In terms of the music panorama, one can say that metallic dominated the ’80s, presenting a cultural turning level and an inflow of expertise because the style grew and expanded. Being caught up within the “Satanic Panic” and the ire of non secular teams additionally didn’t damage to make it a speaking level and a lure for the angsty teenage inhabitants. On the similar time, documentaries like Heavy Steel Parking Lot and The Decline of Western Civilization Half II: The Steel Years additional fed into the odd mixture of fandom and hate in the direction of the music style and tradition round it.
When it got here to the Eighties, there have been additionally a good variety of movies impressed by the style, or would go on to be inspirations unto themselves. These 8 movies signify the metallic style loud and proud.
8
‘This Is Spinal Faucet’ (1984)
That is Spinal Faucet
5
/5
- Launch Date
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March 2, 1984
- Runtime
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82 minutes
- Producers
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Karen Murphy
Introduced as a mockumentary following the disastrous comeback tour of a fictional British metallic band, the titular Spinal Faucet, the film has turn into a comedic staple of the ’80s. From candid interviews to following the band by way of varied misadventures and PR disasters, the trio of Spinal Faucet has proved enduring in popular culture, with Spinal Faucet II: The Finish Continues releasing in 2025.
Flip It As much as Eleven
Providing an over-the-top satiricalization and clichés that turned related to metallic all through the ’70s and ’80s, Spinal Faucet additionally acts as a love letter to the music style itself. The film is sprinkled with splendidly entertaining moments of unchecked egos and an goal to lean into the sensational nature of the music to craft a particular picture. That is one entry not only for metallic followers, although, because the film’s witty, quotable script has made it an endearing comedy basic for a lot of.
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7
‘Trick or Deal with’ (1986)
Trick or Deal with
- Launch Date
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October 24, 1986
- Runtime
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97 Minutes
- Writers
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Rhet Topham, Joel Soisson, Michael S. Murphey
Forged
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Marc Value
Eddie Weinbauer
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Lisa Orgolini
Leslie Graham
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Whereas a barely flawed horror outting, Trick or Deal with has just a few issues going for it, together with a uncommon look from ‘The Prince of Darkness’ himself, as Ozzy Osbourne stepped into the function of an anti-metal advocate; given it occurred throughout a time when he and the style had been going through heavy scrutiny it’s such an ideal casting. The movie additionally touches on the persecution of metallic followers underneath spiritual scrutiny that many would have confronted, by way of a protanist bullied for his love of loud music.
Tacky ’80s Horror Meets Steel Music
The plot of Trick or Deal with is a reasonably simple story of revenge, as a music nerd summons his favourite singer after his dying. First, by serving to him out and focusing on his bullies, the entity then desires extra, putting the teenager in a precarious state of affairs. The film has its tacky appeal, and its integration of metallic makes it a nostalgic outing for followers of the music style.
6
‘Antropophagus’ (1980)
The case for metallic being “satanic” from outsiders will not be wholly unwarranted, when bands like Venom had been early into leaning into the label with some devilish lyrics. This development would solely proceed amongst sure sub-genres of metallic, and searching again, sure movies embrace this kind of extremism in controversial content material. Notably, Dying Steel attracts heavy affect from Italian giallo and excessive cinema, and it does not get rather more excessive than Antropophagus.
The Good Companion for Dying Steel
Antropophagus follows a bunch of German vacationers touchdown on an island solely to search out all its inhabitants lacking. The only real survivor, a cannibalistic killer named Klaus Wortmann. The Italian movie affords some ghastly visions of dying and the consumption of human stays. Amongst its extra excessive instances of violence, one notorious scene involving a fetus was sufficient to have censors in an uproar; it was banned within the UK for a few years as a part of the infamous video nasties listing.
The video nasty listing would solely spark extra curiosity within the movies globally, and any manufacturing that received the title slapped on it might simply have been included right here. The content material, deemed ‘too excessive’ for a common viewers, radiated with metallic and punk tradition, which felt equally ostracized within the mainstream tradition. On the similar time, these motion pictures proceed to encourage singers who goal to craft extra graphically difficult visuals by way of lyrics.
5
‘Black Roses’ (1988)
Black Roses
- Launch Date
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November 1, 1988
- Runtime
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90 minutes
- Director
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John Fasano
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John Martin
Matthew Moorhouse
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Ken Swofford
Mayor Farnsworth
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Carmine Appice
Vinny Apache
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After a well-liked metallic band arrives in a small American city for a collection of performances, the city’s youth begin turning violent in the direction of the adults. Highschool instructor Matthew Moorhouse suspects the lead singer, Damian, to be the trigger behind the sudden change within the teenagers and vows to cease them earlier than they’ll take their tour elsewhere.
