Rock & Rule (1983)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Clive A. Smith

Writers:

Patrick Loubert (story) &
Peter Sauder (story) ...

Release Date:

16 May 1986 (Finland)

Genre:

Animation | Music | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A malevolent rock star kidnaps a female singer to force her to participate in the summoning of a demon and her band must help her stop him.

Plot Keywords:

Demon | Rock Band | Punk | Rock 'n' Roll | Cyberpunk

Cast

Don Francks	...	Mok (voice)
Susan Roman	...	Angel (voice)
Samantha Langevin	...	Mok's computer
Paul Le Mat	...	Omar (speaking voice)
Dan Hennessey	...	Dizzy
Chris Wiggins	...	Toad
Greg Duffell	...	Stretch and Zip
Brent Titcomb	...	Sleazy
Donny Burns	...	Quadhole and First Radio Announcer
Martin Lavut	...	Mylar and Second Radio Announcer
Catherine Gallant	...	Cindy
Keith Hampshire	...	Other Computer
Melleny Brown	...	Carnegie Hall Groupie
Anna Bourque	...	Edna
Nick Nichols	...	Borderguard

Also Known As:

Drats (Canada: English title) (working title)
Ring of Power

Runtime:

USA:77 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14A (Manitoba) (DVD) | Canada:G (Quebec) (DVD) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia/Ontario) (DVD) | Iceland:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-10 | UK:PG | USA:PG

Company:

Nelvana

Trivia:

This film is the first Canadian animated feature film entirely produced in Canada itself.

Quotes:

Mok: Evil spelled backward is "live," and we all want to live, don't we?

Soundtrack:

Ohm Sweet Ohm

Sometimes I wish I was still 10 years old...

I have to say, I was very excited when I learned that this movie was going to be released on DVD. I vaguely remember seeing this as a 10 year old in the 1980s and being impressed (granted, as a 10 year old).

So I rented it last night and was overall disappointed, but I must say its probably because I had over-hyped it with my own cloudy memories. I found the animation and the general artwork to be very impressive. The songs were fantastic, especially "My Name is Mok", but I found the characters to be generally annoying and the story lacking much development. Mok was the only character who was interesting and entertaining. Omar was a self-absorbed narcissist who doesn't give the audience a reason to empathize. Omar's companions were overly juvenile as were Mok's assistants.

The story has a great basis--dangerous post-apocalyptic world of mutants. But we don't really get much of a feeling for this world beyond the initial set-up. Also, we know that Mok wants to raise a demon, but why? Did I miss it or is it never really stated? I assume he wants to dominate the world, but it seems to me that he pretty much does already.

Overall, the movie is lacking character development and follow through on the story. The music is fantastic and the animation is great. Its kind of a mixed bag. I only wish it had lived up to my expectations.