Trick or Treat 4K 1986

This film by Charlie Smith, an unsung hero of the film industry, tells the heartbreaking story of a young boy who was bullied by everyone—until he stumbled upon a magical recording of his favorite band. By playing it backward, he can not only hear hidden messages but also bring the band’s long-deceased lead singer back to life. Back in the day, this *Candy* would most likely have been considered a mega-trash film if ever there was one.

I mean, Halloween, a ton of metal in the background, cameos by Ozzy Osbourne and Gene Simmons, and even the main killer is a shock-metalhead à la Alice Cooper. Yeah, those were the days, but now it all looks pretty ridiculous. Rock music being condemned on TV (by Ozzy himself, no less), moms freaking out over the creepy-looking vinyl covers of bands like Megadeth and Black Sabbath—ha. Strangely enough, the movie didn’t skimp on guts and gore at all, so the film turned out to be pretty boyish and comical (Sammy Kerr takes everyone out with some kind of laser that leaves only their boots behind). Still, you can’t really call it crap, since it’s genuinely funny—in a good-natured way, so to speak (just like Spinal Tap, by the way). This was an era that gave rise to today’s more seasoned bands. And “Trick or Treat” is also a product of that era. Comical, but still damn cool.