Honestly making Trick or treat (1986) my whole personality. No but seriously cannot recommend more. I just wanted to share some of the ad images with y’all because - honestly it’s on the same level as Terminator (1984) when it comes to hilarity. Though it’s not quite “couples photos at sears”
Also they’re plugging my favorite Ozzy album so maybe I’m a bit biased.
Celebrate the 34th Anniversary of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark!
On September 30, 1988, Elvira's first feature film, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, was released in theaters! If you haven't watched this comedy gem, do yourself a favor! It's available streaming on Shudder / AMC+. Arrow Films has also put a great collector's edition blu-ray.
This is a film that I've watched many times, and I think I appreciate it a little more every time. It never feels stale. It's a great way to start off your Halloween season.
So this is more a ramble then a review but it’ll cover a lot of topics from Trick or Treat (1986). My main thing is that I’m actually surprised and really happy that the movie didn’t chose the “all metal is evil actually” route. I don’t know why I thought it would considering Ozzy and Gene signed on but- it was common at the time
It’s surprisingly touching? At least in the beginning. Eddie has one friend in the world and the other is his God. This bullied metalhead kid who writes to his idol constantly and feels like the one person who gets him (He quite literally implies he would not be here if it wasn’t for Sammi’s music and that is dark right off the bat) and that person dies.
Now as the movie goes on and things get violent Eddie is suddenly no longer best pals with the rockstar once people start getting hurt (despite that being implied from the beginning but I digress). Naturally as things get darker and more chaotic I expected the stereotypical “im normal now” moment where he drops the music all together but he doesn’t! He attempts to, wearing colorful shirts and trying to listen to some easy listening but- he just doesn’t. Eddie sees the situation as it is- “hey this one guys a little fucked up but that doesn’t mean the whole genres evil” hell! At the very end he takes over for Nuke at the rock radio station!
This is what I wish more movies would’ve got at the time instead of doing a “normal transformation” where they un-Alternative or un-metal a certain character.
Another part I really like is while totally batshit- Sammi is a little sympathetic? (I’ve yet to figure out if the fire circle thing was just a bad dream or what actually happened because it’s random and funny ass Shit. It’s like the dragon later on that just appears. It’s not addressed or explained the rest of the movie)
He’s made to be relatable. He’s a angry guy who’s been pushed around his whole life who just lets it out instead of pushing it in. He channels it into music and his wild ass publicity stunts and stirring controversy. Man found his calling I’ll say that. Honestly he’s “Dee Snider goes to congress: gone bad”. The guy finds out he has powers and pulls a Carrie- big time revenge etc. Sammi for the whole beginning of the film was mainly doing what Eddie wanted… maybe not violence but getting back at the fuckers who tried to kill him like six times (I’m not kidding. What they do is not bullying it’s a murder attempt). It’s also somewhat implied that he is not in complete control of his actions? Like there is several several references to owing one’s soul and being under someone’s control etc— honestly I think he just wants to play music forever but the violence is a bit out of control but that’s just me (this is also way broader of a topic then I can lay out here this post is already long)
Anyways, I just wanted to say that I love this movie because it doesn’t condemn metal and it has a enjoyable and purposefully relatable Antagonist (I’m assuming especially for metalheads and outcasts in the 80s) and it’s just- so good