A Flawed But Entertaining Love Letter to Steel Music
One other movie that consumed the paranoia round metallic music throughout the ’80s, Black Roses deserves word over others as it’s entertainingly, painfully dangerous. Camp, cheese, and loads of foolish selections – the movie actually falls into so-bad-it’s-good territory whereas maintaining a metallic appeal by integrating the tradition into the movie. But, like several ‘good dangerous’ film, it additionally has some highlights, together with some over-the-top sensible results as a singer turns right into a weird demonic entity. This one is pure enjoyable and absolutely embraces the demonic metallic music trope with absurd extra.
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4
‘Conan the Barbarian’ (1982)
A film that will form the panorama of the fantasy style for years to come back, Conan the Barbarian acts as an origin story for the long-lasting fantasy hero. Following Conanan from a younger Cimmerian boy whose village is massacred by the sorcerer Thulsa Doom, to his coaching of his physique and thoughts to precise revenge regardless of the insurmountable odds towards him. The film would additionally act to launch Arnold Schwarzenegger into world stardom.
Fantasy and Steel Stay Widespread Bedfellows
Whereas there’s arguably no creator extra influential on the metallic style than J. R. R. Tolkien with regards to the numerous fantasy-inspired bands, one could make the argument that Robert E. Howard’s grim world of Conan the Barbarian got here shut. Muscle tissues, ladies, and brutality in a fantasy panorama make up a number of the most conjured-up imagery in a few of metallic’s sub-genres. The movie adaptation delivers all of those components, and it could go on to encourage a slew of movies of the period that will additional cement the picture of metallic and machismo within the ’80s.
3
‘Avenue Trash’ (1987)
Avenue Trash
- Launch Date
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February 22, 1987
- Runtime
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100 minutes
- Director
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J. Michael Muro
In terms of music genres that extra typically discover tough material, corresponding to punk, industrial, or metallic, some bands delve into extra nihilistic themes. There’s a manner of “life has no which means” as a method of self-empowerment, or it may also be fodder for obnoxious edgelords. Both manner, there has at all times been a contingent of bands that embrace this ideology.
We Are All Simply Piles of Goo
Avenue Trash is about as nihilistic because it comes, seeing life as expendable and of little worth. The draw right here is seeing weak teams succumb to dependancy to alcohol and soften into puddles of colourful goo. It doesn’t paint a reasonably image of humanity. Nonetheless, it does so with sufficient darkish humor by way of twisted physique horror and spectacular sensible results that the film has cult attraction for each metalheads and horror followers. The plot? Folks get a nasty batch of alcohol and soften. Take pleasure in!
Heavy Steel
- Launch Date
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August 7, 1981
- Runtime
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1h 26m
- Director
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Gerald Potterton, John Bruno
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Desk Sergeant / Dan / Den / Robotic (voice)
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Joe Flaherty
Hanover Fiste / Dr. Anrak (voice)
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Susan Roman
Katherine (voice)
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Don Francks
Lawyer / Basic (voice)
Heavy Steel Journal discovered inspiration from the metallic style in its aesthetic, and provided mature content material in a wide range of genres. To say one impressed the opposite is a bit deceptive, however they turned congruent throughout the ’80s and the rise of the music style. The movie adaptation, an anthology of tales, would attraction to followers of fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and, by extension, loads of music followers who cherished the sensational imagery on album covers and the darker lyrics of metallic.
An Animated Heavy Steel Anthology
1981’s Heavy Steel animated film went full in on the music style, using a soundtrack of rock and metallic that includes, most notably, Black Sabbath. The movie provided up eight shorts, all loosely related by the concept of a central mystical drive pushing the sensational components. Right here, some actually really feel extra metallic than others, with Den and Taarna being notable stand-outs, concerning themes and visuals that coincide with metallic music.
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1
‘Slumber Social gathering Bloodbath 2’ (1987)
Slumber Social gathering Bloodbath II
- Launch Date
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October 16, 1987
- Runtime
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75 minutes
- Director
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Deborah Brock
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Crystal Bernard
Courtney Bates
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Jennifer Rhodes
Mrs. Bates
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Patrick Lowe
Matt Arbicost
A killer wielding a lethal guitar has made the Slumber Social gathering Bloodbath franchise tied with the metallic style for a very long time, as its quipping killer provided up a extra musically inclined model of Freddy Krueger. Whereas all of the movies within the franchise have some benefit, the second is simply such a wonderful mix of darkish comedy, sensational kills, and guitar riffs that it’s arduous to not place it on the high of the opposite entries.
Killer Guitar Riffs
Oddball characters, ’80s cheese, an apparent love of music, and emphasis on crafting enjoyable guitar kills have made Slumber Social gathering Bloodbath 2 a beloved cult basic of the period. It might not be as ‘metallic’ as different entries on this listing, however as others right here get by on pandering to followers of the style, this slasher is a enjoyable inclusion in case you are in search of movies that seize the metallic spirit of the ’80s.