The 1980s were responsible for some of the most iconic Horror villains to ever terrorize the silver screen. During this era, you had the further development of Michael Myers (the evil antagonist from 1978’s Halloween), but also the birth of Freddy Krueger (the nightmare stalking murderer from 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street), Jason Voorhees (the vengeful camper turned murderer from 1980’s Friday the 13th), Pinhead (the demonic leader featured in 1987’s Hellraiser), Chucky (the psychotic doll possessed by a serial killer from 1988’s Child’s Play), but another seldom ever included on the list… Sammi Curr, a Heavy Metal icon turned evil entity in 1986’s Trick or Treat.
Released among a slew of other Horror films in 1986, you also had The Fly, Critters, From Beyond, Night of the Creeps, Poltergeist II, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, and April Fool’s Day, plus many more floating around. It was a crowded market, but demand was high, and studios were dishing out Horror films as quickly as possible. With that being said, when Trick or Treat arrived in theaters just before Halloween on October 24, 1986, the immediate reaction may not have been overwhelming, but historically, it could be argued as a quintessence Horror flick from the decade as some of the best.
Looking deeper inside, Trick or Treat was directed by Charles Martin Smith (an actor making his directorial debut, which led to several other films like 1997’s Air Bud and 2011’s Dolphin Tale) from a screenplay penned primarily by Joel Soisson (a filmmaker who worked as a producer on films such as 1989’s Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, etc.). Teaming up with Dino De Laurentiis’s De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (the production company behind such films as 1987’s Near Dark and Evil Dead II), they plotted out a Horror movie that would dive head first into the world of Heavy Metal music.
Ripping themes directly from the headlines, Trick or Treat touches on some of the many negative connotations associated with Heavy Metal. To start with, the story follows a high school kid named Eddie “Ragman” Weinbauer (played by Marc Price, who was easily recognizable for his famous role as Skippy from the hit television series Family Ties). A regular kid, he is mocked and bullied largely because of his love of Heavy Metal music.
This is not uncommon treatment of young Metal lovers because the masses have always shunned anything outside the mainstream. With Eddie being the prototypical outcast, Trick or Treat also interjects the issue of censorship that was going on during the time (throwing in a scene with Sammi Curr (played by the late Tony Fields, who was an accomplished dancer and actor) arguing with politicians about freedom of speech. If this looks familiar, it is very much like what Twisted Sister’s well-spoken Dee Snider did in 1985 in front of the Senate. The film also intertwines the theme of hidden messages in Heavy Metal records. Eerily, this something that was almost prophetic… because in 1990, a lawsuit was filed against Judas Priest, who allegedly had subliminal messages in their music that resulted in a suicide pact from 1985.
There are also so many homages to the genre of Heavy Metal waiting for fans to devour like delicious cookies right out of the oven. For example, you cannot get past that there is an array of Metal band posters all over Eddie’s bedroom, such as Lizy Borden, Judas Priest, Anthrax, KISS, Raven, Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister, and more. This is while his collection of LPs includes some killer selections like Exciter and Megadeth. In all, if you could transport the character of Eddie into your reality as a Metalhead, he might be one of your best friends.
These attributes are taken into consideration; the story of Trick or Treat is rather simple within itself. Following Eddie’s admiration for Sammi Curr, he is shattered when he learns of the Metal frontman’s tragic death. Feeling as if he lost a part of himself, Eddie is swiftly introduced to an unreleased piece of music from Sammi Curr by a local DJ friend named Nuke (portrayed by KISS legend Gene Simmons).
A gift to behold, Eddie soon plays the record only to find it as a pathway to communicate with his idol. This is rather cool for Eddie, but the only negative is that Curr is now a powerful evil entity that plays on Eddie’s thirst for revenge against those constantly picking on him. Will Eddie be able to stop the madness before it is too late?
A race against stopping pure evil, the pace of Trick or Treat is pretty even to the point that you are enthralled until the end. Beyond this, the soundtrack itself was nothing less than outstanding, with English band Fastway assuming the role of writing/performing all of Sammi Curr’s songs. Iconic in the eyes of many, Fastway also released it in 1987 as their fourth studio, retaining the original film artwork.
The soundtrack was most recently re-released as an original vinyl pressing in October 2024 through At The Movies Shop, and it is worth picking up. It should also be noted that the special effects for Trick or Treat were by Kevin Yagher (famous for his work on HBO’s Tales from the Crypt), and even the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne, makes a special appearance in the film.
Altogether, this is a short list of what makes Treat or Treat a truly underappreciated ‘80s Horror classic. While it did not excel at the box office, it also did not completely fail and became a highly touted flick at local Video Rental Stores in 1987. Since arriving on a low-quality DVD in 2002, it later received a limited edition three-disc set, including an all-region Blu-ray, region 2 DVD, soundtrack CD, and a nice booklet in 2014.
Then, in 2024, Synapse Films put out their own 3-disc edition, which included a 4K UHD disc and tons of goods. Limited to only 6,666 units, if you were unable to get your hands on that release, now in 2025, Synapse Films is offering up three new ways to own Trick or Treat (DVD, Blu-ray, and, most importantly, a 4K UHD release).
Arriving on March 11th, the crown jewel of this latest campaign has to be the 4K UHD edition, which presents Trick or Treat in the most persistent way possible. Restored from the original 35mm camera negative and mastered in Dolby Vision, the colors are rich, contrast deep, and tones perfectly clarified.
Joining this stellar restoration are a slew of extras, such as a new retrospective featuring everyone from Charles Martin Smith to Marc Price, a tribute to Tony Fields, making-of features, a look at filming locations, and so much more. Beyond everything else, there is also a lovely slipcover and eye-catching reversible art.
Overall, never mind what critics say about Trick or Treat because it is ‘80s Horror with near perfection. Add to it that Synapse Films has unveiled a stunning 4K Ultra HD upgrade, and it is a must to pick up a copy right away. That is why Cryptic Rock gives the 4K Ultra HD release of Trick or Treat 5 out of 5 stars.
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