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Metal/Prog Metal DVD/Video Reviews

Iron Maiden

Flight 666: The Film DVD

Review by Greg Olma

Iron Maiden has never been a band that rested on their laurels.  They continue to challenge themselves, whether it’s a new CD, tour, video, etc.  They always mange to set the bar so high that other bands don’t even try to emulate them and this DVD proves it once again.  The title is Flight 666: The Film and as the title states, it is a film (or documentary if you prefer).  This is not another concert video that captured the last tour and regurgitated it for legion of Maiden fans.  This is an all together different “beast”.

You might remember Scott McFadyen and Scott Dunn from their previous film Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey.  That was a great film but it covered the genre in general.  Here, both of these Canadians are given an all access pass to the legendary Somewhere Back In Time World Tour; the key word being “World”.  For those of you who don’t know, Bruce Dickinson piloted the band in a customized plane dubbed “Ed Force One” around the globe to exotic locales where they rocked the audiences before heading back to the airport to the next gig.  Most bands value their privacy and to a certain degree so do Maiden but since this was a historic tour, the guys decided to let us be “a fly on the wall” and witness just how the band works.

This is more of a film than a concert video and although McFadyen and Dunn capture a lot of live footage, it’s the backstage, traveling, sight-seeing footage that really makes this special.  There is also a great deal of film given to the many fans of the band and folks who live in America get to see just how special an Iron Maiden show is to someone in Costa Rica.  Living the United States, we sometimes forget that we are so lucky to be able to see a heavy metal concert.  Some of these poor metal fans quit jobs just to see their heroes for just one night.  The film is both enjoyable and educational in that we get a view of other countries and how lucky we are to have our freedoms.

It would not be an Iron Maiden product if there weren’t any extras.  Well, for those of you who wanted a concert film, the guys give you disc two of this two disc set.  The concert is played in order with each song being filmed in a different city.  Although the second disc is great and I will definitely play it to death, it is the actual film Flight 666: The Film that is the real winner here.  I will even go as far as saying that the film will appeal to even non-Maiden fans.  McFadyen and Dunn did a tremendous job in capturing the essence of the tour and giving the fans something real special.  I have watched the DVD about four times now and I am still catching new tidbits.  Up the irons indeed.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2009  Volume 4 at lulu.com/strangesound.
 
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