In the past two years, two great rock documentaries were made about the groups Anvil and Rush. You don't even need to like those bands to love those films. Lemmy is rightfully considered a legend and this documentary is full of accolades by metal/hard rock heroes. While it is an interesting film, I would have liked to have seen more about his childhood, what brought him to this point. I found more interesting the comments by his former band mates, and particularly Vanian and Captain Sensible from The Damned. Ozzy is here and, like Lemmy himself, is hard to understand. There needed to be more subtitles. One of the best things about this film is it shows Lemmy to be a pretty good person. Its great to be able to meet his guitarist son Paul. I think this film needed more of that, more about the man than the legend. However, if you're a Motorhead fan, my rating could be kicked up to at least 9. Rock needed Lemmy and he has delivered for decades. Its a fitting tribute, not as good as it could have been, but I'm glad it was made. I recommend it to non metal fans, so you can meet a true legend.
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crossbow010617 February 2011
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wyattej200011 January 2011First off I have been a Motorhead fan since the early '80's. I remember when this band was completely underground, playing gigs in the U.S. in places as small as the Rainbow Bar and Grill in which Lemmy spends a lot of time to this day. Anyways, Lemmy has always been kind of a caricature of himself, or a bit larger than life even before Motorhead became more mainstream in U.S. culture. I say this because he has always been an odd combination of being raucous, gracious, a hell raiser, and kind of a normal person who happens to get on stage in front of thousand of people 9 months out of the year. All without ever bending his morals, beliefs, or way of doing things.
As far as the movie is concerned it is a very interesting look at the reality of the "rock and roll" lifestyle, it's ups and downs. The film is put together a little odd, with interviews and footage from past and present being intermixed throughout. Entire concert footage clips may not appeal to those who are not Motorhead fans, (let's face it, they are an acquired taste) but the subject matter which is LEMMY will be interesting to anyone who likes rock, or metal because it is an honest and intimate look at one person who has pretty much seen it all and done it all at every level of the music and entertainment business. What we learn is that there is at least one person on this earth who truly does not care what you as a person or a viewer think about him, but if you treat him with respect he will gladly reciprocate with an honest and no b.s. style which one rarely sees from people who are in the publics eye. -
Gloobey22 May 2011Being as I was a part of the London metal community in the seventies and eighties, a Hawkwind fan in my youth (saw them a few times in '72 and '73) and a Motorhead fan right from the beginning (I managed to catch their first few live shows in 1975 or whenever), I was, I guess, right at the front of this movie's core audience. Not even I, though, could have hoped for a more complete and more satisfying experience as the movie turned out to be!
Having had the privilege of spending time with the great man himself on a number of joyous occasions, I can happily report to any interested parties that 'Lemmy' is as honest a portrayal of the man as you could possibly hope for. He is exactly as this movie shows him to be, and that alone is enough reason for anybody - metal head or not! - to make the effort to see it. There is - and there will only ever be! - one Lemmy. Thank god (or maybe the other fella..?) that somebody had the balls to make this movie so that we may all cherish it in the years to come. -
BigMikeWright16 January 2011I managed to see this at the local cinema last night, the Riverview special late night showing, and it was a joy. It was a wonderful film and to watch it with a like minded audience enriched the experience.
The film is well shot, well edited and has great access to a wide range of people from Lemmy's past, and people who have been inspired by him. All the interviews seemed to give the same image of the man, which is one of the main points about him; he lives the life he wants, accepting the consequences and living an authentic life. The film is surprisingly funny and moving, and although he lives a life very different to most people I think it is quite life affirming. The film has a fantastic cast, well interviewed, some good shots of his music (but not so much that it would alienate people who are not into heavy rock'n'roll) some careful editing to give coherence, judicious use of slow-mo and worthwhile clips after the titles. I was smiling for most of this movie, which I did not expect.
This movie deserves the accolades heaped on it. It is an excellently made movie about a very interesting subject. I would love to see the team do another movie, or biographical movie, as their style here made what could have been a humdrum run through of one unusual lifestyle a wonderfully entertaining, informative and interesting film. -
SebastienSpa22 February 2012Before 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. -
MetalGeek15 February 2011"Lemmy" (sub-title: "49% mother@#$%er, 51% son-of-a-@#$%") is an engrossing documentary about the life and times of Motorhead bassist/frontman Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, one of the more unique figures in rock and roll. His band, of course, is legendary, and till now Lemmy has been a rather mysterious figure. He has never been one to seek the spotlight or grab tabloid headlines, and seems content to simply do what he does and remain "under the radar" to everyone but his devoted fan base.
The film follows Lemmy around during his day-to-day life (recording sessions for Motorhead's 2007 "MOTORIZER" album, gigs with his '50s/rockabilly side band The Head Cat, appearing on the "Loveline" radio show, and holding down his customary bar stool at Hollywood's Rainbow Bar & Grill) while an extensive parade of rock and showbiz royalty (including such luminaries as Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue, Slash and Duff of Guns N Roses, Henry Rollins, Scott Ian of Anthrax, all of the members of Metallica, actor Billy Bob Thornton, tattoo artist Kat Von D, and Marky Ramone, just to name a few) all confirm what most of us knew already: that Lemmy is one of the coolest, most bad-ass rock & roll mo-fo's ever to walk on God's green Earth. Interviews with the man himself reveal him to be a man with rock 'n' roll encoded in his DNA. This is a guy who saw the Beatles live in Liverpool before they even had a record out, who roadied for Jimi Hendrix, and made his mark in the legendary space-rock band Hawkwind before going on to infect the world with Motorhead. Underneath all that, though,he's a pretty simple guy who lives alone in a small Hollywood apartment, doesn't put on airs and doesn't put himself on a pedestal. His vibe seems to be, more or less, "this is me, this is what I do, if you like it, fine...if not, go to hell." A mix of current and vintage Motorhead concert clips keep the volume level up and prove that even after nearly 35 years, Motorhead remain a force to be reckoned with in the live arena. He's a true national treasure.
