Studio 666
Studio 666
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Studio 666 is a comedy/horror/rock 'n' roll movie starring the Foo Fighters as themselves, recording a new album and fighting demonic forces. It's ramshackle and rambunctious, extremely gory, and lots of fun for mature fans. The bloody effects are digital and fake-looking but still extremely graphic, with a character's head brutally smashed, a person crawling with a broken leg, corpses, a slashed-open face, burned faces and bodies, decapitations, severed heads, someone hanging by a rope, disemboweling, stabbing, eye-gouging, a chainsaw, a body in a wood-chipper, a raccoon corpse, scary monsters, etc. Language is also strong and constant, with countless uses of "f--k," "s--t," "motherf----r," "d--k," and more. There's a sex scene with thrusting and moaning, but it's interrupted, and there's no nudity. There's also some sexually suggestive dialogue, a quick glimpse at porn on a computer, and sex sounds. Characters drink (beer, whiskey) frequently.
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What's the Story?
In STUDIO 666, the Foo Fighters -- led by Dave Grohl and including Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, and Rami Jaffee -- prepare to record their 10th album. Dave insists that they record somewhere unique, like "when Zeppelin went to the castle." So the band is sent to an old mansion in Encino, where the 1990s band Dream Widow once disappeared. Stuck for ideas, Dave explores the house and finds Dream Widow's unfinished work, but when he plays it, something strange happens. He becomes obsessed with recording an ever-lengthening song, growing well past 30 minutes, that seems to have no ending. Worse, though, is that people start dying in the most gruesome ways. What will happen when Dave finishes the song?
Is It Any Good?
What this rock 'n' roll horror/comedy lacks in skill -- it's no Get Out or Babadook -- it makes up for with an infectious, rambunctious spirit and an ability to mess around close to the edge. Based on a story by Grohl, Studio 666 has a similar attitude to A Hard Day's Night and -- for better or worse -- Spice World, in that it's just here to play some music and have some fun. It takes on its horror elements with the zeal of a kid collecting Fangoria magazines, joining forces with Metallica's Through the Never and Michael Jackson's epic "Thriller" video. (It even has a new main title theme by John Carpenter!) The maniac, over-the-top gore effects have a squidgy digital look, and while the movie holds back in certain aspects -- the "sex" and "drugs" part of the "rock 'n' roll" trinity are virtually non-existent here -- the enthusiasm behind it goes a long way.
What the movie does best is capture a sense of musical creativity, the process of artists coming together and noodling around until something emerges. Unlike the other movies previously mentioned, Studio 666 actually lacks a collection of polished songs (except an end-credits tune "Love Dies Young"); instead, we're treated to behind-the-scenes extended jams that are full of excitement and exploring. Overall, the band seems comfortable on camera, and even though no Oscars are going to be won here, their humorous camaraderie comes through; the movie has some big laughs. Comic actors like Whitney Cummings, Will Forte, and Jeff Garlin turn up to help round things out, too. The movie is probably best viewed on a beat-up VHS tape in the back of a tour bus, but it's recommended any old way you can see it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Studio 666's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary? How can a horror movie be presented as a comedy at the same time?
What do people like about the Foo Fighters? How have they endured for so long?
How is drinking depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why is that important?
The villain's main plan is to make rock 'n' roll dangerous again via the devil. Why was rock 'n' roll once considered dangerous/evil? Could it be again?
Movie Details
- In theaters: February 25, 2022
- On DVD or streaming: May 24, 2022
- Cast: Dave Grohl, Whitney Cummings, Will Forte, Jeff Garlin
- Director: B.J. McDonnell
- Studio: Open Road Films
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Run time: 106 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: strong bloody violence and gore, pervasive language, and sexual content
- Last updated: December 31, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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Metallica: Through the Never
Heavy-metal concert meets a thunderous horror movie.
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A Hard Day's Night
Beatles classic is Fab-ulous, but expect lots of smoking.
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This Is Spinal Tap
Hilarious, ribald, drug-filled rock send-up.
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Rock 'n' Roll High School
The Ramones still rock in comedy with some adult material.
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Spice World
Loony mockumentary captures Spice Girl fever.
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