5 Best Meat Loaf Roles And Where You Can Watch Them
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The rock 'n' roll singer Meat Loaf, born Marvin Lee Aday, had an impressive career that not only spanned his numerous musical hits, but also included a range of movie roles. Meat Loaf the actor was just as dynamic as Meat Loaf the stage performer and singer, and he worked with directors ranging from David Fincher to Uwe Boll. I first discovered his theatricality in his music videos, though many fans were introduced to his charisma, singing talents, and presence as Eddie the delivery boy in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in 1975.
Meat Loaf has died at the age of 74, and to honor his memory and celebrate his life, I've collected five of his best performances and where you can watch them.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Where You Can Watch It: Available to rent for $3.99 on AppleTV and Amazon.
"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is the one that started it all. Meat Loaf plays Eddie, a motorcycle-riding, saxophone-playing former delivery boy who had half of his brain stolen by the wicked Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry) in order to make himself a pet boy toy, Rocky (Peter Hinwood). This horny and queer horror musical developed a massive cult following, with fans showing up for midnight showings with extensive audience interaction. The dedication to "Rocky Horror" is impressive, with a theater in Portland, Oregon doing midnight showings to an empty theater throughout part of the pandemic.
Meat Loaf's role in "Rocky Horror" is a bit part, with only one song, but he's impossible to forget. Eddie brings life into Frank's stuffy Transylvanian party, and his love for Columbia (Nell Campbell) is possibly the only pure thing in the entire movie. He rides out of the deep freeze on his motorcycle, singing "Hot Patootie, bless my soul, I really love that rock and roll," and it's a bizarre and brilliant encapsulation of 1970s Americana. Eddie gets killed after his big song and turned into a tasty dinner, but at least we got to hear him belt out one good song beforehand.
Fight Club
Where You Can Watch It: Streaming on IMDbTV with ads, available to rent for $3.99 on iTunes and Google Play.
Arguably, Meat Loaf's most serious role was in David Fincher's 1999 film "Fight Club." He portrayed Robert "Bob" Paulson, a former bodybuilder who had suffered through testicular cancer and had enormous breasts as a result. Meat Loaf wore a prosthetic chest that under most circumstances would be comical, but with his sweet and sad performance, it became tragic. Bob is one of the only "space monkeys" following the lead of cult leader Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) with a big heart, and his warmth and kindness seems horribly out of place among the testosterone-fueled hatred and violence of "Fight Club." When Bob is eventually killed doing a "homework assignment" for Tyler, the space monkeys take up a chant to honor him. "His name was Robert Paulson," they repeat, standing over his corpse. It becomes a rallying cry for the crew, and a heartbreaking reminder of the potential cost of their fight.
Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny
Where You Can Watch It: Available to rent for $3.99 on AppleTV and Google Play.
Occasionally Meat Loaf took on roles that allowed him to show off his incredible singing chops, and none of them were more fun than "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny," the rock musical about the fictional origins of the band Tenacious D. Meat Loaf plays the strict suburban dad to Jack Black's wannabe rocker Jables, punishing him for foul language with a swift belting to the booty. Following this punishment, he sings a song about how he wishes Jables had never been born, and tells him that Jesus loves his brother more. Yikes. Seeing Meat Loaf, who once played Eddie, the prototype for rockers, shouting at his son about the "devil's music" was a wild twist, and a hilarious one. He's only in the film for a few minutes and one song, but at least he gives us a good idea where Jables gets his singing talent from.
Wayne's World
Where You Can Watch It: Available to rent for $2.99 on YouTube and Google Play.
"Wayne's World" is a movie about a couple of huge rock fans, so of course they had to get some rockers to do some cameos. Meat Loaf plays Tiny, a friend of Wayne (Mike Meyers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) and works as a bouncer at a local venue called the Gasworks. He doesn't like the band "The S***ty Beatles," but with a name like that, is anyone really surprised? Meat Loaf's bit in "Wayne's World" is tiny (ba dum tss) but is still a lot of fun. Besides, any excuse to watch "Wayne's World" is a good excuse. This 1992 comedy is a hilarious blast from the past with great cameos, killer jokes, and the greatest head-banging driving sequence in all of cinema history. Party on, Wayne!
BloodRayne
Where You Can Watch It: Streaming free with ads on Tubi.
I know. I know. Recommending that anyone watch a Uwe Boll flick, let alone the notoriously loathed "BloodRayne," seems like a bit of a stretch. But hear me out: Meat Loaf plays a hedonistic vampire named Leonid. He surrounds himself with beautiful naked women and has a wig worthy of the Bad Hair Hall of Fame, and he's just having a ball. The movie is a mess, but seeing Meat Loaf ham it up as the villain is too much fun to completely dismiss. I first discovered Meat Loaf playing a vampire in his "Anything for Love" music video, so this feels like coming full circle. I just think the "Anything For Love" vampire would be livid with Leonid for being such a ladies' man. Look, it's streaming for free, so what do you have to lose?