Even if you're not a Motorhead fan (and if you're not, shame on you!) "Lemmy" is a fast, funny, and totally entertaining profile of a man who's definitely a true original. -
suzukiagogo22 March 2011The film I felt really captured the essence of who he is what he is about and how he go's about doing what he does. When you watch normal doc's the interviews feel stale and bland, but everyone in this film is almost worshiping at the altar of Lemmy Kilmister and as well they should. It follows a nice flow throughout and does a great job of covering his early career and life up to what he is doing now. A portrait of a every day man who just happens to be an extraordinary musician. If you don't know who he is you should watch this and get to know him a bit. The best part is that none of it get's cheesy and overly sentimental. It's just him and that's it.
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stevelomas-6940117 February 2020This 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!!?!?!
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BJBatimdb15 May 2011Do you love Lemmy?? No, nor me. Or at least, I didn't before I went to see this documentary as a brownie-points concession to my metal-head boyfriend.
Now I think Lemmy is AWESOME! Still don't like metal or Motorhead, but that is really irrelevant because this film is so engaging and its subject so endearing, original and wonderful.
I knew little about Lemmy apart from the cowboy hat and the warts. But my heart was truly warmed - both by him and by the loving regard that fellow giants of metal apparently hold him in.
The man's a total one-off and on that basis alone, this documentary is well worth seeing.
I still hate metal but even if they're only indifferent to the music I think most people would love this film. And if you're a fan already, then it's absolutely unmissable. -
abstain1316 July 2010I got to see "Lemmy" last night at the Fantasia Film Festival and I loved it. Every second of it. I mean, I've been a Motorhead fan for over two decades now and always liked Lemmy, but after watching this film and having the chance to see the man in his natural habitat and all that, I love the guy a thousand fold more (no, not sexually). He is Rock n' roll.
We had the two film makers do a Q&A afterwards, too, and the stories we heard we're just as funny. Zakk Wylde getting so drunk that his interview was a complete waste of time... stuff like that hopefully will make the DVD extras set once it gets released. (Which they said themselves should be out just before Christmas 2010 in North America, by the way!!)
The near sold-out crowd was loud and laughed and cheered throughout... except when they booed the likes of Lars Ulrich and co., haha! Anyway... just go see the bloody film, OK? -
ShootingShark28 July 2011A 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. -
robinski3415 June 2013Everything 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.
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kosmasp15 July 2019If 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 -
adrienne_aline13 February 2011This film is about Lemmy, his unique and daring image and music. Don't expect any in-depth bio or anything though. Half of the documentary is filled with superficial ass-kissing and in my opinion way too much Metallica. You don't get to hear Lemmy's early works but there's still plenty of live music footage and chit chat.
Among the interviews, Henry Rollins had an interesting perspective and Joan Jett gave an apt if not eloquent summary of Lemmy:
"Everybody assimilates." "You know, go along to get along, you know, to get what they need to get... I don't see Lemmy as that kind of guy." "I see Lemmy as doing things his way to get where he wants to go." "And that's attractive, because people don't do that anymore."
Lemmy is constantly smoking and appears to be drinking a lot too. He's obviously a smoker but I wonder if the alcohol consumption is exaggerated at this late stage of the game for the coolness factor even though he says he "doesn't want to advertise" that. At one point, he takes a pill for diabetes but again, it's never addressed in a detailed, serious way. It is what it is.
There's a bittersweet moment between his son which again, seems to go under the radar. It reminds me of John Wayne's persona, his aloofness.
In a bar, Lemmy Billy Bob Thorton talk indirectly about how much money he makes and how little Lemmy makes in comparison. Although Lemmy probably works ten times as hard for his money, he doesn't 'sell out' except for the Metallica stuff but that's my own personal opinion. It's shocking to see that while Lemmy is a bona fide collector, he is also hoarder. Seriously, his tiny apartment is overflowing with objects collecting dust. There's something loyal about it even though he doesn't remember the name of someone who gave him something. It's obvious that there is sentimental and a social attachment to them all.
In short, Lemmy/Motorhead fans will get a kick out of all the footage. -
Ankhenaten912 December 2011I 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. -
SkullScreamerReturns24 January 2022A 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 brings back a lot of good memories for me. It is shot well and very interesting. I remember the day that Lemmy died and I cried and grieved for a few days.
You see, Lemmy, and to a larger extent - Motorhead, have been in my life for almost all of it. My father once told me that when I cried as a baby, he would put on his headphones, put some Motorhead on and I would fall asleep.
Motorhead are a totally original and innovative band; truly unique. Just like the man himself.
The movie works well on many levels, even if you aren't a fan of the music, Lemmy is interesting and endearing on his own. He was clearly a part of the LA furniture and the city of Angels is undoubtedly worse off without his common sense and totally English dry and intelligent personality. RIP Lemmy. -
speedemon-1199714 November 2021Trendvictimized 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.