Trick or Treat

'Trick or Treat' is not just another horror slasher film. It touches on many different elements, such as bullying, rejection, idolizing pop stars, and more.

I love this film for so many reasons. The bullying plays a big role, and would ultimately lead to interesting character development. It's always nice to see bullies get what the deserve! Marc Price gives a very good performance as Eddie, a nerdish metalhead who also goes by the name of Ragman, who is obsessed with rock superstar Sammi Curr. His character develops into a hero, who would risk his own life to save others.

The film features some very cool visuals, and excellent make-up. I loved the rock music, and the way the film unfolded. It becomes an action-packed race for survival, and along the way we're treated to some incredible visual and special effects. 'Trick or Treat' is great fun!

Walkmans, cassettes, cassette recorders... aah, man I loved the 80's!! Look out for a cameo by Ozzy Osbourne as a Reverend condemning rock music...!

Would I watch it again? Yes! (wonder how many times I've seen it already...)

Okay here it goes. This is my favorite 80s horror flick EVER. This is the reason I am so obsessed with the genre. This is where the fascination started.

Let me explain why: Okay, here's this kid Eddie. Eddie is your typical 80s headbanger (you know, Motley Crue, W.A.S.P, Anthrax....you get the idea) except Eddie has a brain. Eddie(brilliantly portrayed by Marc Price) is the target for frequent bullying and public humiliation (see the locker room scene). He has exactly two friends and his only consolation comes from his music. His idol, Sammie Curr, happens to share the same hometown as Eddie and Eddie writes the guy (what seems to be) on a daily basis. Well, Sammie dies dies in a hotel fire and Eddie is naturally devastated. So, he goes to see his D.J. buddy "Nuke" (played by none other than Gene Simmons). Nuke sees how torn up the kid is over Sammy's death and gives him Sammie's last record which was never released. Nuke also tries to explain to the kid (apparantly Nuke knew Sammie in high school) that his idol wasn't such a nice guy. "He was always angry." Of course, this means nothing to Eddie. He is totally infatuated with the guy and he believes that the two have some sort of connection.

More humiliation and more torment follow Eddie until he finally plays the record. Upon playing the record backwards, he finds that he can communicate with Sammie's ghost. He also learns that Sammies is more than eager to help Eddie get revenge on the high school jocks who have made his life such a living hell. In a good way, Sammie gives Eddie the nerve to stick up for himself. Eddie also learns that Sammie is bent on wreaking havoc on the town that refused him the right to play in his home town years ago.

You see, this all leads to Eddie having to make a choice: Either turn on his idol OR save the town from mass destruction.

All in all, I give this cult classic a perfect 10. It is totally entertaining and has a very clever script. I especially liked all of the cameos. Gene Simmons as "Nuke" was awesome, Ozzy himself was great as a reverand who despises rock music, and Charles Martin Smith (you know, "Toad" from American Graffiti") he's here too. He was also the director.

There are many reasons to see this movie. The acting is good by the whole cast, there are some genuinely suspensful moments, there is some great humor, there is "the dweeb getting revenge on the jock" scenario, and the music kicks ass. It is also a great flick for anyone who was into the whole "80s metal" movement of the time. I whole heartedly recommend. When is this coming to DVD anyway?

This movie is a gem, not talked about as much and should of got more recognition than it did this movie deserves another look. Very rare that you rock legends in the same movie such as, Ozzie Osborne and Gene Simmons.

I noticed many of the comments on this movie came from people who saw it during the last five years and bought it out of a bargain bin of $5 or $6 DVDs. I saw it when it came out in 1986 and was quite entertained. I learned long ago when it comes to watching horror flicks, you can't take them seriously. In this case, it's simply a sign of the times. During the 1980s when the concern over music's lyrics was at it's peak and Tipper Gore was on her PMRC crusade, this movie fit perfectly.

Please don't judge it in the 21st century. That's why you haven't seen it in a bargain bin until now. It just doesn't fit anymore. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 for its entertainment value.

TRICK OR TREAT is a fine example of Hollywood jumping on the "backwards messages in metal music" bandwagon that Tipper Gore and her Washington Wives kick-started in the mid-'80s (other, less successful entries in this mini-genre include the awful BLACK ROSES and silly THE GATE). I was a sophomore in high school when TRICK OR TREAT came out and couldn't wait to see it. It seemed to disappear from video stores by the end of the '80s, but I finally picked up a budget-priced DVD copy a short while ago and it brought back many pleasant metal memories from back in the day. Any teenage metal nerd could relate to the trials of Eddie "Ragman" Weinbauer (Marc Price of "Family Ties")in this film as he is persecuted by the preppie "beautiful" people in his high school for his heavy metal fashions and musical taste. Eddie's favorite rock star is Sammi Curr (who looks a lot like Tommy Lee of Motley Crue), who is killed in a hotel fire early in the movie. Eddie is inconsolable till he receives a test pressing of Sammi's final, unreleased album from a radio DJ (Gene Simmons of Kiss in a brief cameo). Eddie soon discovers that this LP, when played backwards, allows him to communicate with the undead spirit of Sammi Curr himself! Soon Sammi is giving Eddie advice on how to get even with his preppie torturers but when the messages escalate in scariness ("Waste'em ALL... no false metal!") Eddie tries to destroy the album, which results in Sammi coming back to life via Eddie's stereo speakers. Sammi rampages to the big dance at Eddie's high school and takes the stage to rock the crowd and disintegrate a few unlucky "false metallers" before Eddie arrives to save the day and the girl of his dreams. (SIGH) No, it's not terribly scary in 2006, it wasn't even scary in 1986, but TRICK OR TREAT is a movie that will bring a smile to the face of any 1980s metaller and has a kick-ass soundtrack courtesy of the cult band Fastway. Well worth seeking out if you've ever banged your head or have a taste for B-grade horror movies (or both, like me).