AllMovie

Hard rockers Def Leppard became international stars with their third album, 1983's Pyromania, which sold nine million copies in the United States alone, but it also proved to be a hard act to follow. As Def Leppard settled down to record their fourth album, they had to contend with a drummer who had lost an arm and nearly died, a guitarist with a severe drinking problem, and a producer who was seriously injured in a car crash. But 1987's Hysteria proved the band could overcome any obstacle; the disc became another global smash hit, selling 17 million copies around the world. Def Leppard: Hysteria is a documentary about the often trying production of the album, with producer Robert "Mutt" Lange and band members Rick Allen, Joe Elliot, Rick Savage, and Phil Collen sharing their memories of how the songs were written, the long and difficult recording sessions, and the triumphs and tragedies that happened along the way.