Disclaimer: This piece is submitted by one of our fans. We hope you enjoy it.If you watched Netflix’s “The Dirt” because you were curious about the 1980s rock band “Mötley Crüe,” then you’ll love this review.
The film features Nikki Sixx (Douglas Booth), Tommy Lee (Colson Baker, aka Machine Gun Kelly), Vince Neil (Daniel Webber), and Mick Mars (Iwan Rheon, aka Game of Thrones). The strong cast was amazing beyond belief.
About the Film
The film is a loose adaptation of Neil Strauss’ “The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band,” which depicts how Mötley Crüe wishes to be remembered. ‘The Dirt’ focuses on Mötley Crüe’s first 15 years of making music and recklessness. It also mentions Vince Neil’s departure and eventual return to the band.
Nikki Sixx stated in an interview that they had been waiting a long time for the story to be on television in a way that they preferred. He went on to say that they wanted a narrative that focused on the band’s real-life events rather than glorifying their rise to fame.
Nikki went on to say that the band was so inspired by the way actors portrayed them on screen that they returned to creating new tracks. MTV Films bought the movie’s rights in 2006 but it took them more than a decade to make it come live on-screen for various reasons.
The Plot
In the movie’s opening scene, Nikki Sixx starts by narrating how Mötley Crüe jammed with the crowd after a gig. No doubts they’re that it involved many scandals, drugs, sex, and well music. Some may find the opening sequence offensive due to the explicit scenes, but it happened, according to the band and the book, thus it was appropriate to present on-screen.
The movie moves ahead, with each member narrating to trace their entry into the band and their problems and successes. Tommy meets Nikki at a club, they hire Mick, and then Tommy introduces the band as their lead singer.
The band’s journey from lame four men with flair to rock stars was not simple, as it was marred by diversions like drugs, sex, failed relationships, accidents, abuses, scandals, and Nikki Sixx dying for two minutes due to an overdose (Yep, that happened).
Nikki Sixx and Ozzy Osbourne snorting ants and pee were some of the strange things you might see that truly happened. Vince recalled and mentioned the two were trying to outdo each other. As for Ozzy, he claims he has no memory of snorting ants.
A Proud Moment for the Crew
The four incredible rock band members and the staff demonstrate how much fun they had while making Mötley Crüe, popular rock bands of the 1980s. Without giving anything away, prepare for a crazy evening filled with 80s music and possibly some bizarre hairstyles.
Words from the Director
Jeff Tremaine, who directed several Jackass films, directed the film and stated in an interview, “I wasn’t a Mötley Crüe superfan, you know, I liked Mötley Crüe.” However, I was not a huge admirer. I explained that I wanted to tell the narrative because I felt like I had gone through it and understood it, and I was an eighties child, and I wanted to tell it correctly. And it shouldn’t feel like a parody or a joke. You’re aware.”
Although no need for comparison between art and movies, The Dirt and Bohemian Rhapsody finds themselves pitted against each other quite a lot. Both bands Queen and Mötley Crüe, had unique stories to share, and for anyone who didn’t realize how insane the rock band environment was in the 1980s, The Dirt is a fascinating look into it.
A Closer Look at the Film
The film is best described as a guilty pleasure journey that includes much of rock and roll music, sex, drugs, and the story of how four friends can become a family.
A few details that the film omitted from showing on the screen, and you can learn about them by reading the book. One of the main was the fact that they omitted the original first lead singer of the band, which was not Vince but O’Dean Peterson. The other was the abuse of Tommy Lee on his partner. Maybe they had reasons not to showcase it on-screen. We’ll never know.
Nikki Sixx stated that their story is one of survival as it delves into the depths of darkness and the band’s rise and demise. Some describe the film as an attempt to clean up their mess, but you will never dislike anyone in it. To be honest, it’s a good trip, and you’ll find yourself saying, “Woah. How can they do this?” several times during the movie.
The Band Members Meet the Cast
During one of the interviews, Tommy Lee stated that Machine Gun Kelly had called him and informed him that he was going to play him in a movie. Tommy and Colson (MGK) sat together for a few weeks so that the actor could gain a sense of Tommy’s overall mood in different scenarios. Tommy also noted that Colson took three months of drumming lessons to get into character, which he found very impressive.
Last but not least, the drummer noted that all the actors had put a lot of effort into their roles and that they were all very proud of them. Of course, it’s up to you whether you enjoy the film or not, but viewing it will undoubtedly bring back memories, and you’ll find yourself singing along to their songs by the end of the night.
Vince Neil, the lead singer, mentioned, “We were young kids and crazy and wanted to live for that excess. I think they capture it in the film beautifully without going completely overboard on it.” Nikki mentioned, “Back then, every time we did something wrong, we sold more records, and we got another pat on the back. We were like being trained to be dysfunctional.”
Final Words
All the band members stated that sharing the life you’ve lived with people is not easy, and they had to live through some of the dark past while watching the actor’s film. The bad decisions failed relationships, and dwelling in alcohol and drugs almost all the time are hard to relive through.
Mötley Crüe performed their last live tour career on New Year’s Eve of 2015.
