HEAVY METAL PARKING LOT

Special Features: 40th Anniversary | Q&A with filmmakers John Heyn and Jeff Krulik, plus stars of the film

On May 31,1986, emerging filmmakers John Heyn and Jeff Krulik drove into the parking lot of the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland — and into pop culture history — when they caught lightning in a bottle recording amped-up Judas Priest fans before a concert. Nobody could have imagined that 40 years later the resulting short film, HEAVY METAL PARKING LOT, would be frequently cited among the greatest rock documentaries ever. Forty years to the day since this much-heralded time capsule was captured on film, AFI Silver will screen — for the first time ever in public — the 60 minutes of original source footage, before the edit. Audiences will experience what was recorded that afternoon, in real time, while both Jeff and John provide live commentary as history is being made. The event will also feature the resulting 16-minute HEAVY METAL PARKING LOT, plus a chance to meet some of the stars. Join us for a special one-of-a-kind screening to officially launch the film’s 40th anniversary commemoration year! DIR/PROD Jeff Krulik, John Heyn. U.S., 1986, color, approx. 76 min. NOT RATED

Run Time: 76 Minutes

Opening Date: Sunday, May 31, 2026

Genre: Documentary - music

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