THE PLOT THUS FAR
Chronicling the triumphs and downfalls of cult rock legend Bobby Liebling, Last Days Here is a powerful documentary about an underground icon who finds himself at the crossroads of life and death. For over 36 years Bobby Liebling has been churning out genre-defining hard rock as the lead singer of the band Pentagram. But various acts of self-destruction, multiple band break-ups, and botched record deals have condemned his music to obscurity. Frozen for decades in his parents’ basement, Bobby is finally discovered by the heavy metal underground, and with the help of Sean ‘Pellet’ Pelletier, his friend and manager, Bobby struggles to overcome his demons. Directors Dan Argott and Demian Fenton (The Art of the Steal) offer a candid look at this madly talented artist, whose unexpected journey made him a prodigious diamond in the music business rough.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Last Days Here” continues the trend that we’ve been seeing in metal documentaries. It takes a sad loser with no hope to crank out the best death metal jams. Backing away from the fake Satanism surrounding metal in the 70s and 80s, we get a harrowing portrait of what happens when you can’t manage yourself. You have a band without over two dozen members across multiple decades. You blow opportunities to open for KISS, audition for a big label and just stop living in your parents’ basement. Then, there’s that phone call with the fan in NYC.
While I can’t call Bobby Liebling inspiring, at least it’s a cautionary tale for every dingbat that holds onto a dream for far too long. It’s been said that I live off of these kinds of movies, because I dig seeing discomfort on the screen. Maybe my tastes have changed as I’ve gotten older, but this material is getting harder to watch. There’s something about seeing a wannabe artist past his prime forcing himself onto the masses. Hell, Bobby didn’t really force himself on the masses. He was a secret among even the most cult metal heads. Where does that leave you?
The DVD comes with deleted scenes and a trailer. The A/V Quality is on par with your standard definition documentaries of recent years. The Dolby 2.0 track was a bit thin when there was more than one voice in the room being interviewed. However, the transfer held up across the board. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase for all metalheads out there.
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!
