Heavy Metal Parking Lot

Have you seen Heavy Metal Parking Lot? The 16 minute documentary by Jeff Krulik and John Heyn is a hoot! The entire documentary is staged around a 1986 Judas Priest concert - except you never see the band! As the title suggests, the entire movie is just interviews with a bunch of stoners - er, fans - before the big show.

1986 must have been a magical time to be an adult. I was less than seven when the documentary was made, so I didn't know anything about Judas Priest. Still, I sort of envy the people featured in the clip. All the rock fans are having an absolutely great time and really proves that the concert experience these days is completely different. I'm pretty sure the people interviewed for the documentary either camped or stood on-line for tickets. These days, you just grab a credit card and hope you don't get screwed by Ticketmaster.  You put some $4 gas in the tank and fly to the stadium right after work - taking an entire day off to hang out in a parking lot with other rock fans before a big show just really isn't practical these days. Sort of makes me sad I missed so many cool things in the 1980s.

There are so many great parts of Heavy Metal Parking Lot, but I really like when the fans kept throwing back beer - and got noticeably more drunk - right as the cameras rolled!

In addition to the regular documentary, the special DVD package also features a replay with director commentary - very funny!

If you are wondering, my favorite part of the documentary is when one woman says she "wants to jump Rob Halford's bones." Oh, I think she was misguided! Here's a clip - watch, then buy the DVD. Well worth $15 bucks!

Comments

[Joe]

Hi Allyson!!!!...I just saw this last week..we rented it from netflix last week...Zebra boy is a jerk off now..He is into country music these days..LAME!!!!..haha!!..Too bad I didn't have some footage of me and my friends..We were crazy then and were crazy now..Haven't changed a bit..Hope you and Eric had a great weekend..Talk to you soon =)

[Christian]

Yeah, I was gonna say the same, Zebra Boy betrayed us all. But the chick who wanted to jump Rob was classic.

[Rhodeislandrock, Heavy Metal Addiction]

Haven't seen this in a long time! I used to have a VHS copy, of a copy, of a copy.....nice to see it's on DVD, I'll have to grab it this week.

In '86 I was 14 so my buds and I didn't get to hang out all day in the lots but we started to around '88 when we were 16. If the show was on a weekday, everyone skipped school. Back in the '80s, Providence got all the shows, there was like 1 a week.

I miss those days, and those ticket prices!

Steve
Heavy Metal Addiction
http://hardrockheavymetal.wordpress.com/

[Gary]

I was 23 in 1986,and you are correct Allyson, it was a blast to be young and unattached during this era.The party in the lot in the Old Spectrum in Philly before a concert was pretty much what you see in that documantary.I'm surprised I still have enough brain cells remaining to type this, but man, it was a definite trip to be a part of that era.8>)

[ALEXX]

HA I REMEMBER THAT ONE ITS FUNNY BUT VERY SHORT ZEBRA BOY ROCKS

[Jess]

I seen some of this on Vh1 somehow...I can't remember what. I want this : D

[timmer]

Have seen this floating around the 'net and it needed a decent release. The DVD has 'dub-o-vision' whihc you can watch so it looks like a copy of a copy. The best parts are the alummni and 'Heavy Metal Basement'- that is hard core.
I saw Prist on this tour in '86 in Toronto for the first time - blew my mind after listening to them for so long.
I was 18 - saw myself in many of those kids on the film - different place same culture.

[Gene]

Ah..the memories.....I saw JP on that tour in 86...I was 21 that year..and I did the same thing as the folks in HMPL...and yes..I remember waiting in line to get tickets months before....i think I may have had some breakfast budweisers as we waiting to get tix...tickets price. $11.50..yes.those were the days...Gene

[Chey]

No one knew he was gay until the late 90s so here no one knows that. Man what i wouldn't give to have been there. I wasn't even alive back then. that was 5 years before i was born. ugh

[pete]

hi Allyson, I had plenty of parking lot parties myself in those days, turned 21 in 86. Just like Gary said in the Spectrum parking lot in Philly. Most every show parking lot scene was like that metal band or not. The 80s was the best time to be young and stupid

[carl]

Im getting this on dvd.I was 14 in 86.Never saw any metal bands then.Wish i could have.