Meat Loaf Movies
Though he is most famous for the supremely theatrical best-selling 1970s album Bat Out of Hell, Meat Loaf has been acting almost as long as he has been singing. Born Marvin Lee Aday in Dallas, accounts regarding his stage name place its origins in either a childhood nickname or a high school football incident. Either way, by the time Meat Loaf moved to Los Angeles at age 20 to pursue music, the moniker had stuck. After the first band he formed broke up, Meat Loaf found work on stage in the road company of the notorious late-'60s rock musical Hair. Landing in New York in the early '70s, Meat Loaf continued to do theater while trying to make it in the music world. After playing the part on stage, Meat Loaf made his movie debut as the ill-fated Eddie in the flop-turned-midnight movie classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Two years later, Meat Loaf's music took precedence with the release of Bat Out of Hell (1977). Powered by several dramatic singles, Bat Out of Hell became one of the all-time top-selling albums. Various problems, including writer's block, though, turned Meat Loaf's focus back to movies in the late '70s. After appearing in the comedy flop Americathon (1979), Meat Loaf starred in Alan Rudolph's comedy Roadie (1980). While he managed to make several albums in the 1980s, none of them came close to Bat Out of Hell's popularity. Meat Loaf's 1980s movies, including the vehicle Dead Ringer (1982) and the Anthony Michael Hall thriller Out of Bounds (1986) did not fare well, either. Meat Loaf filed for bankruptcy, but his slide towards obscurity began to reverse itself in the early '90s. Meat Loaf's presence in the Steve Martin evangelist comedy-drama Leap of Faith (1992) signaled his arrival as an estimable character actor. His music career also revived by the best-selling Bat Out of Hell II: Back to Hell (1993), Meat Loaf once again turned his attention to singing; his mid-'90s albums suffered the same fate as his 1980s oeuvre. By the late '90s, Meat Loaf, often credited as Meat Loaf Aday, returned to acting in an eclectic mix of films. Along with co-starring as a criminal in the Patrick Swayze actioner Black Dog (1998), Meat Loaf played supporting roles in the Sharon Stone-Kieran Culkin drama The Mighty (1998), the offbeat ensemble piece Outside Ozona (1998), and the Spice Girls romp Spice World (1998). Finding a balance between movies and music, Meat Loaf did a segment of VH1's Storytellers that resulted in a 1999 CD and earned positive notices for his performances as a bigoted sheriff in Crazy in Alabama (1999) and the physically freakish but genuinely sympathetic Robert Paulsen in David Fincher's controversial Fight Club (1999). It was this cultish role that guaranteed him supporting work in both high-octane genre fare (Formula 51, The Salton Sea) as well as uncompromising indies (Focus) for the next decade or so. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
Meat Loaf brings his unique performance to Wembley Arena in London. Featured numbers are "Bat Out of Hell," "All Revved Up and No Place to Go" and "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad." ~ All Movie Guide
- 1962
This is the third time around for the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. The action takes place in urban Texas instead of the traditional setting in rural Iowa. This film version contains five extra songs written exclusively by Richard Rodgers. Box office results were adequate at best, and movie going public deemed this version the least interesting of the three. The youth audience was lured by the casting of Ann-Margaret, Pat Boone and Bobby Darin. Alice Faye returned to the big screen after a sixteen year absence as Melissa Frake. Tom Ewell plays her husband, Abel. The plot finds a family traveling to Dallas for the Texas State Fair. Singing commences on the ferris wheel, the merry-go-round and in other locales. The only real action is the anticipation of a drag race between Wayne (Pat Boone) and the carrot topped, malevolent motorhead Red (Edward "Tap" Canutt). ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pat Boone, Bobby Darin, (more)
- 1975
- R
