Last Days Here - It's A Long Way Back from Hell

I am not a fan of Pentagram, I have barely heard of them. However, I barely heard of Anthrax and thought that documentary was superb. That film was about a band soldiering on, ad midst a mostly apathetic public. This is the story of a broken wreck of a man named Bobby Liebling, someone who actually is doing drugs on film. Thankfully, he seems more coherent as the film goes on, to the point where you can understand him. Even if you think of him as a drug addled loser (this is not disrespect, watch the film), you want him to clean up and succeed. This film at first had no meaning to me, but it is the story of a second act. another chance. The best thing about the film are the interviews, as they are not with musical legends, but people who love him. You can see their frustration, but you also see the caring. I wish him well. The film is good, not in the echelon of the Anthrax and Rush documentaries, but worth watching.

10 is a high rating, I know. It's worthy not only because this film is simply a great documentary film, but a great film in general with stand- out, staying potential. Albeit, if only at a cult level. It's absolutely possible that in the near future this film will be used as a tool at drug rehabilitation centers, music business schools, inspiration seminars and pot parties alike. The people close to the band and drawn to it's music that appear in the film have an interesting charm but not close to it's two main subject's, the cartoon-ish, scary, lovable Bobby Liebling and the equal knock out of the piece, passionate manager, Sean "Pellet" Pelletier. It's fitting the majority of the film is set in Pellet's native Philadelphia as he emits the true blue, battered, underdog ethic of the city's most beloved, fictitious native, Rocky Balboa. In this regard, so does it's main character , Liebling who's demons affect both men in different ways. There is also more at stake here than a music career, it's life itself for one. It's the career of another. And all of this mind you, stemming from the essential, newly uncovered, proto-heavy metal songs Liebling wrote between '70 and '74. It's a surprising, sincere portrayal of faith and friendship that lurks below the dusty covers of hard rock, hard love and hard drugs. It's brutally honest but manages to soften the blow by delivering the story mainly through the endearing eyes of Pelletier. The film makers manage you get the viewer inside the man's heart which creates your own desire to see Liebling conquer his demons. I'm not saying you won't cringe at times, it's an essential ingredient when having to express the magnitude of certain essential factors in the film. Whether they be positive or negative in nature, they're strong and must be visibly displayed as such. I loved this film because it's a testament that true love empowers and prevails even in the most unsuspecting places. Here, it's displayed by the relationships a rusty metal God has with a caring fan as well as with a beautiful, wide-eyed, naive, sincere stranger. The appearance of Liebling's parents is another treat. Charming and truthful, they explain the brilliance that led to both the successes and downfalls of a rock icon that was never uncovered. At least not until Pelletier hunted him down and handed him a deal to release some of his old songs. It's a story of recovery of lost music and of lost life. This recovery came from a d.i.y ethic delivered within the characters in the film as well as from director's Don Argott and Demian Fenton. Heavy Metal musician's themselves, the story has an essence of empathy and sincerity not often felt in documentaries this blunt and with stakes this dire. Oh, and then there is the music...classy, hard rock delivered with the mystique of a Hammer Horror film. If the thought of heavy metal makes you cringe, do not worry. The band's songs that are strewn through out are subtle and work well to energize the piece. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

It's 2022 and I randomly came upon upon this documentary and hit play without actually knowing what it was about The minute he pulled that Pentagram album I stood up , I was standing there 4 feet from the television for most of this. The year was 1983ish for me, I had access to albums , my parents being collectors, my dad being a DJ and my uncle in the entertainment industry . Metal however, was my passion and happening upon this very record changed the course of my endeavors . Up to that point I had the sense that good music would certainly be found in the studio or in the massive collection in our home. At the time rap and metal were newer , still ,in retrospect a decent amount came through out household . Sitting there, listening to my record haul that day , I had a very deep sense of the world being unfair and was more upset than excited to learn that there was music out there beyond what was accessible ( even to me) much of the documentary tells a story of what could have been the collective experiences of a generation however this individual.... Typically I keep my reviews and personal experience separate but this documentary , I .... I shouldn't give spoilers so that's it. Thank you.

This documentary ripped my heart out, stomped on it, glued it back together, put it back in, made it beat again - and Then did that whole procedure all over again! Its raw, its real and its larger than life.

Sometimes you come across stories that touches you beyond belief, although you are just an observer you cry and laugh like you yourself is the one going through what you are watching. I love Bobby Liebling now for giving me perspective and strength!

At first I was skeptical because I'm not a big rock-fan, but from the very beginning I understood that it was going to be much more than just a music-documentary. In fact, even though the music is the fundamental reason it was made in the first place that is not what moves you or what makes your lips tremble and your skin crawl all at ones.

Bobby Liebling has lived in the basement of his parents house for decades. With everyday sitting on his couch either with a crack-pipe in his mouth or a needle in his arm. He believes that termites live underneath his skin and daily he wants to do nothing other than to die. Already this is heartbreaking and you really feel for the sorry bastard. But the fact that at one on point in his life he could have become one of the greats in the rockworld, with his unique voice, understanding for the music genre, with his unbelievable performances on stage and his dedication to rock it only makes it that much sadder.

We follow Bobby and his friends who are trying to assemble this broken man to make a new album and with that some sort of comeback. And while this seems like a mission impossible, Bobby really is trying his best to cut the album, but with many setbacks and the fact that Bobby is a junkie, all of everybody's efforts may fall through. But life is full of surprises and sometimes even in the darkest places a little ray of beautiful shining light makes it's way through.

This documentary makes you think and reflect on life and how precious and fragile it is. It awakes sympathy and love for people around you. And at least for me it reminded me about the fact to continue to not judge and look down on anybody, because you never know their story and what makes them do what they do.

Watch this documentary, it is one of the best!

I saw Robert Oscar Liebling and Pentagram in Socorro, New Mexico in 1974 -- just before I separated from the military. They'd boarded a bus somewhere in Pennsylvania headed for Secaucus, New Jersey, but a couple of them apparently were ticket-impaired so they all ended up in Socorro. Which worked out for me and the lads as we were based nearby and the sergeant announced their show at morning roll-call.

They played Tito's Tortilla Station in Socorro, which sounds funky but was actually a nice little restaurant with decent acoustics. A great show, but NOTHING like Bobby's final performance in the documentary. Dood it moved me to tears, to laughter, even did some snickering. His lyrics sunk into my forehead like a rock outta the hand of King David. And I haven't been free of those haunting, marvelous verses since. Nor of the occasional headache.

Robert Oscar Liebling was, clearly, the most overlooked major talent in American music, and this no-punches-pulled documentary makes mockery of the critics and music halls who fail to book Robert in, who thought him washed-up and just another crackshack. Instead, as the final performance showed, Robert had EVOLVED so far ahead of them that they cannot fathom his generous and hallowed offerings. But the critics, and club owners, and corporations shall be put to shame in the future, when the songwriting and performing wonders of Robert Oscar Liebling finally . . . finally are committed to Eternity, so that others in their own time may come upon his unique music, and be reborn in their own hope of triumph over a cruel world and against tremendous odds.

Inspiring documentary. We love you Bobby! Middle-finger forever baby! Thank you Robert! You'll never know exactly how much you've given us. I mean, how could you. You still have to count your fingers and toes.

But, all good. All good. The music still shines!