Big Four on big screen a winner

Scott Kara.

A mate and I went all the way to Sofia in Bulgaria for a concert the other day. It poured down but, incredibly, we didn't get wet. The sound was a bit flaky too, but we didn't care about that much either. In fact, the only thing that annoyed us was how Metallica - the headlining act - rushed through many of their greatest songs and in so doing, turned One into a running race instead of a poised and pummelling piece of heavy metal drama.

Apart from Master of Puppets, which they nailed, it was truly the McDonalds of metal.

Luckily, we didn't have to fly all the way to eastern Europe for the experience. You see, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax came to us. And the reason we didn't get wet was because we were seated warm and cosily, clutching ice-cold beers, in a theatre at Event Cinemas (formerly SkyCity Cinemas) in Queen St. Along with 100 or so other metal fans, we had come to watch the three-hour-plus concert film The Big Four which, for the uninitiated, was a big deal because these bands were the big four of thrash metal who came kicking and wailing out of the 80s.

It was also a special occasion because in the past there has been much bad blood between Metallica and Megadeth. The Sofia show was the first time Metallica's James Hetfield and Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine had played together since 1983, when Mustaine was kicked out of Metallica.

The Big Four, which will also be released on DVD this year, is one of the first examples of New Zealand cinemas looking to broaden what they show outside core film screenings.

The actual Big Four gig was on June 22 and it was broadcast live to select movie theatres around the world. So, though New Zealand's first screenings were nearly a month later, it's a new and fun movie experience with loads of future potential. At the very least you don't get to see these metal monsters on a screen this big in your lounge now, do you?

It's concerts, sports games, and other events like this that movie theatre bosses are looking to to diversify into and attract audiences with in the increasingly competitive entertainment market.

Event Cinemas have screened many of the Fifa World Cup games, and have worked with MTV on tween-focused events, including the premiere of trashy-yet-riveting reality show The Hills. There are more events planned that they are staying tight-lipped about, but one can imagine the next step will be to get those satellites moving around in the sky fast enough to be able to beam next year's Glastonbury concert live into cinemas. Now that would be a show to see.

Meanwhile, back at The Big Four, at well over three hours long it was one for the true fans. And as is custom, the metal heads were in fine - and at times belligerent - voice. During a heartfelt but overly long tribute to the late Ronnie James Dio by Mustaine, Metallica's Lars Urlich and Scott Ian of Anthrax, one boisterous young fella yelled out: "I don't care. Bring on Metallica." We chuckled because he was right. That bloody Lars always takes so long to say something when you just want him to shut up and play drums.

And also, rather fittingly during Slayer, a bloke spilled beer on us and all over the cinema's comfy seats. That, more than anything, proved it was almost like being there. And as my mate pointed out, there's a bonus in that it's a movie you can talk through, too.