1986's Trick Or Treat Featured Something You'd Never Expect To See: Ozzy Osbourne As A Reverend
Ozzy Osbourne, the Godfather of Metal, may be most famous for his legendary contributions to the music genre, but the Prince of Darkness has also acted in a handful of movies. He's far from the first rock star to do so, but his choice of roles prove his sense of humor and knack for camp. Folks may recognize him from his cameos in comedies like "Austin Powers in Goldmember" and "Little Nicky," or voice cameos in "Gnomeo & Juliet" and "Trolls 2: World Tour," but earlier on he appeared in the lesser-known 1986 heavy metal horror film "Trick or Treat."
Not to be confused with the 2007 Halloween-themed anthology "Trick 'r Treat," "Trick or Treat" is a tongue-in-cheek relic of a time when conservative commentators were denouncing metal music as a serious threat to the public order. The story follows high school metalhead Eddie Weinbauer, played by Marc Price, and his quest to stop the demonic spirit of murderous metal musician Sammi Curr, played by professional dancer Tony Fields. A Dino De Laurentiis production, "Trick or Treat" boasts some names that may raise the eyebrows of horror fans. Special effects artist Kevin Yagher also worked directly with two slasher icons, Freddy Krueger and Chucky (the latter of which he designed), while Christopher Young helped compose both Sammi's music and the score for numerous other horror films, including the sweeping, orchestral "Hellraiser."
One pissed off pastor
Young worked alongside the metal band Fastway, who featured Motörhead's "Fast Eddie Clarke" shredding the guitar, while Gene Simmons from KISS appeared in a cameo as radio's DJ Nuke. In other words, Ozzy wasn't the only hard rock and metal act associated with "Trick or Treat." His role as a televangelist preacher, however, was dripping with sarcasm, humorously playing the exact type of person who usually denounced Ozzy as evil and satanic. As icing on top of the cake, Sammi uses his demonic, Freddy Krueger-esque powers to swipe through the television screen, giving Pastor Ozzy a blood-curdling scream.
Ozzy's cameo is indicative of the film's confusing identity. One one hand, "Treak or Treat" is clearly made by and for metal fans, but at the same time the villain is a metal star who gets his powers through demonic forces, essentially confirming that, yes, metal is a product of the devil. There's more than an undercurrent of sarcasm here, though, since the film's inherent goofiness is poking fun of the over-reactionary attitude of the satanic panic. It's proof that metal doesn't have to take itself seriously. Ozzy Osbourne, who sadly just announced his official end to touring due to health issues, was in on the joke.