Remember the Movie ‘Rock Star’?

(TheBRHM.com) During VH1’s 2006 “Metal Month”, the network ran several documentaries and a few films such as Spinal Tap and Rock Star. It was a given that I was going to enjoy Spinal Tap and at the time I thought Rock Star was something entertaining to watch. Having watched it again recently, my thoughts are the same but now I have a better understanding of how the film came together and the musicians in it.

Tim “Ripper” Owens: The Inspiration

For those who have never seen the film, it stars Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Anniston. It was based in part on the true story of Tim “Ripper” Owens, a singer who has been busy in metal since the late 1980s. He does a variety of styles in the genre, and he hasn’t been in a band that just released mid or poor material regularly.

It’s always interesting (and unfortunate) when you see very talented musicians in bands that seem to be going nowhere or circling the drain. My first question is usually “How did you end up here?” which always follows “This guy is actually good but the rest of the band…”

That isn’t the case with Tim Owens. His voice has range and power which has seen him sing with Iced Earth, Yngwie J. Malmsteen, KK’s Priest, and Judas Priest. It’s with him joining Judas Priest in 1996 and being on the return album Jugulator that we get the inspiration for Rock Star.

A 1997 story in the New York Times about Owens piqued Warner Bros’ interest in doing something based on Owens’ journey. The project had creative hiccups dealing with Judas Priest about the script and had to be redone as more of a music drama that wasn’t heavily on Ripper’s life.

Rock Star: Inspired by True Events

“Music drama” might not even be the best way to describe this as the romance angle is the anchor for the main character of Izzy Cole. At any rate, after a budget running between $38 million and $57 million and bringing in some metal and rock veterans in roles, we get Rock Star in 2001. Taking place in 1985, the film now followed a young musician in a tribute band who ends up replacing the lead singer of metal Steel Dragon, the band his tribute band covered.

Life on the road, recording, and partying caused Izzy to distance himself from his friends and love interest, Emily (played by Jennifer Anniston). At one show in Seattle, a super fan impresses him enough that he brings him on stage to sing with him. Eventually, he hands over the lead singer role to the super fan. I figured that selecting new band members was a bit more involved but apparently that fan went on to continue touring with the band.

Then again, that band had to be regularly in shambles. Kind of like Love Fist in the Grand Theft Auto games. So, a fan becoming the lead singer and actually doing well? Sure, get him his cut of the gate, I say. The film ends with Izzy performing with a new band started by his friend from the tribute act in Seattle several years later. He reconciles with Emily—who walked since he was slamming groupies—and they live happily ever after.

There was some corniness to the film leaning into the obvious E! True Hollywood Story side of rock music but I liked the familiar faces of the cast. I thought most of them did their roles well, and I saw potential with the story. If you haven’t checked my dives on movies and comics on AfroGamers, one conclusion I tend to come to is that something would’ve been better served as a TV show.

I found Rock Star to be a fine film: not bad but not good. Part of it was the feeling that the story had to lean on the 80s rock excess because it’s the main thing that was focused on in TV and documentaries covering that period. Also, they had a little over 100 minutes to work with, so you want the downfall narrative for conflict and redemption.

My thing is that for the early 2000s, the writing wasn’t there to fit all of that into just 100 minutes but I wouldn’t push this movie to MCU run times. I don’t see it being a digestible film until a lot more musical performances were added. However, stretching out the story, slowing the pace down a bit, and introducing actual stories for everyone Izzy encountered (and Izzy himself) could make this good TV show.

Thinking about it, Rock Star could’ve started being based on Ripper joining Judas Priest and his origins and just had his career follow the story of W.A.S.P’s concept album The Crimson Idol or just scrap the Ripper opening and make a Crimson Idol film.

Have you watched Rock Star? If so, share your take on the film in the comments! Also, what do you think of a Crimson Idol television show?