Def Leppard Viva! Hysteria
Starring: Def Leppard
Director: Christian Lamb
Rating: 4/5
We haven't seen too many concert movies hit the big screen this year but Def Leppard Viva! Hysteria is one that is not to miss.
Filmed live in March 2013 at the Hard-Rock Hotel, Las Vegas the band played an eleven night residency - something that Def Leppard had never done before.
The film celebrates twenty-five years of album Hysteria; a record that the band plays in full and in sequence for the first time.
Hysteria remains Def Leppard's most commercially successful record of all time, and it sounds as good live today as it has ever done.
This may have been a more intimate venue for the band, but that did not stop them from putting on a big show.
From the first song to the encore, this is a show that is packed with energy as Def Leppard show that they are still a terrific live band.
Joe Elliott is a charismatic front man and he, and the rest of the boys, clearly still have a major love of playing live.
Def Leppard Viva! Hysteria is a fantastic tribute to what is a great rock record, and you can see that the band and the fans still have a lot of love for this tracks after twenty-five years.
The beginning of the film suggests that this was going to be more of a documentary-style film looking at the band's career and their antics away from the stage.
Sadly, we don't get to see any of that; which I think really is a major shame as they have had a long career with many highs and lows.
You just get the feeling that this film is missing a bit of backstory; even if it is just about how long the record took to make and the huge success that followed its release.
However, that doesn't stop Def Leppard Viva! Hysteria being a great concert film and a must-see for all fans of the band.
Def Leppard Viva! Hysteria is out now. We caught up with Joe Elliott to chat about the film.
