Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back
Encyclopedia
To Hell and Back is the title of the autobiography
of rock singer
, Meat Loaf
. It was later made into a television movie
, called Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back, with W. Earl Brown
in the title role.
to the time of the release of his massive comeback album, Bat out of Hell II: Back into Hell
in 1993. Included in the book were references to his drunken father beating him and even trying to kill him, how he once picked up Charles Manson
on a highway, how he saw John F. Kennedy
land in Dallas, and - upon hearing that Kennedy had been shot - going to Parkland Hospital, seeing Jackie Kennedy coming out of the car, along with Governor John Connally
, and describes his fall into alcoholism and depression after the release of the first Bat out of Hell
album in 1977. It also describes how he was in New York
when he heard the news of the death of his mother and how he scrounged money for a flight home from his fellow cast in the musical he was appearing in at the time.
- is only vaguely faithful to the autobiography itself. Changes which are obvious include showing Meat Loaf as still in Texas - indeed still in high school - when his father comes in, looking sad, and he realises that his mother has died. In addition little is made of his time between leaving Texas and meeting Jim Steinman
. A large portion of the film is devoted to the attempts to get Bat out of Hell
released and Meat Loaf's alcoholism
problems and legal arguments, especially with Steinman. The film ends with Meat performing a concert at a cancer
charity event, which Meat agrees to attend due to the death of his mother from cancer. The song "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
" is sung, initially a cappella
, at the very end of the film, when in real life, at the charity, he sang "I'd Lie for You (And That's the Truth)".
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
of rock singer
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
. It was later made into a television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
, called Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back, with W. Earl Brown
W. Earl Brown
W. Earl Brown is an American character actor who has appeared in many mainstream film and television projects. He is perhaps best known as Dan Dority on the HBO series Deadwood...
in the title role.
Autobiography
To Hell and Back was co-written by David Dalton and was publicized as the true story of Meat Loaf's life and career from young boy in TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to the time of the release of his massive comeback album, Bat out of Hell II: Back into Hell
Bat out of Hell II: Back into Hell
Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell is a 1993 studio album by Meat Loaf and was written and produced by Jim Steinman. It was released sixteen years after Meat Loaf's second solo album Bat Out of Hell. It reached #1 in the US, the UK and Australia...
in 1993. Included in the book were references to his drunken father beating him and even trying to kill him, how he once picked up Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
on a highway, how he saw John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
land in Dallas, and - upon hearing that Kennedy had been shot - going to Parkland Hospital, seeing Jackie Kennedy coming out of the car, along with Governor John Connally
John Connally
John Bowden Connally, Jr. , was an influential American politician, serving as the 39th governor of Texas, Secretary of the Navy under President John F. Kennedy, and as Secretary of the Treasury under President Richard M. Nixon. While he was Governor in 1963, Connally was a passenger in the car in...
, and describes his fall into alcoholism and depression after the release of the first Bat out of Hell
Bat out of Hell
Bat Out of Hell is the second album by American rock musician Meat Loaf, and his first collaboration with composer Jim Steinman, released in October 1977 on Cleveland International/Epic Records #PE-34974. Selling approximately 200,000 copies per year as of 2010, it is the fifth best-selling album...
album in 1977. It also describes how he was in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
when he heard the news of the death of his mother and how he scrounged money for a flight home from his fellow cast in the musical he was appearing in at the time.
Film version
The TV movie version of the book - directed by Jim McBrideJim McBride
Jim McBride is an American television and film director, film producer and screenwriter.-Filmography:* David Holzman's Diary * My Girlfriend's Wedding...
- is only vaguely faithful to the autobiography itself. Changes which are obvious include showing Meat Loaf as still in Texas - indeed still in high school - when his father comes in, looking sad, and he realises that his mother has died. In addition little is made of his time between leaving Texas and meeting Jim Steinman
Jim Steinman
James Richard "Jim" Steinman is an American composer, lyricist, and Grammy Award-winning record producer responsible for several hit songs. He has also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer...
. A large portion of the film is devoted to the attempts to get Bat out of Hell
Bat out of Hell
Bat Out of Hell is the second album by American rock musician Meat Loaf, and his first collaboration with composer Jim Steinman, released in October 1977 on Cleveland International/Epic Records #PE-34974. Selling approximately 200,000 copies per year as of 2010, it is the fifth best-selling album...
released and Meat Loaf's alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
problems and legal arguments, especially with Steinman. The film ends with Meat performing a concert at a cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
charity event, which Meat agrees to attend due to the death of his mother from cancer. The song "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
I'd Do Anything for Love (but I Won't Do That)
"I'd Do Anything for Love " is a song composed and written by Jim Steinman, and recorded by Meat Loaf. The song was released in 1993 as the first single from the album Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell. The title of the song confused some listeners, who were curious to know what "that" is...
" is sung, initially a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
, at the very end of the film, when in real life, at the charity, he sang "I'd Lie for You (And That's the Truth)".
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| W. Earl Brown W. Earl Brown W. Earl Brown is an American character actor who has appeared in many mainstream film and television projects. He is perhaps best known as Dan Dority on the HBO series Deadwood... |
Meat Loaf Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor... |
| Dedee Pfeiffer Dedee Pfeiffer Dedee Pfeiffer is an American film and television actress.Pfeiffer was born Dorothy D. Pfeiffer in Midway City, California, the daughter of Donna , a home-maker, and Richard Pfeiffer, a heating and air-conditioning contractor... |
Leslie Aday |
| Zachary Throne | Jim Steinman Jim Steinman James Richard "Jim" Steinman is an American composer, lyricist, and Grammy Award-winning record producer responsible for several hit songs. He has also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer... |
| Tom Wood Tom Wood Thomas "Tom" Wood is a street photographer working in England, particularly Merseyside . He has had solo shows, and his work has been collected in five books.- Practice :... |
Kevin Frears |
| Lisa Jane Persky Lisa Jane Persky Lisa Jane Persky is an American actress.Persky was born in New York City, New York, the daughter of Jane Holley and Mort Persky... |
Wilma Aday |
| Kim Robillard | Wes Aday |
| Amanda Aday Amanda Aday Amanda Lee Aday is an American actress. Born in New York City, Aday is best known for her recurring role as Dora Mae Dreifuss on the first season of the 2003-2005 HBO series Carnivàle.... |
Clerk |
| Keith Allen | Tim Curry Tim Curry Timothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.... |
| Jesse Lenat | Todd Rundgren Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings... |
Trivia
- Amanda AdayAmanda AdayAmanda Lee Aday is an American actress. Born in New York City, Aday is best known for her recurring role as Dora Mae Dreifuss on the first season of the 2003-2005 HBO series Carnivàle....
, Meat Loaf's daughter, appears in the film as a clerk. Pearl AdayPearl AdayPearl Aday is an American female singer and adopted daughter of Meat Loaf and his wife Leslie Aday. Pearl, whose biological father was the drummer for Janis Joplin’s band, Full Tilt Boogie, was adopted by Meat Loaf after he married her mother....
, often incorrectly claimed to be Meat Loaf's daughter (she was born to Leslie before she met Meat Loaf), did not take part in the film.
- The book continues the oft-written claim that Meat Loaf was born in 1947. However, Meat has often stated that his drivers licence and Social Security information both state that he was born in 1951.
- Although born Marvin Lee Aday, Meat Loaf changed his name legally to Michael Lee Aday. He has, however, used both Marvin and Michael in the past when credited in films and TV appearances. The full name of Marvin Lee Aday does not appear in the book. (Neither does Michael Lee Aday.)