The Overlook Theatre Reviews: Dead Hands Dig Deep

5 of 6 viewers "Liked" "Dead Hands Dig Deep" (2016, USA)

Here's what the creatures had to say:

Math Mage - "I thought this was a Spinal Tap thing, but Kettle Cadaver is a real band and Edwin Borsheim is a legitimate madman. It's always depressing to watch hoodlums who have grown up and matured talking about their misspent youth and sorta trying to apologize. It's even more depressing to see them trying to not apologize." - 3 Stars

Clark Little - "A somewhat restrained look into the world of a character, who has never shown restrain in his entire existence. DHDD takes us into a world that few of us know or have seen. I was intrigued, then disgusted, then saddened. First time filmmaker Jai Love found a story that was certainly worth telling, but the things going on behind the camera with his unpredictable and unreliable muse should have been in front." - 3.5 Stars

Dabbles - "So much blood! I get really squeamish and for some parts I had to close my eyes, but this was one interesting movie. The documentary kept my attention, was very engaging, and had a crazy story. Worth a watch." - 5 Stars

Huntress - "Now that I know a little bit about Edwin Borsheim, it's amazing that Dead Hands Dig Deep exists at all. He seems to have taken every precaution against being easily approached but somehow director Jai Love got him to agree to show a small movie crew around his house and life. The testimonials from those close to Edwin were careful and articulate, and I would have loved to hear his ex-wife's side of things but it's not hard to imagine why she wouldn't want to get involved." - 4 Stars​

Lord Battle - "Normally when someone tells you a band is more hardcore, brutal, violent, or gnarlier than GG Allin they expose themselves as an idiot who doesn't know what they are talking about. Kettle Cadaver is more hardcore, brutal, violent and gnarlier than GG Allin and if you don't believe me look for a copy of "A Taste for Blood" on eBay like I did, then go watch Dead Hands Dig Deep and get a brutal insight on what makes a man like Edwin Borsheim tick." - 4 Stars

The Berkeley Blazer -"I don't remember this movie very well. In fact the only thing I do remember was feeling heavy internal eye rolling at this dude and his antics. Sure there is dedication and a kind of craft here but to what end?  What remains from that experience was a rising emotional crescendo of frustration and annoyance. I usually find a human dedication to impractical ideals admirable, but when those ideals are so juvenile admiration turns to laughter turns to boredom, I guess." - 2.5 Stars

The Overlook Theatre Final Rating*

(Below is for after you've seen the film)

Yesterday during our recording of The Overlook Hour, I touched on genre classification in Metal music. This topic can be so daunting to outsiders that it's been the center of several jokes (see here). I'd like to say that even though I think a few of the popular sub-genres like Viking Metal or Speed Metal are unnecessary, I am a huge advocate of splitting bands up even into sub sub-genres...

Let me give you an example of why. Amon Amarth is a pretty popular band, like on the Hot Topic sells their shirts level, which means they've become a gateway drug of sorts for new metal fans. Now I'd call Amon Amarth a "Melodic-Death" band, which would inform metal fans that they sound extreme, employing guttural vocals, fast riffing heavily distorted guitars (still influenced by BNWOHM guitar melodies), double bass, and often lyrics that portray themes of brutal death or decay. What Amon Amarth is more often referred to as is Viking Metal, which would give you as much info as you'd expect... They sing about Vikings. To be fair Amon Amarth does sing purely about their Viking heritage/mythology but that's only a small part of their sound. 

So to place Kettle Cadaver in a metal sub-genre and spare you another long winded formula, we just need to look at what stands out the most after listening to and looking at the band. Now even though Edwin Borsheim is the only one hammering his member through a 2x4, it's what audiences walk away remembering. The sound is a little all over the place, often sounding like Nu-metal with a keyboard and they look (again mostly Edwin Borsheim) like a Black Metal band. So what does Nu-metal + Black Metal + real blood = ??? Easy, Shock Rock. Other famously unclassifiable bands are: Rammstein, Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, and Slipknot.

In case the math behind metal genre's bores you I've included videos below.

Here is Edwin Borsheim's amazing indie homage to Mad Max!




Rob Zombie's first solo album after separating from White Zombie, Hellbilly Deluxe, combined borderline club beats with metal. The theme of the entire album also showed off the front man's love of classic horror.




Rammstein sarp wit and global satire is often overshadowed by sexuality laws and the fact that they came up in the early 2000's and got lumped in with nu-metal bands.

-Lord Battle

The Overlook Theatre materialized in a residence for a screening on 5/4/2017

*Based on the star ratings turned in by character reviewers, others viewed and got to "Dislike" or "Like" but that does not affect the rating.