Tenacious D: The Complete Masterworks 2

Jack Black stage whispers, "This is the greatest and best song in the world,” and I’d really like to believe him. It’s easy to dismiss Tenacious D after the atrocious Pick of Destiny on the grounds that the studio money-machine dulled their edge. But sadly, Pick was exactly the film they wanted to make. Now they suffer the consequences of its colossal failure with typical D-like grandiosity. Their second two-disc set of Complete Masterworks is a redeeming effort, mostly on the strength of the painfully honest documentary D-Tour. It’s miles away from the standard self-flagellating rock doc often packaged with concert DVDs. We see a dark side of Kyle Gass that’s not part of the act. JB broods in a private jet that if Pick doesn’t gross $60 million it’s a career threatening failure. Black sincerely wonders if audiences are sick of him and an international tour intended as a victory lap becomes a death march when Pick fails to crack the top ten. It’s a theme straight from their catalogue: unexpected superstardom but the magic is gone. The D’s boastful bravado was genius when they were two chubby guys delivering wailing prog metal on acoustic guitars and singing killer two-part harmonies. With heightened expectations, a band and an expensive stage production even Gass admits it’s not funny anymore. Pretending to be big isn’t so funny if you’re actually quite big. Fortunately Black and Rage-Kage still know how to rock. Despite a few schmaltzy effects the concert film is nearly as entertaining as the Brixton Academy show on their first DVD. A delightfully violent Who medley (Jack delivers: "Sure plays a mean motherfuckin’ pinball,” in under about one second) suggests the D can tour as long as they please. Black’s soaring ululations and stage presence would still be the envy of most front-men. Pick’s "flop-a-roo” will prevent the film franchise Tenacious D hoped for, however. We can’t blame Black if he cashes in with Cameron Diaz rom-coms and puts the band on the backburner. He probably won’t though. With the Pick fiasco behind them, they continue playing shows and writing new material. These unholy bastards have the power to "kill a yak from 200 yards away with a motherfucking mind bullet,” you think a little box office adversity is going to stop the rock?