The ’80s were a defining decade for movie musicals. Rather than the traditional showtunes featured in classic musicals like “Oklahoma!” and “Cabaret,” 1980s musical films often featured rock and pop-inspired soundtracks to appeal to the younger mainstream demographic and reflect the cool, stylized music videos that had seen a rise since the launch of MTV in 1981. Some of the decade’s leading artists even played roles or provided soundtracks for these films, including Prince (“Purple Rain”) and David Bowie (“Labyrinth”).
As a result, some of the greatest musical films of all time — and their incredibly catchy songs — came from the decade, including the silver screen adaptation of “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life,” “The Blues Brothers,” and “Fame.” However, not all ’80s movie musicals earned the same immortal status. Back in 1983, MGM/United Artists released “Rock & Rule,” a sci-fi fantasy musical aimed at adults that paired Disney-esque animation with tracks from some of the world’s biggest rock ‘n’ roll artists. While this, on paper, may have seemed destined to be a surefire hit, the film flopped at the box office — and then, was largely forgotten.
What is Rock & Rule?
Set in a post-apocalyptic U.S. populated by animal-like humans, Rock & Rule (also known as “Ring of Power”) is a Canadian animated musical that follows Mok Swagger (Don Francks, who voiced by Grimaldi in “Heavy Metal”), a legendary, aging rock musician who sets out to find a singer with a voice capable of releasing a powerful demon from another dimension. Upon meeting Angel (voiced by Susan Roman of “Sailor Moon” fame), a keyboardist in a rock band, Mok realizes she has the voice he needs to unleash the demon’s power. However, she’s less than keen to take part, so Mok kidnaps her — and it’s up to her band to save her. Not exactly the sort of cute, cuddly fare you might find the kids from the “Stranger Things: Tales From ’85” reboot.
Visually, the characters in “Rock & Rule” look pretty similar to those in Disney’s “A Goofy Movie,” and you may even get some major Powerline vibes from some of the musical performances. But this isn’t a kid’s movie, due to its use of profanity, sexuality, and — you know — the overarching demonic plot. Even if you’re not sold on the premise, “Rock & Rule”‘s musical moments are well worth sticking around for, as the soundtrack features songs from great artists like Rick Nielsen (from Cheap Trick), Blondie’s Debbie Harry, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, and Beloyd Taylor. It’s a solid lineup, maybe even one you should consider when looking for a movie soundtrack to test your new audiophile setup.
Why Rock & Rule is considered a box office flop
Commercially, “Rock & Rule” was a major box office flop, with production costing $8 million but the film grossing only $30,379 in North America — almost bankrupting its production company, Nelvana. This may have been, in part, due to the movie’s very limited release by MGM/United Artists in the U.S. and the edits made to the film’s American release, which included redubbed characters, shortened scenes, and a shortened finale, which might have made it to our list of alternate endings that would have completely changed popular movies … if “Rock & Rule” had actually been popular.
The critical reception to “Rock & Rule” at the time of its release was somewhat mixed, though. The New York Times, for example, described “Rock & Rule” as “more interesting for its sound track than for what transpires on the screen,” saying the film’s mood was “dopey and loud.” However, later reviews — following the release of the musical on DVD in 2005, and a two-disc Blu-Ray featuring both versions of the movie in 2010 — were more positive. Spin lauded the film for its sci-fi quirkiness, and Birmingham Live described it as “the antithesis of Disney” and “flawed but ahead of its time,” while Vice described it as being enjoyable and maybe nostalgic.
While Rotten Tomatoes hasn’t collected enough critical reviews to certify “Rock & Rule,” the musical has a 71% Popcornmeter rating. While some users praise its animation, personality, and soundtrack, others describe the trippy flick as feeling unfinished. You can decide for yourself, as “Rock & Rule” is available to watch on Tubi.
