Part of what makes the horror genre so engaging to many fans is the number of subgenres that come from it. Some are more iconic, like slashers and ghost stories, while others can be more niche, like body horror and creature features. But of all the subgenres, one has been largely forgotten by the movie-going masses known as rock 'n roll horror. That said, the iconic rock band, the Foo Fighters, may be the first film in a long time to break through the barriers placed up over decades to put the subgenre back in the spotlight.
Foo Fighters frontman and guitarist Dave Grohl is no stranger to horror or the camera. He appeared as Satan in Tenacious D In The Pick of Destiny and appeared in Bill and Ted Face the Music and The Muppets. But, he's also spent decades getting to know his band and forming a bond that makes any moment they're on screen or stage together electric. In that time, he has learned a lot about what it takes to build a fun and exciting story, and his love of music lends itself to the band's new film Studio 666.
What Is Studio 666 About?
Much like the band's many music videos, Studio 666 tells a story that puts the Foo Fighters in the center stage of situations out of their control. The movie follows the band on their journey to record their tenth studio album. But much like how their seventh album, Wasting Light, is recorded on tape, this album is meant to be created in another unique way. Moving into an eerie mansion in Encino, the band begins to experience strange paranormal phenomena.
As they record, events begin to delve into the demonic as Dave's eyes go pitch black, and monsters threaten the band's safety. Studio 666's trailer introduces some truly terrifying practical effects and a story that bridges comedy and horror with outrageous visuals and setups for hilarious situational humor. But at the core of the film is a gritty rock n' roll horror show that plays on the edginess the genre originated and the often supernatural tone some of the genre's most classic bands have evoked, like Black Sabbath and Slayer.
How Studio 666 Could Remix the Rock-Horror Subgenre
Before Studio 666, the rock 'n roll horror subgenre had a substantial hold on cinemas in the '80s. Some great examples of these include movies like Trick or Treat, which brings the spirit of a dead rockstar to life, or Black Roses, which follows a metal band comprised of demons that turn listeners into demons as well. Although the premise was simple, it helped carry the idea that the subgenre often meant the movie would be as gritty as can be. Today, the genre has largely fallen to the wayside aside from valiant attempts to bring it back like Green Room, which is a punk rock tale of survival and American Satan, which takes the spirit of the '80s satanic panic to new heights.
Studio 666 can totally reinvigorate the genre by evolving it into something new and largely unexplored. This could start by melding the campiness of '80s horror with the expectations of the devil in films that focus on rock. Using the dark humor that permeates the trailer to make a story that's unsettling and funny will help make the film even more accessible to audiences. Plus, with a name like Foo Fighters attached to it, there's no shortage of fans ready to support the great music that will likely accompany Studio 666.