Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story Movie

Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story
Rating:
Run Time: 95 min
MPAA Rating:
Released: 2001
Directors: Robert Mandel
Genre/Type: Drama
Biopic [feature]
Showbiz Drama
Producers: Claude Castravelli
Patricia Clifford
Plot Synopsis by Fred Beldin
The saga of pop metal superstars Def Leppard is told in this biopic, produced by cable television music channel VH1. The film traces the band's history from their origins as a teenage hard rock act in the English industrial town of Sheffield to the massive success they enjoyed worldwide as multi-platinum recording artists. Def Leppard's rise to the top is depicted as driven by rabidly dedicated lead singer Joe Elliott (Orlando Seale), though along with the money, supermodels and parties there are tragedies as well. Original guitarist Pete Willis (Nick Bagnall) is sacked when excessive drink affects his performance, drummer Rick Allen (Tat Whalley) loses an arm in a car accident and must endure grueling effort to learn how to play again, and lead guitarist Steve Clark (Karl Geary) struggles with alcoholism as he bounces in and out of rehab centers. Through all the tribulations and excess, however, the band sticks together like brothers and fights to keep rocking as a unit.

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Price: $14.98     37 Reviews
The true story of one of the most successful pop-metal bands of the 80s. All born in England, the group first found success at home and then, with the help of producer Mutt Lange, ...

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Back to the top Top Questions about Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story

Well how old are you and what are you worried about? Im pretty sure the only thing that made it Rated R is because of drug abuse and alcoholism, I doubt there's nudity or excessive swearing, I havent seen the movie but basing my knowledge ...
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A dramatization of the early years of the hard rock band, Def Leppard, the group faces both success and personal tragedies such as drummer, Rick Allen losing his arm in a car accident and guitarist Steve Clark's alcohol addiction. | add syn...

Cast

Actors Character Born
Karl Geary Steve Clark
Orlando Seale Joe Elliott
Adam MacDonald Rick Savage
Esteban Powell Phil Collen
Tat Whalley Rick Allen
Anthony Michael Hall Mutt Lange Apr 14, 1968 in Boston, MA
Nigel Harvey Rick Allen's Father
Amber Valletta Lorelei Shellist Feb 9, 1974 in Tuscon, AZ
Priscilla Mouzakiotis Miriam Barendsen
Larry Day Joe Elliot Sr.
Nick Bagnall Pete Willis
Dean McDermott Peter Mensch
Brett Watson Tony Kenning

Back to the topReview

Review by Fred Beldin
The true Def Leppard story is wrought with plenty of classic rock star cliches (alcoholism, car accidents, backstage orgies and too-much-too-soon in general), ensuring a sensational approach from the bloodthirsty cable programmers at VH1. Essentially a dramatic recreation of a "Behind The Music" episode, Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story rings false and clueless throughout. In an effort to fit ten years of events into ninety minutes of air time, large portions of the band's history are boiled down into fictional shorthand, with incredibly corny show-biz platitudes spewing from the mouths of actors who don't look anything like their real-life counterparts. The film rushes Def Leppard from obscurity to stardom in order to focus on the tragedies that the band endured and overcame, coming off like a black leather soap opera. Since he never had any public meltdowns, bassist Rick Savage is relegated to near-cameo status, and the filmmakers supply some glib psychoanalysis to explain away guitarist Steve Clark's alcoholism (his old man was too tough on him - case closed). The film wisely concludes with one-armed drummer Rick Allen's overwhelming comeback with the Hysteria album, well before grunge rendered the band's hedonistic party-metal uncommercial and Clark succumbed to his demons in 1991. True Def Leppard fanatics probably already know the story, and any details given here aren't likely to be terribly accurate; Hysteria is clearly aimed at the casual fan, someone who turns up "Rock Of Ages" when it comes on the classic rock radio station, plays a little ironic air guitar and makes fun of people with mullets.
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