Rockula

Eh, I'll go with Rockula, though Rapula clearly knows good times when he sees it. Dean Cameron plays a young vampire trying to woo a local pop star so that he can break a 400 year old curse about a peg-legged pirate who wants to beat her with a hambone. Or something. What really matters here is that Toni Basil plays Rockula's vampy mom, Susan Tyrrell and Bo Diddly play his bandmates, and the music is highly amusing. Even though this was released in 1990, it has an 80s vibe through and through, complete with bad song and dance sequences and even a faux music video. Recommended to all fans of rock/horror hybrids, 80s schlock, and inimitable Dean Cameron.

Gleefully cheesy movie that features Toni Basil, Thomas Dolby, Bo Diddley, and the furry eyebrows of Dean Cameron. Centuries-old vampire starts rock band to impress woman and overcome centuries-old curse. Along the way, we're treated to classic vampire rock and rap, a bit of blues, and even some Sheena-Eastonish prancing and pouting by Tawny Fere. Not a great movie by any estimation, but a good party flick.

L. A. in the late-'80s/early-'90s was a special place for music fans, with an alternative rock scene from which emerged some truly great bands. Rockula is set within this exciting world, yet somehow manages to be completely naff, its characters blind to all the cool things going on around them.

Singer Mona (Tawny Fere' Ellis) is a pop songstress who, incredibly, draws an appreciative crowd despite being a cut-rate Paula Abdul clone. Vampire Ralph (Dean Cameron) somehow makes being undead seem uncool, so it comes as little surprise that, when he decides to form a band, its utter garbage (but like Mona, he still manages to impress those who turn up to his shows). A musical with such lousy music should be virtually unwatchable, and yet Rockula is actually quite a lot of fun, the cast seemingly aware of its awfulness and just rolling with it.

Ralph takes on the rock 'n' roll persona of Rockula to attract the attention of Mona, the umpteenth reincarnation of his true love, who is always fated to die at the age of 22 by the hands of a pirate wielding a hambone. Ralph has the power to break the curse, but must pluck up the courage to woo the woman in order to do so. Mona, obviously tone-deaf judging by her own warbling, is impressed by Ralph's band (backing members including Bo Diddley and Susan Tyrell) and the pair begin a romance. However, Mona's jealous manager, Stanley (Thomas Dolby), is out to ruin things, aided by a mysterious fortune teller.

Numerous terrible musical numbers ensue, with some awful performances and diabolical comedy (I still don't understand why his reflection has a separate persona - or why a vampire has a reflection in the first place), but the breezy couldn't-give-a-monkey's attitude of the whole thing means that it's hard to hate on the film too much. It's worth a one-time watch just to see Toni 'Hey Mickey' Basil perform her solo song and dance routine (and I can't be alone in thinking that Basil with fangs is kinda hot).

5.5/10, rounded up to 6 for the black dwarf that shares a bath with Basil, the really bad rap song, and the weird bat creature that Ralph turns into. Would make a fun double bill with Voyage of the Rock Aliens.

Seeing this movie quite a few years ago, I still enjoy it. I can sing to all the songs, and still wish they would make a sound track!!! It might be cheesy at times, but i think that helps it out. And seeing Thomas Dolby dressed as a rhinestone-legged pirate is so much fun!

"He's Rockula"

And, of course, the great Mark Mothersbaugh helped in making the movie tunes also.

What more could you ask for?

A SOUND TRACK!!!!

The glorious 80's! Wait, ROCKULA came in 1990! You can say you can smell the 80's air when watching it. All of the elements that made the 80's a weird decade are present in here: horrible clothes, a cheesy soundtrack, and songs a la Rocky Horror Picture Show.

This is by far one of the cheesiest movies ever made and that's something to say. To me, the best song on the movie is when this female vamp dances in front of the lead characters and sings "well you can say that the night is full of danger mmmh! but you know that in the night you're not a stranger , you know what I mean..." etc. Oh and the song ends with a rap.

Late 80's stuff 100%. Unique stuff! Toni Basil is great.

The fat mad with the skirt always disturbed me, and the fangs the actors used are ridiculous, those are my memories about this movie. Man I wish I taped this strange movie.

Watch it with low expectations and you might be entertained with an ultra cheesy movie. 6/10.