There are a few subtle yet important differences, though, differences what The Duke would point out for to illustrate how Some Kind Of Monster is probably the better film.

The most important of these distinctions is the fact that Some Kind Of Monster doesn't require a particular fondness for the music of Metallica in order that the flick be enjoyed as it should.

For all the yacking about The Greatest Rockumentaries Of All Ever and so on, it is hard to imagine a non-Beatles fan having the patience to sit through Let It Be's extended noodlings. Similarly, The Last Waltz is a masterful work, but even the most ardent Scorsese fan may find it a tad trying if the music of The Band is as a razor being dragged ruthlessly across their flesh.

Ironically, even though Some Kind Of Monster presents a Metallica desperately attempting to put the focus back on the "music", the "music" is the least of the concerns running rampant throughout.

Directors Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky previously touched on the work of Metallica via the distinctly uncomfortable, infuriating and rather distressing Paradise Lost series of films, searing documentaries what concerned themselves with the hotly-debated West Memphis Three, a group of metal fans imprisoned, and in one case sentenced to death, for the murder of three children. The films acted as anchors for the resultant howls of protest, mainly focused on the shockingly flimsy evidence produced for to convict the three youngsters. As the tagline stated; "It's frightening to think they did it. It's terrifying to think they didn't."

Berlinger, alas, also created the shockingly awful Book Of Shadows - Blair Witch 2, a commendable but gut-numbingly bad attempt to subvert the notion of the horror sequel.

So, then, we can probably assume that The Metallicas saw the Paradise Lost films, and most likely never cast an eye in the direction of Book Of Shadows.

Some Kind Of Monster is, The Duke feels compelled to relate, a marvellous work. Tender, brave, compassionate, compulsive, it's hard to find a fault anywhere in the damn thing.

Much of the action takes place in, of all places, a load of the "therapy-sessions", where the group vent any number of frustrations with the help of Phil Towle, therapist to all sorts of sports teams and what not, these bunches of the ego what have to find a way for to work with one another on account of the green involved.