After some browsing on Wikipedia and Google Video, I came across this great documentary that i remember seeing on tv when i was a kid. ‘Dream Deceivers: The Story Behind James Vance vs. Judas Priest’ is about exactly that, the infamous trial in which heavy metal band ‘Judas Priest’ was accused of inserting subliminal messages into their music. Here’s the synopsis:
“Just before Christmas, 1985, 19-year-old James Vance watched his best friend Ray Belknap shoot himself to death with a .12 gauge shotgun in a churchyard outside Reno, Nevada. Then Vance pulled the trigger on himself. He survived but was severely disfigured. Vance later claimed his actions had been influenced by the heavy metal music of Judas Priest, prompting his family to sue the band. The drama of the ensuing trial provides the framework for David Van Taylor’s disturbing look at teenagers today.”
This was a pretty huge case. The prosecution claimed that the song “Better by You, Better Than Me” had contained subliminal messages. When played backwards, the words ‘do it’ could be heard multiple times throughout the song. In response, lead singer Rob Halford took the stand and asked the question “Well…do what? Mow the lawn? Have a cup of tea?” I remember seeing James Vance on an episode of Maury Povich and couldn’t even look at him. This was also around the time that Geraldo was doing his prime-time specials on the increasing numbers of Satan worshippers in America. What a weird time. I highly recommind you head over to Google Video and check out this film. They’ve posted it in its entirety. Also, while you’re at it check out my ‘Five Films’ for this week. The theme…Heavy Metal!
Related Link: Google Video: Dream Deceivers:The Story of James Vance vs. Judas Priest
Checked it out today!Great documentary if not somewhat disturbing!your right about the james vance kid, very hard to look at, the way he smoked that cigarette freaked me out a little. Have u seen that tetris documentary on google video, not bad, it’s a bbc tv production.
Might check out that bud dwyer tape,but then again,do i really wanna see that?answer, probably no but what the hell!
Hell yeah, been looking for this for some time now.
Priest is my favorite band of all time.
Funny how i love life, and everything in it.
Maybe i should sue burger king for being so fat, now that is a case!
BigJoe
I show Dream Deceiver to my sociology class every year. I am looking for it on DVD. It is a great way to get a discussion started on all of the influences on personality and deviant behavior.
I saw this on PBS back in 92 and it totally freaked me out. Very well made. I too am looking for a DVD. I can’t believe I actually found something that Amazon doesn’t have in stock.
I found it hard to believe that both mothers in the documentary refused to believe their sons could own any responsibility for their bad decision making. The only ones responsible for the death of Ray Belknap and the injury of James Vance are Ray Belknap and James Vance. They would have probably done the same thing while listening to Rick Astley (but who wouldn’t?).
Chuck- funny how the parents in the videos didn’t think that their abuse of the boys had anything to do with them becoming so depressed they decided to take their own lives. No, I don’t see how my beating my stepson with a belt and my fists could have contributed to his depression. It was Judas Priest.
Personally, I think these parents didn’t have any use for their sons, and after they shot themselves, they decided to cash in.
I’m more disturbed that there was a woman who agreed to have sex with James “Elephant Man” Vance, since he had a 1 year old daughter when he died.
According to friends after his surgery he liked to go around town scaring the crap out of little kids. Those kids are still probably having nightmares 20 years later.
Joel- I think the name calling is out of line. But, the going around scaring little kids, just for giggles? I initially had a lot of sympathy for James Vance, ’cause he was obviously suffering from some severe emotional problems, or he would never have tried to kill himself. But if he was deliberately frightening young children for entertainment, he obviously wasn’t a very nice person.
I’m starting to think that the only actual decent human beings involved in this trial were the guys who were being sued.
Sad.
Hey Asbestos… Well, I’d like to see you being a decent and and nice person after you tried to commit suicide and had your face disfigured. I’m not defending Vance, but I dont think that any of us is in a position to judge.
Well, unless he would do something really hideous such as raping or killing somebody else – Other than himself, there is.
Another example of blaming the media for the dumest things is when the film Silent Night, Deadly Night was protesting by angry PTA moms offended by the film ads. The mothers should of relized that the boys had emotional and drug problem.
ay man i likd da movie but i wish ma teacher mrs cox didnt get it man cuz she makin us write a weak asz essay on it lol
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I watched this documentary on tv in the early ’90′s, but was far to young to truly appreciate the material.. rather I was intrigued by the idea of there actually being sublimal satanic messages. I grew up.. and came across it on Youtube the other night, and wow. What a crazy time, indeed. One thing that struck me, was in listening to James Vance talk about the “why” and his opinion on Heavy Metal. I noticed he kept catching himself.. blaming his upbringing, but then condracting himself by saying it was the music. I felt great pity for him, because his Mother was an abominable parent. Funny.. I’ve been exposed to Judas Priest (my parents were huge fans.. take THAT Mrs. Vance, lol), and I’ve rocked my little heart out to them many times. I’ve also found solace in their melodic melodies and musical imagery. One of the only Metal bands I could relax and fall asleep to.