that saw Dave Brockie come up against, wait for it, judge Dick Bohner), label chaos (Metal Blade come out particularly well in their support of the band) not to mention anecdotes from a supporting cast that includes Randy Blythe and Weird Al Yankovic, the movie simply flies by, and there’s so much to take in that even avid fans will find themselves learning more about the self-titled Scumdogs of the Universe.
Huge credit must go to Scott Barber for his sensitive direction, which allows the story to unfold without any attempt at over dramatizing an already fascinating tale. Ably supported by editors Casey Pinkston and Jeff Johnson, Steve treats the various artists involved with respect and they are allowed to tell the story their way. Even the tragic moments are handled with rare sensitivity, neither glossed over with indecent haste, nor varnished by sentimentality. It is hard to imagine a more appropriate approach.
All in all, This Is GWAR is an impressive piece of work. It captures the band’s history with impressive detail, holds out hope for the future and, for once, allows the audience to appreciate just how much work went into creating a show that has delighted, shocked, challenged and offended audiences for over three decades. 9/10
This Is GWAR is available to stream on Shudder now.
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