Rock & Rule

Plot in a nutshell: in a post-Apocalyptic future, a race of rat/mice like mutants are now in charge following a big war. Mok is an aging rock star who is now obsessed with raising a demon out of Hell, and he can only do it musically, and with the help of a very special (singing) voice. That very special voice belongs to the movie's heroine, Angel, so he abducts her with the intention of using her in his evil scheme to destroy the world, with her band mates, Dizzy, Stretch and her boyfriend Omar following in hot pursuit. Scattershot but amusing. Worth a look for the music, most notably Debbie Harry's "Send Love Through", off-kilter humor and atmospheric animation. Cheap Trick, Lou Reed, Earth/Wind/Fire and Iggy Pop also make musical contributions.

I have always loved animation, and would watch anything animated regardless of how good or bad it is. I did like Rock & Rule. It is not one of my favourite animated movies like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, The Secret of NIMH, Sleeping Beauty, Watership Down, Snow White, Prince of Egypt, Bambi, Pinocchio and The Iron Giant. But it is nowhere near one of the worst like Spiders Web: A Pig's Tale, Titanic: The Animated Movie, Legend of the Titanic, In Search of the Titanic, Space Thunder Kids, Secret of NIMH 2, Doogal, Ratatoing and Pokemon: The First Movie. Rock & Rule is problematic for me, with the exception of Mok the characters are not really all that interesting, Omar especially is very bland, and the story despite having a good premise is rather predictable and doesn't have much to it, for example we are aware of Mok's plan but we don't know why. The dialogue is a mixed bag, there are times where it is funny and with inspired quips but there are other points where it comes across as stilted. Conversely, the animation is great, the character designs are bizarre but quite unique and the backgrounds and colours are very atmospheric. The voice acting is good, and Mok is an interesting villain, the best character of the movie by default. I did enjoy the thrilling atmosphere conveyed during the songs. But the best part of Rock & Rule is easily the soundtrack, which is amazing. It has such a groove and takes you back to one of the most nostalgic eras. In conclusion, had room for improvement but a very interesting animated film. 7/10 Bethany Cox

For those who have never heard of this ugly looking animated feature, think if "Heavy Metal" (1981) was redrawn by furries on quaaludes and dubbed it like a kung-fu movie. Oh and the music sucks. Set in the far future long after humans have destroyed themselves, stray mutant dogs, cats and rats have taken over and created a dystopian society run on sub-par rock & roll. The most powerful man-thing in the world, Mok (Iggy Pop) has a plan to unleash an inter-dimensional being that would destroy everything in its path. Why? Because he's evil. The only hitch in his plan is a woman-mouse-cat type thing Angel (Deborah Harry), who possesses the voice needed to open the portal. Problem is she's got her own band fronted by her continuously aloof boyfriend Omar (Robin Zander). So he devises a clever plan pitting them against each other and...just kidding! No he actually just kidnaps her. Supposedly "Rock & Rule" was jolly-rogered by MGM's changing management and forced to rewrite and move things around. Apparently the studio was not excited about an animated project with constant casual and forced drug use, devil worship and sexuality. It's even more subversive when you consider all the characters look like Goofy and his extended family have taken over. Regardless I doubt this movie would have amounted to anything even if it had 100% studio support. The characters are dopey, the songs are boring and the animation is lazily cheap. The Omar character in particular is so incredibly unlikeable I found myself rooting for the bad guys. I doubt anyone watched "Rock & Rule" when they were little. If they did they have much bigger problems than film taste. But with a cult following thanks to late night HBO showcases and a surprisingly formidable 6.4 on IMDb out of a group of 1,426 voters, I'm starting to think people will make a cult out of anything. http://theyservepopcorninhell.blogspot.com/

I didn't see this when it first came out, back in the early 80s. If I had, I probably would have liked it, since I was the proper demographic. As someone nearing 40, I really can't say that I was impressed, however. Unlike Bakshi's work, which is generally aimed at adults, this was squarely aimed at the kid demographic, with anthropomorphic animals, over-the-top sentimentality ("love conquers everything" is a major theme), and incredibly dopey characters, right out of a Saturday morning kids' cartoon, with wacky voices to go along with them. The plot is pretty much throwaway. A narcissistic, aging "superrocker" named Mok is looking to summon a demon, although he's never really given any motivation for doing so, other than maybe wanting to be more famous than he already is. Unfortunately, he comes across as a stereotypical Disney villain and a not-so-subtle satire of Mick Jagger. The other characters are pretty much forgettable, though the heroine Angel could have been an interesting character. Stupidly, she's completely incapable of doing anything herself, and needs to be constantly saved by her male friends. The animation is pretty good, and the voice work is alright. I really wasn't very fond of the art style (cartoon animals, with snouts and big ears), as it was heavily influenced by Disney. Some people have suggested that it's supposed to be a parody of Disney's style, but I really doubt that. These are the same guys who did the Strawberry Shortcake cartoon in the 1980s. I think they're incapable of being edgy enough to take on parody. I think it's a straight-up, honest homage. In the end, this may be a little too dark for younger kids, but I doubt that it will really appeal very strongly to older teens (or adults), due to the cheesy message and heavy moralizing, which is more common in kids' cartoons. I had always heard it described as "for adults", but it's clearly not. It just goes to show you that pretty much anything that's animated can (and eventually will) be described as "adult" by someone, somewhere, eventually, even if it's overflowing in cheesy sentimentality and completely harmless. I've seen edgier episodes of The Simpsons. While not totally G-rated, I'd still say that anyone older than 12 should probably steer clear of this movie, unless they're Christian. It's got a very simplistic, heavy-handed moral that should resonate well with them.

