Eddie Weinbauer (Marc Price) is a typical high school outcast, shunned because he dresses differently and listens to heavy metal. His favourite artist is a devil worshipping rock star called Sammi Curr (Tony Fields), famous for his debauched stage performances. When Sammi Curr dies in a mysterious hotel fire Eddie is distraught, and in a fit of rage and grief, tears down his Sammi Curr posters. Eddie seeks solace in a local radio DJ called Nuke (Gene Simmons of KISS fame), who tells Eddie that he is in possession of the record Sammi was recording at the time of his death, and that he’d want Eddie who was his biggest fan, to own it.

However all is not as it seems. It soon becomes apparent that Sammi is not quite dead and is looking to take souls with him, using his biggest fan Eddie to help. I personally dig this movie. It’s directed by Charles Martin Smith who played the bookworm agent in The Untouchables. It’s typical 80’s cheese, with some great cameos from Gene Simmons and Ozzy Osbourne thrown in. Marc Price is great as the impressionable Eddie Weinbauer, however it’s the magnificent Tony Fields as Sammi Curr who steals this movie. Tony Fields gives his all to the role. Miming and throwing himself around the stage like his life depended on it. He has a great presence on screen and makes for a great villain. Sadly Tony died in 1995 from Cancer secondary to the AIDS virus.

Another thing that really raises this movie’s game is the kick ass hair metal soundtrack from FASTWAY. I have it on vinyl and if you pick up the German mediabook release of this movie, you get the soundtrack CD included. Well worth a purchase if you can get it. Every song is catchy and is played at a point in the movie where they both just meld together. The supporting cast does very well and there are some great effects for it’s time. I suppose my only gripe is how abruptly the film ends, not giving anything away though.

 

All in all it is well worth a watch. Personally I am kind of obsessed with this movie, for some strange reason it really struck a chord with me when I watched it. There is so much to love about it and it evokes a sense of nostalgia that will make you yearn for the good times. If you haven’t seen it then I do definitely recommend it.

4/5

JM