When heavy metal band Metallica released their 1989 hit song One, other than being an amazing piece of rock with a deep and dark theme, the music video associated with it had a unique attachment. But first, enjoy the video:
Inbetween the band members thrashing away in a warehouse are video segments from the 1971 movie Johnny Got His Gun. Directed by Dalton Trumbo (based on the 1939 book of the same name), the anti-war drama film is about a World War I soldier who lost his limbs, sight, smell, sound and speech after being hit by an artillery shell, but manages to live thanks to doctors – however he’s a prisoner within his own body. The movie echoes One, so Metallica bought the rights to the movie to use it in the music video. Johnny Got His Gun stars Timothy Bottoms, Donald Sutherland and David Soul.
So iconic is the song and the strong association with Johnny Got His Gun, if you are trying to watch the movie solely on its own to kill the curiosity, you naturally would read the reviews made by the general public. In this case, the general public happens to be Metallica fans. Straight from Google Movies, keen film reviewers have been writing their thoughts in the form of word-for-word One lyrics.
While in Australia, Imprint Films obtained the rights to distribute the Blu-Ray edition, sadly, it lacks Metallica’s music video.
So when you review the movie, you won’t be alone if you quote lead singer James Hetfield word for word. Except for Rueben. Don’t be Rueben. Put some effort into it.