This low-budget freak show/cult classic/cultural institution concerns the misadventures of Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) and Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon) inside a strange mansion that they come across on a rainy night. After the wholesome pair profess their love through an opening song, their car breaks down in the woods, and they seek refuge in a towering castle nearby. Greeting them at the door is a ghoulish butler named Riff Raff (Richard O'Brien), who introduces them to a bacchanalian collection of partygoers dressed in outfits from some sort of interplanetary thrift shop. The host of this gathering is a transvestite clad in lingerie, Dr. Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry), a mad scientist who claims to be from another planet. With assistants Columbia (Nell Campbell) and Magenta (Patricia Quinn) looking on, Frank unveils his latest creation -- a figure wrapped in gauze and submerged in a tank full of liquid. With the addition of colored dyes and some assistance from the weather, Frank brings to life a blonde young beefcake wearing nothing but skimpy shorts, who launches into song in his first minute of life. Just when Brad and Janet think things couldn't get any stranger, a biker (Meat Loaf) bursts onto the scene to reclaim Columbia, his ex-girlfriend. When Frank kills the biker, it's clear that Brad and Janet will be guests for the night, and that they may be next on Frank's list -- whether for murder or carnal delights is uncertain. And just what is that mystery meat they're eating for dinner, anyway? In addition to playing Riff Raff, O'Brien wrote the catchy songs, with John Barry and Richard Hartley composing the score. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, (more)
- 1978
This 1978 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Christopher Lee and features musical guest Meat Loaf. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Lee, Meat Loaf, (more)
- 1978
Originally recorded for the German TV series Rockplast, this musical release from rock legend Meatloaf was recorded in June of 1978, and features material from the artist's breakthrough album Bat Out of Hell. Some of the songs featured in the concert include Great Boleros of Fire, All Revved Up With No Place to Go, and more. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meat Loaf
- 1979
- PG
When millionaire Vincent Price dies, he leaves a riotous will which amounts to a scavenger hunt, the winner of which receives the entire willed fortune. So 15 potential heirs are sent on a zany quest where they must outrace and outsmart one another to inherit the big bucks. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Benjamin, James Coco, (more)
- 1979
In the future (the distant year of 1997), the United States of America is in crisis. The oil shortage has grown to epic proportions, leading to people living in their cars and bicycling to work. Cigarettes and meat have been outlawed, gold coins are needed to operate common household appliances, and the Western White House (located in a luxury apartment in California) has been forced by economic necessity to operate round-the-clock tours for vacationing Chinese citizens. The economy is deep trouble; President Chet Roosevelt (John Ritter) has borrowed four billion dollars from Native American tennis shoe manufacturer Sam Birdwater (Chief Dan George), and he's foreclosing on the loan. When a media expert, Eric McMerkhin (Peter Riegert), is summoned for advice (since despite all hardships, Americans refuse to give up their televisions), he suggests a telethon. It's a great idea, except the President's assistant Vincent Vanderhoff (Fred Willard) is in cahoots with the United Heb-Rab Republic, a sinister coalition of Israeli and Arab nationals who want to snap up America if the debt can't be paid. He ensures that the show is stocked with endless ventriloquists and insists on Monty Rushmore (Harvey Korman), a washed-up, drug-addicted television personality as host. The star of the popular sitcom "Both Mother and Father," he is sure to self-destruct over the grueling 30-day-and-night telethon schedule. Despite terrorist attacks and the kidnapping of President Roosevelt, the patriotic spirit prevails and American citizens dig deep and pledge their gold to the cause. This outrageous farce (based on a play by Firesign Theatre alumni Philip Proctor and Peter Bergman) features cameos from Elvis Costello, Jay Leno, Meat Loaf and the Del Rubio Triplets, and is narrated by George Carlin. The Beach Boys, Eddie Money, and Nick Lowe contribute to the musical soundtrack. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Riegert, Harvey Korman, (more)
Roadie is a showbiz saga about the working slobs who make live pop-music performances happen. Texas good ol' boy Travis W. Redfish (pop singer Meat Loaf) drives a Shiner beer truck on his appointed rounds, but he becomes smitten with rock groupie Lola Bouillabase (Kaki Hunter), a "roadie" whose sole ambition in life is to bed her idol, Alice Cooper (playing himself). Travis' grizzled pappy, Corpus C. Redfish (Art Carney), feels disgusted by his son's lifestyle. After hearing that Cooper and his band are on tour, Lola sets out to catch up to them and offer her services, with Travis in pursuit. Along the way, they meet a number of pop-music stars -- Blondie, Asleep at the Wheel, Hank Williams Jr., Roy Orbison, and Ramblin' Jack Elliott -- who are all working on their own tours. Travis signs on, himself, as a groupie for a rock band, and is quickly dubbed "greatest roadie of all time," but he soon realizes that he must return to Texas for the wedding of his sister and his best friend. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meat Loaf, Kaki Hunter, (more)
