My "Flight:666" SXSW Review...

Tap_Legion2

Paint Brush Pusher
Dec 3, 2005
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Anyone remember on the "Early Days" DVD where Bruce is talking about the NOTB tour and mentions some guy outside a venue carrying a huge cross on his shoulder, only to improve on Jesus version by adding a tail wheel?

Well, I guess the guy was in town for the premiere but decided to watch from across the street:

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Anyway, made it to the Paramount around 4PM and met a couple of Maiden fans and about 45 minutes later, Kevin Shirley, Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen came out and said hello...Made it into the theatre around 7:15PM.

Marquee:

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Me and Kevin Shirley:
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Had a brief introduction from Sam & Scot and off we go...Flight:666 looked and sounded WONDERFUL. Not only is Shirley a nice guy but he's done a brilliant job mixing this...the sound is truly amazing.
What can I say about Sam and Scott's work? this film looks like a work of love and it shows. The camera work is brilliant and it was edited together beautifully.

As you know, the film starts with the show in India and then later to Australia. Nicko enjoys pizza. Great scene where Adrian goes to play tennis and tries to return a serve by one of the fastest servers in the game...Ball nearly take his head off!

Tons of crowd video in every country mixed with backstage and concert footage. Nicko eats more pizza. There's a nice segment where Bruce is doing his Steve Erwin imitation while the camera guys are filming Rod sleeping...classic.

Band does the show in LA and the elbow rubbers are out in full force.

XXX doggy footage and some nudity from a topless, 36C cup Maiden fan and we eventually end up in South America where it gets pretty hectic. The fans down there are manic. From the "ass end of the world" in Costa Rica to the militarized Colombia, those fans are the most passionate I've ever witnessed. One particular scene was the video cam on a Maiden fan after the show, holding one of Nicko's sticks, resting it against his forehead. The guy is so overcome with emotion and adrenaline from the show that its made him start to cry. Its sounds funny, but you really can feel the emotion...Nice job with the camera work here.

Did I mention the FANTASTIC chase plane footage of Ed Force One in flight? Wow...truly breath taking.

Interesting segment I'd like to title "1/2 Inch To Disaster" starring Nicko Mcbrain which sheds some light on how close this tour could of ended. Sometimes the Music Gods smile down on the faithful.

All in all, Flight: 666 is a triumph. It flew by so quickly, which is usually the case with well made films, and will delight even the most casual metal/music fan. Can't wait for the DVD which will contain complete footage of each song from each show plus tons of unused footage. The release date is forth coming.

EDIT: This review is dedicated to the 2-3 guys head banging and waiving their shirts in the air during the premiere...Hey guys, you do know this is a film, yeah?

New Flight:666 Shirt:

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:cry: Whah! I guess our interview segment wasn't stuck in there at any point then ................:cry::cry::cry:

Don't fret...You guys might make it on the bonus disc...they said they'll add tons of extra footage not seen in the actual documentary.


Hahaha, so true!!

Great review - can't wait to see it now!

Thought I'd let you know....Metallica played a surprise show at Stubbs here Friday night...only holds about 2,500 people. :p
 
Really? Where are you? The Mann's Chinese Theater complex had 4 shows... unfortunately, or fortunately, all sold out. I will be checking it out twice :D:headbang:

I'm actually missing training for this... Maiden is the only thing I will miss training for... I would probably miss my own funeral to get some training in... LOL :kickass:
 
I've written/compiled a book about the movie trivia game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, the game which uses films to link people to Bacon. Here's how Maiden appear in the "Musicians" chapter of the book:

Bruce Dickinson/The Incubus/John Cassavetes/The Fury/CHARLES DURNING/SO/KB

Steve Harris [the Bass player]/Iron Maiden: Flight 666/Lars Ulrich/The Darwin Awards/CHRIS PENN/FOOT/KB

Dave Murray/Global Metal/Max Cavalera/The Mummy Returns/BRENDAN FRASER/TAIB/KB

Adrian Smith/Global Metal/Max Cavalera/The Mummy Returns/BRENDAN FRASER/TAIB/KB

Nicko McBrain/Iron Maiden: Flight 666/Tom Morello/Made/SAM ROCKWELL/FN/KB

Janick Gers/Iron Maiden: Flight 666/Kerry King/Rock Prophecies/ROBERT CRAY/AH/KB


Some explanation: SO=Starting Over, FOOT=Footloose, TAIB=The Air I Breathe, FN=Frost/Nixon, AH=Animal House, I say Steve is the bass player so he's not confused with the other Steve Harris in the book.


Also, in the very short Brad Zutaut sub-chapter of The Big Picture chapter, the following film is listed:

1992 Knock Outs (BRAD ZUTAUT, Robert Rhine, Bill McGovern, Tally Chanel, Leigh Betchley, Cindy Rome, Nicole Sassaman, Chona Jason, Michelle Grassnick, Lucy Adair, Paula Revee, Victoria Asaton, Keli Roberts, Diamond Montana, Baby, De'Ann Power, Deborah Youngblood, Pamela Ward, Irena Plunkett, Tamara Kohn, Michelle Gardner, Roger Hanson, Jack Rubens, Jeff Mulvin, Harry Van Brussel, Joseph Onesto, Jack Margolis, Abraham Hernandez Jr., Jacov Bresler, Mark Dawson, Dennis Morgan)

Brad Zutaut was in The Big Picture with Bacon, and I think most of us know who the 2nd to last person listed in the above film is. I don't believe any of The MaidenS can currently be linked to Bacon, but maybe someday.

Here's my link in the book:
Jeff Milne [yes, me]/Mad Cowgirl/Sarah Lassez/Nowhere/JOHN RITTER/HAL/KB (HAL=Hero At Large)
 
Some pics after the movie last night:

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We didn't see the guy with the cross, but we did run into Jesus:
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The girls with Our Savior and a couple of fans.


Didn't see ourselves in the movie. Guess we'll have to wait for the DVD.