Cult Movie Review: Rocktober Blood

By: Lucy Hall

Me & My Rocktober Blood VHS

 "He's back from the dead with a message from hell!"

     Rocktober Blood AKA Rocktober Blood Paradise was released by Vestron Video in 1984. It was my first introduction to rock horror films. While scanning the aisles of the VHS store as a kid my eyes rested upon an unforgettable box cover.  The cover photo popped out at me and demanded attention. A leather studded killer in a monster mask with a hot chick tossed across his shoulder while clutching a bloody knife in the other hand. Who could not have been totally swayed to rent this gem? Well, I did and since then it has remained on my personal list of all-time favorite cult films.

Rocktober Blood Movie Poster

     The plot consists of a cat and mouse game between the two central characters. The seemingly mad, wicked, errant lead singer, Billy Eye of the hard rock act Rocktober Blood and his backup singer girlfriend Lynn Starling. To spite his extraordinary talent the rock star appears to throw it all away for his obsession with blood, gore, and debauchery. Apparently, Billy lost his sanity somewhere between backmasking tracks, tokin a joint and a groupie quickie. The best part of the film is that it featured the rock band Sorcery and showcases their talent and music.        

Billy Tokin Up

     Within viewing the first few minutes of the opening sequence the viewer is immediately hooked.  The movie opens with Billy belting out some killer lyrics, “When you least expect it, I will attack, there be hell to pay I’m back!” Billy promises our rock starlet she can record her signature song, “Rainbow Eyes” then leaves her to hang with a groupie.       

Billy In The Recording Studio

     Subsequent to recording her song Pat Benatar style, Lynn decides to get undressed for the Jacuzzi while a killer in combat boots stalks the recording studio. Afterward, the killer with a sinister laugh resembling Billy forces Lynn to sing "Rainbow Eyes" at knifepoint. Lynn survives the attack and points the finger at Billy who is labeled as a hard rock killer who has murdered five rock and rollers, his engineer Kevin Eddie and his assistant, and is accused of Lynn’s near-fatal stabbing.  He is tried, found to be guilty, sentenced to death and executed.                   

     Flash forward two years and now Lynn has become the successful lead singer of Billy’s old band, the newly reformed Headmistress band. The plot then follows Lynn and the remaining band members as they attend the Rocktober Blood tour press party.

Teased Hair & Chest Hair On Display At The Tour Party

Chris Engages In A Conversation With Lynn While A Partygoer With A Teased Mullet Looks On

     At the party, Lynn is interviewed by MVtv’s V.J. Rick Righteous. The V.J. brings up the subject of Billy’s fall from grace, how Lynn is the sole survivor of his bloody rampage and the fact that she was the one who testified against him at the murder trial. Rick asked how it felt performing Billy’s show with his band at this “rock and roll spectacular of death” and the fact that Billy claimed his innocence right up till his death. Lynn confirmed her ordeal but was more concerned with announcing her upcoming tour with Headmistress. When asked for a brief description of the show, she responded, “Its smoke, blood, and guts”. While Lynn completes her interview a mysterious figure wearing a Rocktober Blood death mask lurks in the set’s shadows. Lynn is then stalked by the death mask figure and is convinced that it is Billy backstage and unhappy with her new position in the group. She frantically runs into boyfriend/manager Chris’ arms and he persuades her to believe it is just a party guest prank. Later on, more evidence of  Billy stalking Lynn mounts. She becomes convinced he has come back from the grave to haunt her. Chris then decides it would be good to send Lynn and some friends to his lake house to relax and ease her nerves. At the lake, while enjoying nature hikes and photography Lynn thinks she hears Billy’s voice taunting her. Back at the house, she receives a series of obscene calls. The terror and tension escalate and no matter how much 80's jazzercise she does with her friends and hot bubble baths she takes; she just can’t seem to shake Billy’s malevolent presence.

