studio and produce a pair of 60-minute infomercials to be broadcast on late-night television to promote the forthcoming album. Things became more complicated when, three months into filming, Hetfield abruptly left the recording sessions and checked himself into drug rehabilitation to undergo treatment for alcoholism and other addictions, and the band suspended all activities including work on the album. Hetfield remained in rehabilitation until that December, and did not return to the studio until April 2002. During this time, the filmmakers continued to follow Hammett and Ulrich, including their sessions with Towle. "Lars felt the therapy sessions were actually enabled by the presence of the cameras", said Berlinger; "He felt the cameras forced them to be honest." Ultimately, they filmed Metallica for 715 days. When Hetfield returned from rehabilitation, he was uncertain whether filming should continue. Berlinger and Sinofsky showed the band 20 minutes of scenes in progress, which helped convince them to continue with the project. As filming went on, Metallica's label, Elektra Records, grew concerned over the project's escalating cost and considered turning it into a reality television show. By that point, the band and filmmakers envisioned the documentary as a theatrical release. Desiring complete control over it, Metallica bought the rights to the film from Elektra for $4.3 million. Hetfield and Hammett disliked a scene in which Ulrich and his wife sell pieces from their art collection at a Christie's auction for $13.4 million. Hetfield called the scene "downright embarrassing" and wanted it removed, but Ulrich insisted on its inclusion, saying that his passion for art was an essential aspect of his personality and that "If you're going to paint a portrait of the people in Metallica, that has to play a role, because that is who I am." Reception and legacy The film holds an 89% "Certified Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus that the film is a "Fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how Metallica survives one of their more turbulent periods." Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 74 out of 100, based on 32 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". A fragment of the summary says "...this documentary provides a fascinating, in-depth portrait of the most successful heavy metal band of all time...". Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave it an "A", writing that it is "one of the most revelatory rock portraits ever made." Accolades The film won the Independent Spirit