Heavy Metal is a 1981 Canadian adult animated science fantasy anthology film directed by Gerald Potterton (in his directorial debut) and produced by Ivan Reitman and Leonard Mogel, who also was the publisher of Heavy Metal magazine, which was the basis for the film. It starred the voices of Rodger Bumpass, Jackie Burroughs, John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Don Francks, Martin Lavut, Marilyn Lightstone, Eugene Levy, Alice Playten, Harold Ramis, Percy Rodriguez, Susan Roman, Richard Romanus, August Schellenberg, John Vernon, and Zal Yanovsky. The screenplay was written by Daniel Goldberg and Len Blum.
The film is an anthology of various science-fiction and fantasy stories tied together by a single theme of an evil force that is "the sum of all evils". It was adapted from Heavy Metal magazine and original stories in the same spirit. Like the magazine, the film features a great deal of graphic violence, sexuality, and nudity. Its production was expedited by having several animation houses working simultaneously on different segments.
Heavy Metal was released by Columbia Pictures on August 7, 1981. Upon release, the film received mixed reviews from critics and was a moderate commercial success. However, it has since achieved a cult following. Its soundtrack was packaged by music manager Irving Azoff. It included several popular rock bands and artists, including Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Sammy Hagar, Don Felder, Cheap Trick, DEVO, Journey, and Nazareth, among others.
A sequel, Heavy Metal 2000, was released in 2000.
Plot "Soft Landing" The title sequence was based on the comic of the same name by Dan O'Bannon and Thomas Warkentin.
The title sequence story opens with a Space Shuttle orbiting the Earth. The bay doors open, releasing a 1960 Corvette. An astronaut seated in the car then begins descending through Earth's atmosphere, landing in a desert canyon.
Crew Jimmy T. Murakami and John Bruno – directors John Coates – producer Dan O'Bannon – writer Thomas Warkentin – art direction
Music "Radar Rider" by Riggs
Studio MGM Titles T.V. Cartoons Ltd
"Grimaldi" In the framing story, the astronaut Grimaldi arrives at home where he is greeted by his daughter. He says he has something to show her. When he opens his case, a green, crystalline sphere rises out and melts him. It introduces itself to the terrified girl as "the sum of all evils". Looking into the orb known as the Loc-Nar, the girl sees how it has influenced societies throughout time and space.
Cast Percy Rodriguez (uncredited) as Loc-Nar Don Francks as Grimaldi Caroline Semple as Girl
Crew Harold Whitaker – director John Halas – producer
Studio Halas & Batchelor Animation Ltd
"Harry Canyon" Original story by Daniel Goldberg and Len Blum; based on The Long Tomorrow by Moebius.
In a dystopian and crime-ridden New York City in 2031, cynical taxicab driver Harry Canyon narrates his day in film noir style, grumbling about his fares and frequent robbery attempts he thwarts with a disintegrator installed in the back of his seat. He stumbles into an incident where he rescues a red-haired young woman from Rudnick, a gangster who murdered her father. She explains that her father discovered the Loc-Nar, and they have been pursued relentlessly by people attempting to obtain it. Harry takes her to his apartment, where they have sex. She decides to sell the Loc-Nar to Rudnick and split the money with Harry. Rudnick is disintegrated by the Loc-Nar at the exchange, and she attempts to double-cross Harry to keep the money for herself. When she pulls out a gun, Harry uses the disintegrator on her. He keeps the money, and summarizes the incident as a "two-day ride with one hell of a tip".
Cast
Harvey Atkin as Alien, Henchman John Candy as Desk Sergeant Marilyn Lightstone as Whore Susan Roman as Girl, Satellite Richard Romanus as Harry Canyon Al Waxman as Rudnick
Crew
Pino van Lamsweerde – director W. H. Stevens Jr. – producer Vic Atkinson – producer Daniel Goldberg – writer Len Blum – writer
Music "Veteran of the Psychic Wars" by Blue Öyster Cult "True Companion" by Donald Fagen "Blue Lamp" by Stevie Nicks "Open Arms" by Journey "Heartbeat" by Riggs
Studio Atkinson Film-Arts
"Den" Based on the character of the same name created by Richard Corben.
A nerdy teenager finds a "green meteorite" near his house and adds it to his rock collection. During a lightning experiment, the orb hurls the young man into the world of Neverwhere, where he transforms into a naked, muscular man called Den, an acronym for his earth name, David Ellis Norman. There, Den witnesses a strange ritual, rescuing a beautiful young woman who is about to be sacrificed to Uhluhtc. Reaching safety, she introduces herself as Katherine Wells from the British colony of Gibraltar. The two start having sex, but are interrupted by the minions of Ard, an immortal man who wants to obtain the Loc-Nar for himself. After being taken to see Ard, Den demands to see Katherine. His request is ignored and Ard orders his men to castrate Den. Den fights off the soldiers and shoots Ard, who heals immediately. The girl turns out to be sleeping, encased in glass under a spell where only Ard can awaken her. Ard offers Den a deal: if he gets the Loc-Nar from the Queen and brings it to him, the girl will be released. Den agrees and infiltrates the palace along with Ard's best soldier, Norl. They are promptly caught by the Queen's guards, but she offers leniency if Den has sex with her. He complies, thereby distracting the Queen while the raiding party steals the Loc-Nar. Den escapes and races back to rescue Katherine from Ard. Recreating the lightning incident that drew him to Neverwhere, he is able to banish Ard and the Queen. Den suspects that they were teleported to Earth. Refusing the opportunity to take the Loc-Nar for himself, Den rides with Katherine into the sunset, content to remain in Neverwhere. As for the Loc-Nar, it rises into the sky and lands on a space station where it is picked up by someone else.
