After Rob Halford — aka the Metal God — split from Judas Priest, he returned in 1993 with the cult favorite Fight. A big change from Priest, Fight were a band that sounded a bit like Pantera and made some entirely left-field choices like enlisting “eccentric” producer Jim “Foetus” Thirlwell for remix work. Almost no one got it, but those that did pulled for the band through two risky albums, a couple of remix releases, and two world tours that put Halford in much smaller venues — the kind played by Priest tribute bands. The amazing thing was it all happened with the support of a major label, making Fight one of the more subversive things happening in metal during the mid-’90s. Halford put Fight behind him in 1996, then donned some eye shadow and formed Two, an even stranger band that recorded one album for Trent Reznor’s Nothing Records before retiring. He then went underground for three years before returning in 2000 with a solo career and much more traditional metal sound.

Why does any of this matter now? Well, in select cities, Fight’s small but loyal cult now have an opportunity to drive to their local googolplex, shell out $5.50 for some butter-slathered popcorn, and see the documentary Fight War of Words - The Film on the big screen before it lands on DVD. D&E Entertainment is putting the film on a tour, and if you’re lucky, the Metal God himself might be there for a talk after the screening (guitarist Brian Tilse and bassist Jay Jay will take Halford’s place in Detroit). While Beyonce and Bob Marley also presently have concert films that are making one-night stands across the country, it’s anyone’s guess how an obscure metal band could land in a theater next to Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. Best of all, the Emagine theater chain classifies the Fight movie as ‘Action’, which is entirely awesome and true.