Lynn and Friends Partake In

Some 80’s Aerobics

     Billy relentlessly pursues Lynn, murdering various people but hiding the victims to make Lynn and others question her sanity. Lynn desperately tries to convince everyone that Billy is after her. Lynn thought Billy went wacko, but tables turn when every one of her peers start to believe she is nuts. Her friends warn that she will have to return to psychiatric care if she doesn’t cut out the bullshit.  Lynn continually encounters the blood thirty Billy right on up to the kickoff performance. But is Lynn being stalked by the supernatural, a ghost, or the undead? Is it all in her head? Billy is seemingly the killer or is he? Or is there more than meets the “Eye”? Billy Eye that is! Regardless of the ominous events, opening night of the well-promoted tour is about to take place and in the music business, the show must go on…

     The brilliant directors/writers who gave us this hard rock musical is married couple Beverly and Fred Sebastian. Their company Sebastian International Pictures was basically a family business. Beverly directed Rocktober Blood, Fred produced and worked behind the set of the film. Rock star Billy Eye was played by the couple’s son Tray Loren (stage name) and their other son Ben Sebastian had a part as head of security. In addition to Rocktober Blood, Sebastian International Pictures provided fans a few other exploitation cult movies including the classic Gator Bait. 
     The soundtrack was scored by various artists with original songs for the film. Sorcery played the fictional band Headmistress. Nigel Benjamin provided vocals on three Sorcery songs for the film; “I’m Back!”, “Killer on The Loose” and “Watching You”. The film’s theme song, “Rainbow Eyes” was performed by Sorcery with vocals provided by Susie Rose Major. The Sorcery KCAB-MI track is the backmasked version of "I'm Back" with added sinister sound effects. Apparently "I'm Back!" is a kick-ass song whether it is played forwards or backward! Nigel was the talented singer who provided the character Billy's vocals. In addition to the Sorcery songs, Nigel’s band, Eyes is credited for the song, "Soul Searcher" featured on the soundtrack. He also played the manager, Chris in the film. Nigel was once the lead singer of Mott the Hopple and fronted an L.A. Band called London.      The actress, Donna Scoggins plays Lynn Starling and her voice comes courtesy of Susie Rose Major. Susie’s group Facedown provided several songs for the soundtrack "Would You Let Me (Touch You)”," "High School Boys," "Watch Me Rock" and "You Can't Kill Rock 'n Roll."  

Actors, Tray Loren and Donna Scoggins Make Convincing Rock Stars

     What’s not to love about Rocktober Blood? First off it has a great title and an impressive movie poster that are both unforgettable. It has all the glitz and glam of the 80’s decade of decadence and outrageous excesses. It has a unique plot concerning a crazed singer returning from the dead to murder the members of his former band. It has fun kills and witty one-liners. The director and writers build up some intense atmosphere which supplements the interesting characters, grisly murders, plot twists, and the climactic concert bloodbath. Rocktober Blood is a traditional 80’s slasher in every sense of the term with the exception of being artistically made.
     Sure, Rocktober Blood is one of the myriads of rock horror films from the '80s. During that decade it was a hot idea to combine rock and horror. What gave birth to this trend? Was it due to horror and rock genres sharing common themes? Beginning in 1969 with the band Earth who was inspired by the Mario Bava’s horror film, Black Sabbath to change their name to that title and incorporate horror themes into their music. Was it due to the appeal of the handful of rock horror films of the previous decade, most notably Phantom of the Paradise? We have seen it in Phantom of the Paradise and later on in Trick or Treat; when a performer is robbed of his or her music or cheated out of their performance…when he or she feels that their art is not valued...bad things happen…very bad things...things like horror rock can happen!  So, what makes Rocktober Blood different? The best part of the movie is the featured band of rock legends, Sorcery playing epic, theatrical, raw hard rock that only they can create. One of the better heavy metal horror films of the 80’s thanks to Sorcery’s killer performances. They have created some of the best horror film music. I could name a dozen reasons why Rocktober Blood has become a personal favorite but it all comes down to two factors for me. One, of course, is Sorcery starring in it, the other is the fact that the film was written, and directed by a woman, the main character and the rocker who voiced her songs were females. The overall factor of it being primarily female-oriented appealed to me due to being a female musician and lifelong heavy metal fan myself. One scene in particular that I adore is seeing one of my favorite musicians, Sorcery drummer Perry Morris in his signature top hat looking on in disbelief as Lynn rises out of a coffin onstage and remaining cool throughout the chaos he instructs his band to just play “I’m Back!”. 

Lynn Rises Out of a Coffin Onstage While Perry Morris Looks On in Disbelief and Continues to Rock

    I would recommend this film to fans of both hard rock/metal and horror. Overall, it has everything a rock and horror fan would want. A gnarly soundtrack with catchy metal tunes, sexy screaming chicks in chains, a fog machine, gore, and concert footage.

