Trick Or Treat – a metalsploitation classic from 1986

In this special Halloween episode of Horror Metal Flashbacks we'll discuss what has been considered the most mainstream Metalsploitation film of its time. And while we'll try to keep the good stuff under wraps, there will be some spoilers ahead, so consider yourselves warned!

The year is 1986 and as Halloween approaches, a new horror movie, catering specifically to heavy metal fans, is making the rounds in cinemas across North America. The film is called "Trick Or Treat". It stars Marc Price (best know for his role as "Skippy" in the 80s sitcom; Family Ties) as Eddie "Ragman" Weinbauer a teenage outcast metalhead at Lakeridge High School, and Tony Fields as Sammi Curr, an infamous rock superstar and Lakeridge High alumnus. The film came out the same time as Maximum Overdrive and was also produced by the De Laurentiis Entertainment Group.

Eddie, who's name is an obvious nod to Iron Maiden's mascot, is obsessed with the controversial rockstar Sammi, a larger-than-life character that's seemingly inspired by shock rock musician Alice Cooper as well as the L.A. glamrock bad-boys, Motley Crue. Tony Fields, who was a very accomplished professional dancer as well as an actor, added a level of physicality that no one else could have brought to the role of Sammi Curr. Sadly, he passed away in 1995 from HIV-related cancer.

Eddie is constantly being bullied by the high school jocks, particularly Tim Hainey, played by Doug Savant, and their methods range from trauma-inducing humiliation to straight-out attempted manslaughter. Add to that, the object of Eddie's affection, Leslie Graham – portrayed by Lisa Orgolini, barely acknowledges his existence.

Very early into the film, Eddie finds out that his rock idol Sammi Curr, has died in a hotel fire. He is obviously devastated and seeks the council of his friend Nuke who is the local rock radio DJ. Nuke is played by none other than Gene Simmons of Kiss. His role seems to be a sort of father figure/mentor to Eddie, While at the station, Nuke gives Eddie some sound advice, but he also gives him a vinyl pressing of Sammi Cur's final and, as yet, unreleased album: The Key Of Death.

The next morning at school, Leslie approaches Eddie and returns the tape he lost after a particularly nasty bullying incident as well as a compromising polaroid. She then convinces him to come out to a party the popular kids are having at the Lakeridge High swimming pool. But when he shows up to the pool that evening, his nemesis Tim and Tim's posse of goons try to drown Eddie. Boys will be murderers I guess. He is rescued at the last minute by Leslie. An enraged Eddie vows to take revenge on his bullies as he leaves the pool in a humiliated fit of anger.

Late that night he falls asleep while listening to "The Key Of Death" and dreams of Sammi Curr practicing a satanic ritual while he burns alive in his hotel room. Eddie wakes up to the record skipping on his turntable and when he adjusts it he discovers a message hidden in the vinyl when played backwards. This film uses a cool plot device of relating the turntable to a Ouja board with a live link between the living and the dead is established when Sammi's album is played backwards.

Now that he's armed with a plan for vengeance, Eddie waits for his moment to strike out at Tim and his crew before he executes his scheme flawlessly. And thus begins a downward spiral of events which inflict suffering and fear on Tim and his girlfriend before leading up to the harrowing crescendo at the Lakeridge Halloween Ball.

What makes this film so special, aside from the high energy soundtrack by "Fast" Eddie Clarke a la the hard rock band "Fastway", is the inclusion of two fantastic cameos. One being Gene Simmons as Nuke, and the other being Ozzy Osbourne as the Reverend Aaron Gilstrom who is only relegated to a few hilarious TV spots. The biggest inside joke of all, being that Ozzy, heavy metal's prince of darkness, has accurately portrayed the very stereotype of his careers biggest critics – evangelical christian nationalists.

One event that this film has made a point of recognizing was the PMRC Senate hearing of 1985 in which several prominent rock music icons spoke out in defence of freedom of expression in popular music. The scene where Eddie watches footage of Sammi Curr speaking out in defence of rock music in congress is a direct homage to Twisted Sister's front man, Dee Snider's famous testimony against the disparaging misrepresentation of rock performers by the likes of Tipper Gore.

This phenomenon is known as a moral panic, a perceived crisis of American values under attack from an evil or immoral entity. This particular imaginary crisis was dubbed "The Satanic Panic" and it's focus was the influence heavy metal music had on the young people that listened to it. The end result is always the censorship of speech and language in one form or another. This continues to happen today in the form of online censorship and suppression of hate speech (or just plain old dissenting opinions) via major tech platforms, and as always, heavy metal seems to get caught in the crossfire.

The final message in "Trick Or Treat" is ultimately a positive one: choose your heroes wisely. And whether it's your rock idols, your parents, your classmates, or your government…don't let anyone decide or define who you are. And that's something you won't have play a record backwards to understand.

Rich Leggatt, HMS

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