- 1981
- 1982
Meat Loaf, the singer is followed around by a fan named Marvin (also played by Meat Loaf) but through concert after concert and song after song, the performer manages to stay one step ahead of his admiring pursuer. The singer's entourage and an out-of-touch television reporter provide some comic relief, in-between the musical numbers. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meat Loaf, Josh Mostel, (more)
- 1986
- R
This teen thriller by Richard Tuggle involves an innocent young man being mistaken for a drug dealer and thief by both the good and the bad guys. Daryl Cage (Anthony Michael Hall) sets off to visit his brother and sister-in-law in L.A. but picks up the wrong bag at the airport baggage claim -- one loaded with 10 kilos of heroin. Before Daryl has a chance to find out what's inside, murder and mayhem are unleashed and even the police take potshots at him. So he teams up with Dizz (Jenny Wright), a fellow passenger on his flight, and disguises himself as a street-wise but slick operator. Cage then dodges death at the hands of the sadistic Roy Gaddis (Jeff Kober) and tries to convince the police of his innocence. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Michael Hall, Jenny Wright, (more)
- 1986
A televised music show could be the opportunity that a female mechanic needs to break into the music world. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1986
- R
In this comedy, Julie Walters and Ian Charleson play a married couple, Jacqueline and Gerald, who somehow endure a fractious relationship that would have sent others running to divorce court in a second. One point of contention is Gerald's new Jaguar, a car he would take over Jacqueline any day. When she is trapped inside the new car with an amorous salesman in a compromising clinch, the police have to cut up the Jag in order to get them out. From that point onward, Gerald has murderous designs on his wife, and the comedy thins out even more. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Julie Walters, Ian Charleson, (more)
- 1987
- PG13
In this comedy, artistic con man Harry (Michael Keaton) teams up with lady detective Rachel Dobs (Rae Dawn Chong) to trick a corrupt TV lottery-show host into revealing how he has been rigging the contest to benefit the Mob. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Keaton, Rae Dawn Chong, (more)
- 1987
George Michael, Elton John, and Bob Geldof are among the musical luminaries performing at a live concert in 1987 for the benefit of AIDS victims. The concert was held at Wembley Arena in London to raise money and awareness about the disease, which has killed millions of people worldwide. Among the songs included in the program are "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," "Everything She Wants," and "Stand By Me." ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
With his hyper-dramatic over-the-top vocal style and grandiose songs about a life lived as a teenage opera, Meat Loaf was a one-of-a-kind rock & roll performer if there ever was one. This home video collects eight performances from his three-album tenure with Epic Records: four songs from his worldwide smash Bat out of Hell, and two each from Dead Ringer and Midnight at the Lost and Found. Meat Loaf: Hits out of Hell includes "Bat out of Hell," "Paradise By the Dashboard Light," "Two out of Three Ain't Bad," "I'm Gonna Love Her for the Both of Us," "Razor's Edge," and more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
This black comedy offers a rather twisted version of the classic road movie, as it tells the story of a ten-year-old boy who is determined to win the "Motorama" road game, a promotional effort by a major gas station that promises winners 500 million dollars. In order to win, one simply has to collect enough game cards from Chimera gas stations all over the country to spell out the word "Motorama." Since his parents are not interested in the contest, the lad feels he has no other choice than to steal a bright red classic Mustang and set off across several fictional states to do it by himself. Along the way, he has assorted adventures, and many of them are not at all pleasant, but most of them are very strange. The film features cameos from several notable cult favorites, including Jack Nance, Drew Barrymore, Dick Miller, and even the pop singer Meat Loaf. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jordan Christopher Michael, John Diehl, (more)
- 1992
Recorded live in opera legend Luciano Pavarotti's own home, this benefit concert for the war children of Bosnia includes performances from Pavarotti, Bono and The Edge, Brian Eno, Zucchero, Jovanotti, Simon Le Bon, Dolores O'Riordan, Meatloaf, Michael Bolton, The Chieftans, and Nenad Bach.
