How Studio 666 Could Popularize the Rock ‘n’ Roll Meets Horror Subgenre
Studio 666 combines Foo Fighters rock music with horror. But could the new project reinvigorate a lost horror subgenre?
Part of what makes the horror genre so appealing to many fans is the number of subgenres it has spawned. Some are more iconic, like slashers and ghost stories, while others can be more specialized, like body horror and creature features. But of all the subgenres, one has been largely overlooked by the masses of moviegoers known as rock ‘n roll horror. That said, the iconic rock band, the Foo fighters, is perhaps the first film in a long time to break through the barriers erected over decades to put the subgenre back in the spotlight.
Foo fighters Vocalist and guitarist Dave Grohl is no stranger to horror or the camera. He appeared as Satan in Tenacious D in Fate’s Choice 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 every moment they’re on screen or on stage together electric. During that time, he’s 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. Workshop 666.
What is Studio 666 about?
Like the band’s many music videos, Workshop 666 tells a story that places the Foo Fighters at the center of situations beyond their control. The film follows the band on their journey to record their tenth studio album. But just like how their seventh album, waste the light, is recorded on tape, this album is meant to be created in another unique way. Moving into a strange mansion in Encino, the group begins to experience strange paranormal phenomena.
As they tape, events begin to get demonic as Dave’s eyes turn black and monsters threaten the group’s safety. Workshop 666The trailer features 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 film’s heart is a gritty rock n’ roll horror spectacle that plays off the genre’s original jitters and the often supernatural tone that some of the genre’s most classic bands have evoked, like black sabbath and Killer.
How Studio 666 Could Remix the Rock-Horror Subgenre
Before Workshop 666, the rock ‘n roll horror subgenre had a substantial hold on cinemas in the 80s. Some good examples of these include movies like charity please, which brings the spirit of a deceased rockstar to life, or black roses, which follows a metal band made up of demons who also turn listeners into demons. Although the premise was simple, it helped convey the idea that the subgenre often meant the film would be as gritty as possible. Today, the genre has largely fallen by the wayside apart from valiant attempts to bring it back as green room, which is a punk rock tale of survival and American Satan, which takes the spirit of Satanic Panic of the 80s to new heights.
Workshop 666 can totally reinvigorate the genre by evolving it into something new and largely unexplored. It could start by merging the country character of ’80s horror with the devil’s expectations in rock-oriented films. Using the dark humor that pervades the trailer to create an unsettling and funny story will help make the movie even more relatable to audiences. Plus, with a name like Foo Fighters, there’s no shortage of fans ready to support the great music that will likely accompany Workshop 666.
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