Netflix movie Lords of metal follows a pair of high school friends whose decision to form a heavy metal band sets off a series of events that test their friendship and teach them more than a few hard lessons about life, love, and what it really means to be a full-on metalhead. And yet, Lords of metal is more than your typical coming-of-age comedy, thanks to memorable performances from star Jaeden Martell (It), Adrian Greensmith and Isis Hainsworth, who play a pair of childhood friends and a talented cellist they recruit for their band.
Directed by Peter Sollett (Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist) from the script he wrote Game of Thrones co-creator DB Weiss, Lords of metal features a powerful soundtrack filled with new and classic metal and a story that takes some surprising turns as Kevin (Martell) and his friend Hunter (Greensmith) deal with family drama, high school bullies, and the trials and tribulations of love and life as teenagers today.
Digital Trends spoke with Martell about his preparations for the Lords of metalhow that experience shaped his musical taste, his extraordinarily talented colleagues and what he learned by throwing himself into heavy metal.
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Digital Trends: Congratulations on a wonderful film! What was your reaction when you first read the script for it?
Jaeden Martell: Thank you! Well, at first I loved how funny it was and how it seemed to be written without a care in the world. I mean when Dan [Weiss] wrote, he wasn’t trying to please anyone but himself, really, because he’s obsessed with metal music, and that was so purely him. I loved it. And I was in love with the characters he created – how intricate they were and how the story progressed, and specifically, how Kevin progressed through the film.
It’s a perfect sequel because Kevin changes a lot over the course of the movie. How did you approach showing the way Kevin changed?
Well, the easiest way was through the wardrobe and hairstyle. All this helped to show that evolution to the audience, but also to me. It was like, “Okay, now I’m wearing tank tops, so that means I’m a little more confident.” It was a good reminder of where Kevin was in the story at any given time. For me it was just trying to be more confident, but really it was all about the writing – the way Kevin approached situations was different as time went on. He showed a bit more anger later in the film, which isn’t necessarily a good thing, but in doing so, he showed more of himself instead of being so reserved.
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Were you a metal fan before the movie?
I was little, but I didn’t have super knowledge. I had to get into that while making this film. Dan and Peter [Sollett] put together a playlist of all those metal acts, and I was just studying them and watching the drummers play, and… yeah, I just love that genre. It feels like very emotional music with no limits, which in a way it is, but if you look closely and look at the details, there’s so much skill in it and it’s so precise. It’s like controlled chaos, you know?
Did you end up finding any new favorites, musically speaking?
Yes, there’s always Metallica, of course. They are the best. I listened a lot. I can’t listen to too much metal though. I come back to it when I’m in the mood. He has that band Death Grips [that] I really like it, it’s a newer band, but they’re kind of on the metal side, and I listen to them all the time.
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Regarding preparation and getting used to drumming, did you already have experience or was it new to you?
I had no experience with drums. I always wanted to be a drummer though. Watching the drummers just walk away is such a pleasure. We can all appreciate that. When I watch someone play guitar, I think, “That sounds beautiful, but I don’t fully understand what you’re doing and how that sound comes from that instrument, but it sounds great.” With drumming, you can see everything. He is very physical. It’s very human. It’s very barbaric, in a way. So I always wanted to get into it, but I never did. And now I really fell in love with the instrument during the process of making this film.
I was surprised to learn that your actors have not acted in many films before this, because they are so great in them. What was it like being a veteran actor in that trio?
It was incredible. They are the most wonderful people. Watching them was a great experience for me too. Adrian works the hardest of any actor I’ve ever worked with. He has invested so much in his character and he knows it [Hunter] so good, and keeps asking questions. He’s obsessed and that really inspired me. The same with Isis. She is so naturally gifted. They both have theater backgrounds, so it was really amazing to see them so comfortable with the camera.
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What are some of your takeaways from the experience of working on this film? What have you left and not entered into?
Well, now I can play the drums, which I’m glad about. I will continue to do this for the rest of my life, I hope. I like that. And working with Adriana and Isis, and seeing how hard they work, I want to do it again. It’s easy as an actor to get complacent and play the same person over and over again. These two actors are so different from their characters and I really respect that.
Without spoiling anything, is there a certain scene Lords of metal do you look forward to the audience?
The performance towards the end of the film, at Battle of the Bands, is quite special. It was such a crazy experience to film that and get a glimpse into the life of a musician. It was physically exhausting, but I’m excited for people to see it. It’s such a fun scene.
What’s next for you?
I have a movie called Mr. Harrigan’s phone is also released on Netflix, directed by John Lee Hancock. And that’s it right now!
Netflix movie Lords of metal is now available on the streaming service.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn