Iron Maiden: Flight 666 | |
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Directed by | Scot McFadyen Sam Dunn |
Written by | Scot McFadyen Sam Dunn |
Produced by | Scot McFadyen Sam Dunn |
Starring | Iron Maiden |
Narrated by | Sam Dunn |
Cinematography | Martin Hawkes |
Edited by | Lisa Grootenboer Wendy Hallam Martin Mike Munn |
Music by | Iron Maiden |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Arts Alliance Media EMI D&E Entertainment (US) |
Release date |
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Running time | 113 minutes [2] |
Countries | United Kingdom Canada |
Language | English |
Box office | $233,193 [3] |
Iron Maiden: Flight 666 is a concert documentary film featuring the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. The film follows the band on the first leg of their Somewhere Back in Time World Tour in February and March 2008, during which they travelled on their own customised Boeing 757, Ed Force One, which used the call-sign "666".
Flight 666 is co-produced by Toronto-based Banger Films, known for their documentaries Metal: A Headbanger's Journey , Global Metal and Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage . The film was shot in high-definition video with accompanying 5.1 surround sound produced by Kevin Shirley (who has worked with the band since their 2000 album Brave New World ). It was distributed by Arts Alliance Media and EMI (except in the US, where it was sub-distributed by D&E Entertainment) in select digital theatres on 21 April 2009.
Iron Maiden: Flight 666 documents the opening leg of the band's Somewhere Back in Time World Tour, which took place between February and March 2008. [4] During this leg of the tour, the group travelled 50,000 miles (encompassing India, Australia and North and South America) in just 45 days, performing 23 shows in 13 countries to half a million fans. [4] [5] To achieve this, the band travelled in their own Boeing 757, nicknamed "Ed Force One" after the band's mascot, Eddie, and in the style of the U.S. president's Air Force One, which was specially converted to carry the band, their crew and twelve tonnes of equipment. [5]
The aeroplane was largely piloted by the band's lead singer, Bruce Dickinson, who was then employed by Astraeus Airlines. [6] [7] According to Dickinson, who came up with the idea, Ed Force One meant they could visit countries where "The bean counters said it's just not worth going" and allowed them to "do an almost European-type itinerary, but on an inter-continental basis". [7] As a result, the band were able to perform in Costa Rica and Colombia for the first time. [8] The aircraft was flown under the call-sign "666", a reference to their 1982 single "The Number of the Beast", which provided the film's title. [4]
Despite the technical aspects behind the tour, the documentary is predominantly about the group's fans, with Dickinson commenting that "Two-thirds of the film is not about us". [7] Scenes shot in South America are particularly focused on the audiences, where Reuters report that they are "venerated like football stars", [8] while The Daily Telegraph state that the film makers "elicit tearful eulogies" from those in Costa Rica and Colombia, then seeing the band for the first time. [4] Dickinson asserts that the band's relationship with their fans is "the real story of Maiden", [9] and the fact that this is the film's primary theme "is the way it should be". [7]
The documentary was written, directed and produced by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn, using their production company, Banger Films. [2] [1] [8] McFadyen and Dunn requested permission to shoot the film as soon as the tour was announced, which they received with just two months left to prepare. [4] Despite the fact that the film makers had been acquainted with Iron Maiden while working on their first two documentaries, 2005's Metal: A Headbanger's Journey and 2007's Global Metal , some band members were initially mistrustful of the venture and were wary of having their privacy invaded. [4] Although Dickinson and drummer Nicko McBrain were the most comfortable with the filming, bassist Steve Harris and guitarist Adrian Smith took longer to adapt, while guitarist Janick Gers largely ignored the crew until the final week. [8] Following Iron Maiden: Flight 666, the band worked with Banger Films once again on their 2012 live video, En Vivo! . [10]
The film's world première took place at the Cine Odeon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 14 March 2009, during the final leg of the band's Somewhere Back in Time World Tour. [11] The UK première took place on 20 April 2009 at the Kensington Odeon in London. [12] The following night, the film was screened simultaneously on over 450 screens in 41 countries globally. [13] Distributed by Arts Alliance Media and EMI, with D&E Entertainment sub-distributing in the US, [14] Flight 666 was shown in a 2K digital format, with 5.1 surround sound mixed by the band's producer, Kevin Shirley. [15]
The screenings on 21 April were very successful, with Arts Alliance Media reporting that it was the largest simultaneous worldwide release of a documentary film. [14] This led to additional showings in some territories, [14] such as in India, where it was released on 8 May by PVR Pictures, [16] and Australia, where it was screened from 30 April to 6 May. [17] [18] At the UK box office, the film grossed £84,276 (US$123,886), [3] while making $74,134 in Australia and $35,173 in Russia CIS, totalling $233,193 from the three territories tallied. [19]
Flight 666 was welcomed by overwhelmingly positive reviews from the music press and general media. Rock and metal magazines Kerrang! and Metal Hammer each gave the movie full marks, with Kerrang! referring to it as a "unique peek behind the Iron Curtain" that was "not to be missed" and Metal Hammer calling it a "continent-jumping, fire-breathing monster of a film". [20] [21] Empire gave it 4 stars and felt that the behind the scenes antics were interesting, despite lacking in drama when compared to Metallica: Some Kind of Monster and Anvil! The Story of Anvil , and that the concert footage is "magnificent". [22]
Flight 666 won the "24 Beats Per Second" award for best music documentary at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, [23] Music DVD of the Year at 2010's Juno Awards, [24] and Best DVD at the 2009 Metal Storm awards. [25]
Iron Maiden: Flight 666 | ||||
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Video & live album by | ||||
Released | 22 May 2009 9 June 2009 (North America) | |||
Recorded | 1 February – 16 March 2008 | |||
Venue | Various concerts throughout the first leg of the Somewhere Back in Time World Tour | |||
Genre | Heavy metal | |||
Length | 112:20 (film) [2] 101:28 (concert) [26] | |||
Label | EMI UMe (United States) | |||
Producer | Kevin Shirley (audio) | |||
Iron Maiden video chronology | ||||
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Iron Maiden live albums chronology | ||||
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Iron Maiden:Flight 666 was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 25 May 2009 by EMI. [27] In North America,it was issued on 9 June and by Universal Music Enterprises in the US. [28] In addition to the documentary film,the video contains the full sixteen song setlist from the Somewhere Back in Time World Tour,with each track recorded at a different venue. [29] Alongside the DVD and Blu-ray,a double CD soundtrack album was released simultaneously,featuring the same track listing as the video concert footage. [30] The DVD and Blu-ray release was particularly successful,peaking at No. 1 in 22 countries including the UK and US. [31]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [32] |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Churchill's Speech" (1 February 2008, Mumbai, India) | 0:43 | ||
2. | "Aces High" (1 February 2008, Mumbai, India) | Steve Harris | 1984 ~ Powerslave | 4:49 |
3. | "2 Minutes to Midnight" (7 February 2008, Melbourne, Australia) | Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson | 1984 ~ Powerslave | 5:57 |
4. | "Revelations" (9 February 2008, Sydney, Australia) | Dickinson | 1983 ~ Piece of Mind | 6:28 |
5. | "The Trooper" (16 February 2008, Chiba, Japan) | Harris | 1983 ~ Piece of Mind | 4:01 |
6. | "Wasted Years" (22 February 2008, Monterrey, Mexico) | Smith | 1986 ~ Somewhere in Time | 5:07 |
7. | "The Number of the Beast" (19 February 2008, Inglewood, United States) | Harris | 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast | 5:07 |
8. | "Can I Play With Madness" (24 February 2008, Mexico City, Mexico) | Smith, Dickinson, Harris | 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | 3:36 |
9. | "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (14 March 2008, East Rutherford, United States) | Harris | 1984 ~ Powerslave | 13:41 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Powerslave" (26 February 2008, San José, Costa Rica) | Dickinson | 1984 ~ Powerslave | 7:28 |
2. | "Heaven Can Wait" (2 March 2008, São Paulo, Brazil) | Harris | 1986 ~ Somewhere in Time | 7:35 |
3. | "Run to the Hills" (28 February 2008, Bogotá, Colombia) | Harris | 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast | 3:59 |
4. | "Fear of the Dark" (7 March 2008, Buenos Aires, Argentina) | Harris | 1992 ~ Fear of the Dark | 7:32 |
5. | "Iron Maiden" (9 March 2008, Santiago, Chile) | Harris | 1980 ~ Iron Maiden | 5:26 |
6. | "Moonchild" (12 March 2008, San Juan, Puerto Rico) | Smith, Dickinson | 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | 7:29 |
7. | "The Clairvoyant" (4 March 2008, Curitiba, Brazil) | Harris | 1988 ~ Seventh Son of a Seventh Son | 4:38 |
8. | "Hallowed Be Thy Name" (16 March 2008, Toronto, Canada) | Harris | 1982 ~ The Number of the Beast | 7:52 |
Total length: | 101:28 |
Album
| Video
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [68] | Gold | 40,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Argentina (CAPIF) [69] | Platinum | 8,000^ |
Australia (ARIA) [70] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada) [71] | 5× Platinum | 50,000^ |
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [72] | Gold | 6,046 [72] |
France (SNEP) [73] | Platinum | 15,000* |
Germany (BVMI) [74] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [75] | Gold | 25,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [76] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Production and performance credits are adapted from the Blu-ray, DVD and soundtrack album liner notes. [2] [26] [77]
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Although fluid in the early years of the band, the line-up for most of the band's history has consisted of Harris, lead vocalist Bruce Dickinson, drummer Nicko McBrain, and guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers. As pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal movement, Iron Maiden released a series of UK and US Platinum and Gold albums, including 1980's debut album, 1981's Killers, and 1982's The Number of the Beast – its first album with Bruce Dickinson, who in 1981 replaced Paul Di'Anno as lead singer. The addition of Dickinson was a turning point in their career, establishing them as one of heavy metal's most important bands. The Number of the Beast is among the most popular heavy metal albums of all time, having sold almost 20 million copies worldwide.
The Number of the Beast is the third studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released on 22 March 1982 in the US by Harvest and Capitol Records, and on 29 March 1982 in the UK by EMI Records. The album was their first to feature vocalist Bruce Dickinson and their last with drummer Clive Burr.
Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer who is best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Dickinson has performed in the band across two stints, from 1981 to 1993 and from 1999 to the present day. He is known for his wide-ranging operatic vocal style and energetic stage presence.
Dance of Death is the thirteenth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released first in Japan on 2 September and then 8 September 2003 in the rest of the world excluding North America. The album was an analogue recording.
The X Factor is the tenth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 2 October 1995 through EMI Records. CMC International released the album in North America. It is the first of two albums by the band to include Blaze Bayley, formerly of Wolfsbane, as vocalist, replacing Bruce Dickinson who left the band following their previous tour to pursue a solo career. It also saw the departure of the band's longtime producer Martin Birch, who retired shortly after the release of their previous album, Fear of the Dark (1992). The album takes a darker tone than the band's first nine releases, due to the lyrics being based on personal issues surrounding Steve Harris at the time, who was in the midst of a divorce. This is reflected in the cover artwork, which graphically depicts the band's mascot, Eddie, being vivisected by a machine.
Powerslave is the fifth studio album by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 3 September 1984 through EMI Records in Europe and its sister label Capitol Records in North America. It was re-released by Sanctuary and Columbia Records in the United States in 2002.
Killers is the second studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was first released on 16 February 1981 in the United Kingdom by EMI Records and on 11 May in the United States by Harvest and Capitol Records. The album was their first with guitarist Adrian Smith, and their last with vocalist Paul Di'Anno, who was fired after problems with his stage performances arose due to his alcohol and cocaine use. Killers was also the first Iron Maiden album recorded with producer Martin Birch, who went on to produce their next eight albums until Fear of the Dark (1992).
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son is the seventh studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released on 11 April 1988 in the United Kingdom by EMI Records and in the United States by Capitol Records. Like The Number of the Beast (1982) and later Fear of the Dark (1992), The Final Frontier (2010), and The Book of Souls (2015), the album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart. The lead single "Can I Play with Madness" was also a commercial success, peaking at No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart.
Fear of the Dark is the ninth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Released on 11 May 1992, it was their third studio release to top the UK Albums Chart, and the last to feature Bruce Dickinson as the group's lead vocalist until his return in 1999.
Piece of Mind is the fourth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released on 16 May 1983 in the United Kingdom by EMI Records and in the United States by Capitol Records. It was the first album to feature drummer Nicko McBrain, who had recently left the band Trust and has been Iron Maiden's drummer ever since.
Virtual XI is the eleventh studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 23 March 1998. It is the band's second and final album with Blaze Bayley on vocals. It also marks the first album to utilise a slightly modified logo, with the letters R, M, and N the same size as the other letters as opposed to them being extended. This goes on for the next few albums, until The Final Frontier, in 2010.
"The Trooper" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released as the second single on 20 June 1983 from the band's fourth studio album, Piece of Mind (1983). It was one of only a few songs to achieve frequent radio airplay in the United States, thus peaking at No. 28 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock. It also achieved success in the United Kingdom, peaking at No. 12 in the UK Singles Chart, as well as gaining a better reception than the band's previous single, "Flight of Icarus". The song is one of their most popular and remains an essential track of heavy metal music.
Live After Death is a live album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, originally released in October 1985 on EMI in Europe and its sister label Capitol Records in the US. It was recorded at Long Beach Arena, California and Hammersmith Odeon, London during the band's World Slavery Tour.
Rock in Rio is a live album and video by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, recorded at the Rock in Rio festival, Brazil in 2001 on the last night of the Brave New World Tour. The band played to approximately 250,000 people; the second largest crowd of their career and with the relatively recent return of lead singer Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith to the band, they recorded their fifth live release.
Waking the Fallen is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released on August 26, 2003, through Hopeless Records. It is the band's first full-length album with new lead guitarist Synyster Gates and bassist Johnny Christ.
Death on the Road is a live album and video released by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden on 29 August 2005 on CD and vinyl, and on 6 February 2006 on DVD. The album was recorded at Westfalenhallen in Dortmund, Germany on 24 November 2003, during the Dance of Death World Tour.
A Matter of Life and Death is the fourteenth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released on 25 August 2006 in Italy and Finland and 28 August worldwide—excluding the US, Canada and Japan, where it was released on 5 September. It is the first album in Iron Maiden's career to enter the US Billboard charts in the top 10, achieving significant chart success in many other countries as well.
Somewhere Back in Time World Tour was a concert tour by the heavy metal band Iron Maiden in 2008 and 2009, focused on the band's 1980s material, in particular songs from Powerslave, Somewhere in Time and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. The tour tied in with the second part of the DVD series, entitled "The History of Iron Maiden", and prompted the release of a new greatest hits compilation, Somewhere Back in Time.
The Final Frontier is the fifteenth studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was released on 13 August 2010 in Germany, Austria and Finland, 17 August in North America, 18 August in Japan, and 16 August worldwide. At 76 minutes and 34 seconds, it is the band's third-longest studio album to date, a duration surpassed only by 2015's The Book of Souls and 2021's Senjutsu. Melvyn Grant, a long-time contributor to the band's artwork, created the cover art. It is the band's final album to be released through EMI Records, marking the end of their 30-year relationship. It is also the last album to use the band's alternate logo. While not a concept album, themes of exploration, expectation, and discovery are frequent throughout. The Final Frontier is the band's first studio album in nearly four years, making it one of the longest gaps between albums.
En Vivo! is a live album and video by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Filmed by Banger Films during The Final Frontier World Tour at Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile on 10 April 2011 and directed by Andy Matthews, it was released worldwide on 26 March 2012, 23 March in Australia, 27 March in the United States and Canada and 28 March in Japan.
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