Heavy Metal

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  • Trailer

Movie Info & Cast

Director:

Gerald Potterton, John Bruno, John Halas

Release Date:

Aug 7, 1981

Runtime:

1hr 26m

Synopsis

A glowing green orb - which embodies ultimate evil - terrorizes a young girl with an anthology of bizarre and fantastic stories of dark fantasy, eroticism and horror.

Cast

  • Don Francks
  • Caroline Semple
  • Richard Romanus
  • Susan Roman
  • Al Waxman
  • Harvey Atkin
  • John Candy
  • Glenis Wootton Gross
  • Marilyn Lightstone
  • Joe Flaherty

Letterboxd User Reviews

3.3
87.4K
27.7K
22.0K
RATINGS 543 FANS
3.3
  • Apr 24, 2022

    Fantasia for people who had to repeat ninth grade.

    1.8K Likes
    Jake Cole
    Jake Cole

    a film firmly on the boob side of the boob vs. butt debate

    1.8K Likes
    comrade_yui
    comrade_yui
    Feb 18, 2024

    awesome boobs

    1.2K Likes
    sarah squirm
    sarah squirm
  •
    May 17, 2024

    hate when someone makes love to me while their accomplice steals my scepter

    431 Likes
    David Sims
    David Sims
    Jun 28, 2020

    There’s legitimately good stuff here like the ending Eternal Champion storyline but unfortunately the movie keeps reminding you it was made for perverts by perverts.

    350 Likes
    Eric Szyszka
    Eric Szyszka
    Feb 2, 2021

    animated tiddies? oh please that'll never catch on

    285 Likes
    adambolt
    adambolt
  •
    Dec 4, 2022

    imagine if I was like “this gave me body dysmorphia”

    276 Likes
    fran hoepfner
    fran hoepfner
    Aug 19, 2022

    The 4K version of this influential film was just released and boy is it beautiful.  Hard to believe this is 41 years old.   This is one of my favorite animated films.  The cast is terrific with John Candy, Harold Ramis and Eugene Levy as well as a killer soundtrack.  Dan…

    257 Likes
    𝒜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒹𝒶 𝒦.🏳️‍🌈
    𝒜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒹𝒶 𝒦.🏳️‍🌈
    May 20, 2024

    Literal Perfection  It’s a crime we don’t get films like this anymore

    246 Likes
    Kaijuman
    Kaijuman

Queue Community Reviews

79%
Community 832
❤️ LOVE
23%
👍 LIKE
56%
😐 MEH
15%
👎 DISLIKE
6%
Top Reviews
  • Mary
    Mary loved
    Heavy Metal

    Green orb bad, big titty good

    🔥 3 3Y
    V
    V is "meh" on
    Heavy Metal

    This came out when I was nine years old. I remember everyone talking about it, but I was nine couldn’t care less.. I just watched it bc I’ve been binging South Park and they pay tribute to this movie. You can tell this was made during the “Golden Age of Porn”.

    1M
    Hasvik
    Hasvik is "meh" on
    Heavy Metal

    this went pretty hard as a 13 year old and it not without its nostalgic charms now but it is very much of its time.

    1Y
  • Koba
    Koba liked
    Heavy Metal

    Coworker lent me a copy of this and recommended it when I was like 17, art and soundtrack go crazy

    3M
    Rachael Rapanos
    Rachael Rapanos is "meh" on
    Heavy Metal

    Enjoyed myself, but pretty over hyped. I won't go out of my way to watch it again.

    1Y
    Aira
    Aira liked
    Heavy Metal

    Great music and illustration, not a movie you watch for the plot

    2Y
  • Andrikk0s
    Andrikk0s liked
    Heavy Metal

    While watching this my balls felt so heavy, it was metal man.

    1Y
    South Philly Dilly Dilly Jawn
    South Philly Dilly Dilly Jawn is "meh" on
    Heavy Metal

    Great soundtrack, lackluster animated film.

    2Y
    Superbad
    Superbad loved
    Heavy Metal

    If you haven’t seen this yet, shame on you

    2Y

Atom Users Reviews

No one has posted a user review yet.

Metacritic

51
metacritic
Based on 13 Critics
6.9

USER SCORE (15)

Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Reviews
80

That it is a cartoon that takes kids right out of the equation is the best recommendation of all.

Metacritic review by Ian Nathan
Ian Nathan
Empire
80

For anyone who doesn't think an hour and a half is a long time to spend with a comic book, Heavy Metal is impressive. Though it owes some slight bit of its toughness and nihilism to Ralph Bakshi, this animated feature is off on its own track, combining science fiction, mysticism, sex, violence and rock music. Much of the time, these elements do what the film makers want them to, and make for a heady mix.

Metacritic review by Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
The New York Times

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Heavy Metal (1981) family-friendly?
The movie has been rated as R, meaning that Under 17 requires an adult accompaniment.
How long is Heavy Metal (1981)?
The movie is 1hr 26min long.
What's Heavy Metal (1981) about?
A glowing green orb - which embodies ultimate evil - terrorizes a young girl with an anthology of bizarre and fantastic stories of dark fantasy, eroticism and horror.
Who's the cast of Heavy Metal (1981)?
  • Don Francks as Grimaldi (segment "Grimaldi"), Co-Pilot (segment "B-17"), Barbarian (segment "Taarna")
  • Caroline Semple as Girl (segment "Grimaldi")
  • Richard Romanus as Harry Canyon (segment "Harry Canyon")
  • Susan Roman as Girl (segment "Harry Canyon"), Satellite (segment "Harry Canyon")
  • Al Waxman as Rudnick (segment "Harry Canyon")
  • Harvey Atkin as Alien (segment "Harry Canyon"), Henchman (segment "Harry Canyon")
  • John Candy as Desk Sergeant (segment "Harry Canyon"), Dan (segment "Den"), Den (segment "Den")
  • Glenis Wootton Gross as Whore (segment "Harry Canyon")
  • Marilyn Lightstone as Whore (segment "Harry Canyon"), Queen (segment "Den")
  • Joe Flaherty as Lawyer (segment "Captain Sternn"), General (segment "So Beautiful and So Dangerous")
Who's the director behind Heavy Metal (1981)?
Gerald Potterton, John Bruno and John Halas directed Heavy Metal (1981).