Well, I can see that here is about the same as in the real world, about three people have ever heard of this movie. That's a shame too, the Cheap Trick songs alone make it worthwhile. I would have to say if you stumbled upon this and have never seen it go try to track it down if you are into animation or good ol' Eighty's rock. Great story, great animation, great voiceovers, great songs = great movie. In my opinion, I would have to put this movie above Heavy Metal in comparison with viewability. This movie I could watch over and over, Heavy Metal always puts me to sleep near the end now. That is probably because this is one complete story instead of some short stories put together for a movie. 10 out of 10 here... By the way, to all you aspiring animators out there; can you guess what they used to give the Creature that gelatinous look? (Yeeech, you probably don't want to know)

source: Rock & Rule

"Rock & Rule" is a lost classic of American animation featuring some of the best rock musicians of the early 80's, including Deborah Harry, Cheap Trick, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, and Earth, Wind, and Fire. In addition to the best American animation of the 1980's, the film features a terrific rock score, excellent voice acting, and an impressive screenplay which is a wicked satire on the music industry, animated films, and the cyberpunk genre. But what do you expect from a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk rock opera with 'funny animal' characters and overtones of H.P. Lovecraft? See you at the MOK Concert at Carnage Hall!

Unearthed Films just brought this classic out on DVD in a two-disc collector's edition. It's well worth the price! The two-disc set contains the original Canadian version, the altered American version, and the release of "The Devil and Daniel Mouse", the inspiration for this movie. Also included are "making of" features about both "Rock and Rule" and "Devil". This movie is animated, but it's not for the very young crowd. It contains animated nudity, occasional adult language, and adult situations such as drug use and death. That said, I first saw it when I was 12 and wasn't scarred for life. This movie's got it all: great music, great animation (far better than "Heavy Metal", a similar film, which was released around the same time), and a storyline that appeals to a more mature mindset. If you think of animation as two categories -- anime or "Care Bears" style kid stuff -- this doesn't belong in either. It's a uniquely American animation style. And the music! Debby Harry, Iggy Pop, Mick Jagger, Earth Wind & Fire, it goes on and on, a constant stream of music that not only doesn't distract, but is a complement to what's going on on screen. The songs have aged very well in the past 30 years. This movie's a musical, but its music flows naturally, without those "And now I must stop everything and sing!" moments that make musicals so tedious. The special effects are also amazing, the more so when you consider when this movie was made. I was one of the people who wrote Nelvana, and then Unearthed, begging for this re-release, and I was one of the first to order the set. I'm happy to say Unearthed has remained true to Nelvana's vision -- this set is everything I hoped it'd be. Don't miss it.

There are very few works that make it onto my "Holy Grail" list; this is one of them. The most worthy reason to view this film, in my opinion, is the music. Good music is the best ingredient for ensuring that a movie retains its entertainment value through repeated viewings. If you appreciate the pop/rock scene from the late 70's and into the 80's, then you already know that the melding of Blondie; Cheap Trick; Lou Reed; Iggy Pop; and Earth, Wind & Fire result in an eclectic and powerful soundtrack. Add a mature, atmospheric animation style that combines several different techniques, well-developed characterization, and a quirky sense of humor--all within a darkly-flavored sci-fi/fantasy storyline--and you have Rock & Rule. This film secured cult status soon after its initial, under-marketed release in 1983, and has quietly thrived for years in the second-hand and bootleg universes. An upcoming (spring 2005) DVD release from Unearthed Films promises the best chance yet for this impressive animated work to finally be recognized and lauded by a wider audience.

Well, I can see that here is about the same as in the real world, about three people have ever heard of this movie. That's a shame too, the Cheap Trick songs alone make it worthwhile. I would have to say if you stumbled upon this and have never seen it go try to track it down if you are into animation or good ol' Eighty's rock. Great story, great animation, great voiceovers, great songs = great movie. In my opinion, I would have to put this movie above Heavy Metal in comparison with viewability. This movie I could watch over and over, Heavy Metal always puts me to sleep near the end now. That is probably because this is one complete story instead of some short stories put together for a movie. 10 out of 10 here... By the way, to all you aspiring animators out there; can you guess what they used to give the Creature that gelatinous look? (Yeeech, you probably don't want to know)