Cast John Candy as Den Jackie Burroughs as Katherine Wells Martin Lavut as Ard Marilyn Lightstone as Queen August Schellenberg as Norl
Crew Jack Stokes – director Jerry Hibbert – producer Richard Corben – writer
Studio Votetone
"Captain Sternn" Based on the character of the same name created by Bernie Wrightson.
On a space station, crooked space captain Lincoln F. Sternn is on trial by the 'Federation' for numerous serious charges, including multiple counts of murder, rape, piracy, fraud, armed theft, and one moving violation. Pleading "not guilty" against the advice of his lawyer Charlie, who fears Sternn will be found guilty and executed, Sternn explains that he expects to be acquitted because he bribed a witness named Hanover Fiste. Fiste takes the stand, revealing him to be the man who discovered the Loc-Nar aboard the station earlier. Fidgeting with the now marble-sized Loc-Nar as he testifies, Fiste initially praises Sternn's moral character, but the Loc-Nar begins influencing him to blurt out highly incriminating statements about Sternn instead. Becoming increasingly enraged at Sternn as he testifies to his misdeeds and crimes, Fiste transforms into a hulking muscular brute. Fiste ends his testimony urging for Sternn's execution and chases him throughout the station, breaking through bulkheads and wreaking havoc. Eventually, Fiste corners Sternn, who gives him his promised payoff, and he promptly shrinks back to his scrawny original form. Sternn opens a trap door under Fiste, ejecting him into space. The Loc-Nar enters Earth's atmosphere with Fiste's flaming severed hand still clinging to it.
Cast Rodger Bumpass as Hanover Fiste Joe Flaherty as Charlie, the lawyer Douglas Kenney as Regolian Eugene Levy as Captain Lincoln F. Sternn John Vernon as Prosecutor
Crew Julian Szuchopa – director Paul Sebella – director Bernie Wrightson – writer
Music "Reach Out" by Cheap Trick
Studio Boxcar Animation Studios Inc
"Neverwhere Land" Because of time constraints, a segment called "Neverwhere Land", which would have connected "Captain Sternn" to "B-17", was cut.
The story follows the influence of the Loc-Nar upon the evolution of a planet, from the Loc-Nar landing in a body of water, influencing the rise of the industrial age, and a world war. This original story was created by Cornelius Cole III.
The original rough animatics are set to a loop of the beginning of Pink Floyd's "Time". The 1996 VHS release included this segment at the end of the tape. On the DVD release, this segment is included as a bonus feature. In both released versions, the sequence is set to the music of "Passacaglia" (from Magnificat), composed and conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki and with animation studio being produced by Duck Soup Produckions.
"B-17" A World War II B-17 bomber nicknamed the Pacific Pearl makes a difficult bombing run and suffers heavy damage with all of the crew except the pilot and co-pilot killed by gunfire. As the bomber limps home, the co-pilot goes back to check on the crew. Finding nothing but dead bodies, he notices the Loc-Nar trailing the plane. Informing the pilot, he heads back to the cockpit, when the Loc-Nar rams itself into the plane and reanimates the dead crew members as zombies. The co-pilot is killed, while the pilot parachutes away in time. He lands on an island where he finds a graveyard of airplanes from various times, along with the wrecked airplanes' zombified airmen, who surround him, sealing the horrified pilot's fate.
Cast Don Francks as Co-Pilot (Holden) George Touliatos as Pilot (Skip) Zal Yanovsky as Navigator
Crew Barrie Nelson – director W. H. Stevens Jr. – producer Dan O'Bannon – writer
Music "Heavy Metal (Takin' a Ride)" by Don Felder
Studio Atkinson Film-Arts
"So Beautiful & So Dangerous" Based on the comic of the same name by Angus McKie.
Dr. Anrak, a prominent scientist, arrives at The Pentagon for a meeting regarding mysterious mutations that are plaguing the United States. At the meeting, the doctor tries to dismiss the occurrences. When he sees the Loc-Nar in the locket of Gloria, a beautiful buxom stenographer, he begins to behave erratically and motorboats her. A colossal starship drills through the roof and abducts the doctor and, by accident, Gloria. The ship's robot is irritated at Anrak, who is actually a malfunctioning android, but its mood changes when it sees Gloria. With the help of the ship's alien pilot Edsel and co-pilot Zeke, the robot convinces Gloria to stay on board and have "robot sex" (albeit off-screen). Meanwhile, Edsel and Zeke snort a huge amount of a powdered drug called Plutonian Nyborg before flying home, zoning out on the cosmos. Too intoxicated to fly straight, they crash-land unharmed in a huge space station.
Cast Rodger Bumpass as Dr. Anrak John Candy as Robot Joe Flaherty as General Eugene Levy as Male Reporter / Edsel Alice Playten as Gloria Harold Ramis as Zeke Patty Dworkin as Female Reporter Warren Munson as Senator
Crew John Halas – director Angus McKie – writer
Music "Queen Bee" by Grand Funk Railroad "I Must Be Dreamin'" by Cheap Trick "Crazy? (A Suitable Case for Treatment)" by Nazareth "All of You" by Don Felder "Prefabricated" by Trust "Heavy Metal" by Sammy Hagar
Studio Halas & Batchelor Animation Ltd
"Taarna" Original story by Daniel Goldberg and Len Blum; based on Arzach by Moebius.
The Loc-Nar, now the size of a giant meteor, crashes into a volcano on another world and draws a large mass of curious people. As they begin to climb the volcano, it erupts and green slime covers the crowd, mutating them into an evil barbarian army. The mutants subsequently attack a nearby city of peaceful scholars. Desperate, the city leaders mentally summon the Taarakians, a once powerful yet now declining warrior race with whom the city had a pact, but the city falls before the call can be answered.