Hard Rock Treasures

Have you ever gone to watch your favorite band in concert and then wondered what happens to the instruments they play or the pieces of the stage set? Well to some extent, Hard Rock Treasures answers that question. This documentary takes a look at how the famed restaurant chain gains some of its most prized Rock artifacts for their displays.

With 122 cafes and 15 casinos and hotels located in 41 countries, the Hard Rock Café has cemented itself as the true home to some of Rock & Roll's greatest artifacts. The café itself began in London where it was frequented by some of the biggest rock stars of the day including Eric Clapton who has the honor of being the first person to donate an item for display when he gave one of his guitars. Since that time many others have joined in Mr. Clapton's generosity creating the memorabilia filled restaurants we see today.

Hosted by Dan Bernstine, the man whose job it is to convince rock stars to give up their treasured memorabilia, Hard Rock Treasures follows his pursuit of Rock & Roll history. Mr. Bernstine takes us along for the ride as he travels to the homes, studios, and backstage of some of the biggest concerts in his quest for the next great Rock & Roll artifact.

The documentary starts out giving a brief history of the Hard Rock café, but quickly turns into the pursuit of memorabilia. Bernstine takes from such rock legends as Deep Purple and Aerosmith to the current breed of rock heroes including members of Metallica and Slipknot. One of the most interesting pieces is when Dan Bernstine convinces Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath fame into giving up what many consider to be the Holy Grail of guitars, Iommi's Gibson he wrote Paranoia on.

Hard Rock Treasures does provide an interesting look at the behind the scenes world of memorabilia collecting and how much work actually goes in to the pursuit of such items. It does start to drag as there is no real story. It is simply Dan Bernstine going from one band or band member to another trying to get pieces for the Hard Rock café.

In my opinion, the best part of the Hard Rock Treasures set is the three featurettes that are the only extras offered with the DVD. These include a very cool interview with the late "Dime bag" Darrell and Vinnie Paul of Pantera fame as well as a backstage moment with Slayer's Kerry King. The final featurette provides a tour of the actual Hard Rock Vault which houses all the artifacts the Hard Rock Café has to offer.

Hard Rock Treasures is an interesting documentary taking a look at the world of Rock & Roll memorabilia. More specifically, it shows how the famed Hard Rock Café is able to collect the many pieces of Rock & Roll history they display. The casual fan will probably not be too enthused by Hard Rock Treasures, but anyone who is really into the hard rock music scene will find this DVD entertaining. The footage of the late "Dimebag" Darrell alone makes this a must have for the true heavy metal fans. If you are looking for concert footage and rarely heard versions of your favorite songs then this movie is not for you, but if you want a glimpse into the history of this particular genre of music then Hard Rock Treasures would be a welcome edition to your collection.

3 Stars

Special Features:

English Subtitles

5.1 Dolby surround

Featurettes: "A Visit with Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul", "Backstage with Slayers' Kerry King and Judas Priest", and "Tour of the Hard Rock Vault"