Starring Martin Hansen, Greg Joujon-Roche, Annie Milkan, and Lisa Elania
Directed by Dominick Brasica
Music and Lyrics by various
This week, we explore how music and horror entwine with one relatively recent and one brand-new film about musicians dealing with supernatural forces. This is apparently low-budget filmmaker Brasica's second movie after the even less-well-known Evil Laugh. If it seems familiar, the story closely resembles another low-budget hard rock horror movie, Rock and Roll Nightmare, from the year before, down to having similar titles. Does it share that movie's (numerous) problems, or does it deserve to escape that cabin in the woods? Let's begin in black and white with a young boy's frightening memories of his grandfather and find out...
The Story: Jim (Hansen) ended up in a mental hospital after he supposedly killed his grandfather when he claimed to be a vampire as a joke. Over a decade later, he's out and now playing in a hard rock band, Bad Boys. When the cops tell them they're too loud to be practicing in a garage, they take their rehearsal to the cabin in the woods Jim inherited from his grandmother.
Turns out that's not the best idea they ever had. There's something out there in those woods, and it's stalking the group one by one. Jim's horrified when he realizes that this furry menace may be a lot more than a werewolf who doesn't appreciate rock and roll. He may be the ghost of the grandfather he thought he killed...and the answer to what truly happened all those years ago.
The Song and Dance: While still a low-budget, direct-to-video cheese-fest that has "late 80's" stamped all over it, this is slightly better than the truly ridiculous Rock and Roll Nightmare. The pace is ten times faster (they don't spend most of the first half of the film driving) and the ending makes a heck of a lot more sense. The kids actually show a tiny bit more intelligence than usual for these movies, too. Some of them actually attempt to flee or get away, instead of just sitting there and waiting to be killed.
The Numbers: We open with Bad Boys rehearsing the title song in the garage before the cops show up and complain about them annoying the neighbors. "Prince of Darkness" covers the actual drive to the woods where the guys discuss gimmicks and talk about the girls coming along. They perform "Tell On You" at the first rehearsal in the cabin. "I Think I Want You" is Jim's song for his girl Sally (Elania) before they make love for the first time. The satirical "Friends Forever" is heard over the credits.
What I Don't Like: Um, did I mention this is a low-budget slasher hard-rock horror movie from the 80's? You know what you're getting into here. The acting is dull (especially from the girls) and the dialogue is laughable at best. The special effects may have been passable in 1988, but they look almost comically cheesy now. The ending may make more sense than the one in Rock and Roll Nightmare, but it still comes off as too Scooby Doo-esque for a slasher horror flick.
The Big Finale: Unless you're a huge fan of hard rock or low-budget slasher flicks from the 80's, I'd pass right by this bloodsucker.
Home Media: On Blu-Ray from Grindhouse Video. Currently streaming for free with commercials on Tubi.
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