TRICK OR TREAT (1986)

3 stars

Toy Robot Video. 4K and Blu Ray. 5th October.

TRICK OR TREAT is a fun, undemanding, slightly daft horror, which mixes in heavy metal music. Shy nerdy metal head Eddie Weinbauer (Marc Price) is a bit of a loner. He has a crush on Leslie (Lisa Orgolini) except of course she hangs out with the jocks who bully him – especially Tim Hainey (Doug Savant from DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES).

He’s obsessed with Sammi Curr (Tony Fields) – a heavy rock god, as far as he is concerned, who went to the same school as him – Lakeridge High – and has made it in the world of music. He writes him fan letters, signing off as Ragman. However, Curr is something of a controversial character – and has been banned from appearing at the school’s Halloween Party.

Then comes the devastating news that his idol has been killed in a hotel fire. Understandably upset, Eddie goes and visits local radio DJ Nuke (Gene Simmons of KISS fame), who was a friend of Curr and tries to tell Eddie he wasn’t all he was cracked up to be. He has a gift for him – an acetate test pressing of Sammi’s last record. The only copy. Nuke has it taped and plans to play it at midnight on Halloween.

When Eddie is invited to a pool party by Leslie he nearly ends up drowning. He angrily declares, ‘I’m going to nail them.’ He consoles himself by listening to the final recordings and falling asleep he awakens to strange talking in the grooves repeating over and over. Hidden messages. That seemed to be aimed specifically at him. Before long Eddie is taking revenge on those who have bullied him in supernatural ways but things get out of his control as a deadly cassette tape is created – and then something more sinister occurs…

This was the directorial debut of Charles Martin Smith – who is better known as an actor in films like AMERICAN GRAFITTI (1973) and THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987). He has since helmed several projects including an episode of the TV series BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and the film A GIFT FROM BOB (2020). Ozzy Osborne pops up as a guest on a TV show, playing against type as an evangelist and moral crusader. This is a bit silly and gets progressively crazy – but remains an enjoyable outing which doesn’t take itself too seriously. Eddie’s best friend Roger is played by Glen Morgan in his only film role. He also did some work on the script uncredited with his writing partner James Wong who are both famous for their time on THE X FILES. The featured music is by Fastway – an English band formed by guitarist “Fast”Eddie Clarke of Motörhead and Pete Way, bassist from UFO.

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS

Audio commentary with director Charles Martin Smith, moderated by filmmaker Mark Savage

Audio interviews with writer/producer Michael S. Murphey and writer Rhet Topham, moderated by Michael Felsher and audio conversation with Paul Corupe and Allison Lang, authors of Satanic Panic: Pop-Cultural Paranoia in the 1980s

Rock & Shock: The Making of Trick or Treat; In The Spotlight: A Tribute to Tony Fields; Horror’s Hallowed Grounds: The Filming Locations of Trick or Treat; After Midnight, music video

Stills Gallery featuring optional audio interview with photographer Phillip V. Caruso plus Theatrical Trailers, TV Spots, Radio Spots and Press Kit