Sorcery, Behind the Scenes, Courtesy Perry Morris

Headmistress Band, Behind the Scenes, Courtesy Perry Morris

 Rocktober Blood: WTF Moments:

• 80’s tan lines galore! Lynn undresses for a conveniently placed Jacuzzi at the recording studio and later again for a hot bubble bath while a gory dismemberment takes place in another room. 

• Billy just plain despises the way Lynn sings his songs so he demands her at knifepoint to sing "Rainbow Eyes” and then some titty slicing takes place. 

• Sorcery sings, “There’s a Killer on the Loose” and there really is but Lynn is the only one who is aware of it.

•  During the Rocktober Blood tour press party, there are massive amounts of headbangers with giant teased hair, skin-tight leather pants, short skirts, tattered/ripped/torn clothing, chest hair and Japanese battle flag tees. There is lots of drinking, cigarette smoking, face painting and coke snorting going on. At one point I had to rewind and pause several times on the crowd because I could have sworn I saw Eddie Van Halen hanging out. Seems it was just a look alike.

Eddie Van Halen in a Japanese Battle Tee, Nope! Just a Clever Look Alike!

•  A partygoer wearing the Rocktober Blood death mask is on a platform miming, and break dancing among the headbangers. This is what happens when worlds collide miming and break dancing becomes incorporated into the heavy metal scene. WTF!

Infamous Breakdancer in the Death Mask

• Our psycho antagonist allows his victims to know he means business by his villainous over the top laugher throughout the film to the point of ridiculousness.

• Billy apparently felt he was not intense enough with his own crazed look because mid-film he wears a mask under a mask. He parades around in the death mask and it is revealed he is wearing face paint under it.

Billy in his Rocktober Blood Face Paint

• Lynn receives a series of prank calls. The phone continuously rings yet it’s not even on the hook. Is Billy haunting the phone? What’s happening?

• Billy must have been extremely unhappy with his engineer’s mix because the guy ends with a slit throat on a pinball machine and his assistant is impaled. 

•  Mandatory grave digging with Lynn, friend Honey, and Chris wearing fur and leather exposes a worm covered skeleton wearing a bandana (a traditional accessory of the rock uniform) is proof enough of Billy’s burial.

• A chloroformed Lynn is placed in a coffin and used as a prop.

• There are several grisly creative stages kills taking place including a microphone stand with a sword on the end used to stab victims, disembowelment, decapitation, bloody heads and organs tossed about in the audience but the best…death by Les Paul electrocution!

 One of Many Hot Chicks in Chains

Rocktober Blood: Killer Quotes:

• “You think I’m sick huh? I’m going to show you what rock and roll gore is all about!”

•  “I want your hot steaming pussy blood all over my face!”

• “Tonight you are going to die but first we will put on a show they will never forget! The ultimate Rocktober Blood and gore show!”

•  “I’m back I’m going to take you to hell with me!”

Bloody Billy Performing

     At one time the film and soundtrack were incredibly rare and difficult to find. The film was only available on VHS and the soundtrack on vinyl. Because of this scarce availability, they quickly became very expensive collector's items. The great news is fans no longer have to buy a bootleg or VHS copies of the film. It is now available on DVD. In 2015 both soundtrack and film were re-released. When I was able to purchase the DVD, I made a pleasant discovery. Preceding the credits there is extra footage and interviews with Beverly and Fred Sebastian which I found to be inspiring. They discuss how they found God and have a passion for rescuing Greyhounds.   

Great News! The Film Is Also Available On DVD Not Just VHS!

You can purchase the soundtrack and DVD from Perry Morris at:

http://sorcerymusic.com/

Headmistress Performance

Sorcery/Headmistress Lineup for Rocktober Blood:

• Richard Taylor - lead guitars
• Lon Cohen - guitars
• Richie King - bass
• Perry Morris - drums

Eyes Lineup for Rocktober Blood:

• Nigel Benjamin - vocals
• Bob Steffan - guitars
• John Telsco - bass
• Pat Reagen - keyboards
• Richard Onri - drums

Facedown Lineup for Rocktober Blood:

• Susie Major - vocals
• Paul Bennette - guitars
• Michael Zionch - bass
• Barry Brant - drums

Lucy