~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- 1992
- PG13
- Add The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag to QueueAdd The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag to top of Queue
Penelope Ann Miller's delightful performance as the shy, part-time librarian Betty Lou Perkins is the saving grace of this comedy from Touchstone Pictures. Betty Lou is the neglected wife of small-town police detective Alex Perkins (Eric Thal). She soon feels even more neglected when Alex can't make their anniversary dinner because he has to investigate a brutal motel room slaying. Taking her dog for a walk, Betty Lou finds a gun by the river's edge that just happens to be the missing murder weapon in Alex's murder investigation. In order to get some attention, she announces that she was the one who committed the murder. Hauled behind bars, Betty Lou gets some quick assertiveness training from her cell-mate, hard-boiled prostitute Reba Bush (Cathy Moriarty). She also becomes an instant media celebrity, with crowds clamoring around her and television news reporters elevating her to legendary status. But Alex doesn't believe she committed the murder (she tells him the dead man was her lover) and continues investigating the crime. Her husband is not the only one who's suspicious -- the FBI wants to use her to lure crime lord Beaudeen (William Forsythe), who they suspect actually committed the murder, out into the open. It turns out the FBI is right; Beaudeen killed the motel room victim because he planned to blackmail him with an incriminating cassette. Beaudeen is convinced that Betty Lou has the tape and musters his forces to get it from her one way or another. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Penelope Ann Miller, Eric Thal, (more)
Based on the Saturday Night Live sketch of the same name, Wayne's World is a wacky, irreverent pop-culture comedy about the adventures of two amiably aimless metal-head friends, Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey). From Wayne's basement, the pair broadcast a talk-show called "Wayne's World" on local public access television. The show comes to the attention of a sleazy network executive (Rob Lowe) who wants to produce a big-budget version of "Wayne's World"--and he also wants Wayne's girlfriend, a rock singer named Cassandra (Tia Carrere). Wayne and Garth have to battle the executive not only to save their show, but also Cassandra. Director Penelope Spheeris, Myers and Carvey hang a lot of silly, but funny, jokes on this thin plot, and the energy of the cast--as well as the wild pop-culture references--make Wayne's World a cut above the average Saturday Night Live spin-off movie. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, (more)
Steve Martin has one of his best roles in Leap Of Faith as Jonas Nightengale, a high-tech faith healer and revival preacher who takes pride in the money he squeezes out of people, convincing himself that he can't deliver hope, but "I give my people a good show." As the film begins, Nightengale's truck caravan breaks down and his troupe finds itself stranded in the backwater town of Rustwater, Kansas. Nightengale figures that as long as he's there, he might as well set up the rubes and put on a performance. With the aid of his assistant Jane (Debra Winger) (who talks to Nightengale through an earpiece, informing him of the physical problems of certain members of his audience), Nightengale puts on a glorious show and rakes in the money. But the local sheriff Will (Liam Neeson) wants to shut down the show because times are bad in Rustwater and he doesn't think folks should waste their money on a charlatan. Nightengale sends Jane to seduce Will, but the sheriff succeeds in getting Jane to fall in love with him. Nightengale also meets someone, Marva (Lolita Davidovich), a local waitress with a crippled brother. The boy thinks Nightengale can heal him. Nightengale tries to make the child understand that he can't help him, but it turns out that Nightengale knows very little about his own faith powers. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Martin, Debra Winger, (more)
- 1993
Meat Loaf stars in this family-comedy about a Yeti (also known as "Bigfoot" or "Sasquatch") who finds himself lost in an American suburb. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meat Loaf, Chantellese Kent, (more)
