I've always loved the "Classic Albums" series for how straightforwardly it dissects, track-by-track, a nice album and they only seem to talk to the most relevant people. Performers, engineers etc. Paranoid is the show at it's most stripped down as Sabbath are fundamentally an extremely unpretentious group. You just have four likeable Brummies going: "well we just, you know, came out with it. It wasn't a big deal". That just adds to their appeal to me, utterly timeless and amazing tunes, just casually appearing out of nowhere. Their attitude does make every American in this (even sweet Rollins) seem wildly bombastic in comparison though.

This classic albums show really seems to know their stuff. From getting pretty much everyone you'd want to hear from, to editing the interviews in a neat way to choosing quite the great albums. The last point might be a duh thing, but tastes are different and I reckon not everyone will like every album that is chosen. Still I would like to believe they at least appreciate what this show is doing.

The songs that are played and the way they are explained is also really good. Especially because you can't plan certain things - when genius strikes .. it strikes! And when a certain group of people come together and are creative ... you can bet that something worthwhile comes out of this. Now if you are a cynic you may question certain connections and if they were meant that way ... but everything said here seems genuine! And to think that they were considered "bad apples" ... it's kind of crazy ...

Sabbath fans, don't even bother reading the rest of my review. Just watch this show already. To non-Sabbath fans or casual Sabbath fans (like me)... This documentary got me excited about an album that I never thought much about. That's the mark of a great documentary.

What got me immediately pumped was Tony showing us the guitar parts and explaining how he got that sound. There are generous uninterrupted, close-up shots of him playing so we can literally follow/stumble along with our own guitars in our laps. But even non-musicians can absorb what he's showing us because he's so articulate in explaining things.

Just as informative are Geezer's segments (bass and lyrics). Not only does he talk about the parts but he EXPLAINS THE LYRICS which is something that hardly any rockstars take the time to do. Geezer talks about the meanings as well as the lyric writing process: how he'd take Ozzy's random phrases and build entire poems/songs around it. We learn that he's a man of deep social awareness, and these songs reflect the troubled times of their decade (as well as *our* decade, unfortunately). Add the band's dark, musical edge, and there you have it.

This documentary takes time to show us that that's what really made Black Sabbath, and this album in particular, the first of its kind. Archival footage shows us that it was a time of great unrest (Vietnam War especially),and while the hippies were making flowery anthems like "Give Peace A Chance", Black Sabbath wanted to deliver the same message but with a dark, disturbing edge. Literally never done before on a major label. American record execs were sweating bullets because they felt songs like "War Pigs" (a brilliant and brutal skewering of wartime governments) were too politically incendiary. This fascinating point is covered in depth, showing how this album was not only a musical juggernaut, it was a cultural & historical one as well.

Ozzy's segments are, of course, hilarious. His anecdotes and bizarre humor contrast brilliantly against Tony's serious, technical content and Geezer's philosophical, cultural content. And Bill (drums) provides the glue, a bit of everything: showing us drum parts, talking about the recording process, and recounting stories. Sabbath and non-Sabbath fans alike should realize that these 4 members were the perfect compliments to each other, balancing the entire spectrum into a tight, solid band. The documentary does an excellent job of showing us this "personality" behind the band and the album.

I've watched maybe half a dozen of the Classic Albums series, all very good, but this episode really brings it home and shows us what a musical documentary should be like. If you're watching the DVD or blu-ray DEFINITELY watch the bonus features which provide almost another hour of informative segments and tutorials from Tony & Bill. "Classic Albums: Black Sabbath" is my 2nd favorite music documentary of all time, second only to the excellent "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" a very engaging, and very funny, behind-the-scenes peek at a band that never made it. Check that out too. Ok I'm done talking. Crank your amps up to 11 and enjoy \m/