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
No other series of films has achieved greater commercial success, or captured the attention of as many viewers, as Star Wars, its two sequels, and the continuing series of prequels. Filmmaker Tariq Jalil had long been fascinated by the passionate following the films inspired, and when the publicity machine began rolling for the release of Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace in 1999, he assembled a camera crew to document the fans who waited in line (some for as long as a month and a half) in order to be among the first to see the long-awaited film on its first day of release. Along the way, Jalil also interviewed a number of other passionate Star Wars devotees, and the documentary A Galaxy Far, Far Away examines the cultural phenomenon of Star Wars fandom, from celebrities who stop by to see the film on opening weekend (including Samuel L. Jackson, Joe Pesci, Meat Loaf, and Roger Corman) to Star Wars-inspired rapper Jam Master Jedi and a number of rabid toy collectors who nearly riot while trying to get their hands on Episode I action figures. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Vogler, Roger Corman, (more)
A Hole in One is set in 1950s America. Anna (Michelle Williams), a passive young woman living in a small town, where she is betrothed to a powerful local hoodlum, Billy (Meat Loaf Aday), is searching for a key to her unhappiness. Her younger brother came home from the World War II a different man, and was subjected to shock treatments in a mental hospital before his untimely death. Dr. Harold Ashton (Bill Raymond) has been selling his new book, intended to advance the cause of a new scientific "advancement" in psychiatric care, the transorbital lobotomy. Ashton promotes this procedure, done with an ice pick that he keeps tucked in his vest, as a cure for all kinds of mental illness, major and minor. After witnessing Billy commit a brutal murder, Anna reads a Life Magazine article on lobotomies, and soon decides that the procedure is right for her. She asks Billy for his permission. Billy, concerned about Anna's ability to function, convinces Tom (Tim Guinee), one of his employees, to pose as a doctor so he can tell Anna that she doesn't need a lobotomy. But when the two meet, they quickly find that they have a connection that will put their lives in imminent danger. A Hole in One marks the feature debut of writer/director Richard Ledes. The film had its world premiere at the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michelle Williams, Meat Loaf, (more)
- 1999
Several noted American actors dot this autobiographical feature from Hungarian filmmaker Gabe Von Dettre (also know as Gabor Dettre) about the difficulty of getting a break in the movie industry. Brad Dourif plays a filmmaker who often talks to the audience about the main question on his mind -- why can't he get a project financed when so many people with less talent and fewer credentials are working steadily? This film (which was many years in production, as evidenced by the presence of several actors who are no longer living) was shown as part of the 1999 Hungarian Film Week Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brad Dourif, Kathleen Gati, (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)
Kevin Hooks (Passenger 57) directed this action drama about an ex-convict tricked into trucking illegal weapons across state lines. Truckdriver Jack Crews (Patrick Swayze) fell asleep at the wheel, resulting in an accident that brought him a conviction of vehicular manslaughter and a two-year prison sentence. Minus a license to drive the big rigs, Jack works for a trucking firm as a mechanic to support his wife (Brenda Strong) and daughter (Erin Broderick). His paycheck doesn't cover his overdue mortgage payments, so Jack reluctantly accepts an offer from his new boss Cutler (Graham Beckel) to make $10,000 "off the books" with a no-questions-asked delivery of toilets from Georgia to New Jersey. Jack has doubts after he goes to Georgia to get his rig; Cutler's associate Red (Meat Loaf) gives Jack a driving partner (Randy Travis) and an armed duo (Gabriel Casseus and Brian Vincent). After the four depart, Red orders others to hijack the cargo. A lengthy chase begins -- with various vehicles from motorcycles to 18-wheelers trying to get Jack off the road. After Jack learns his truck is not flush with toilets but instead is filled with a cargo of AK-47s, he phones Cutler to resign, prompting Cutler to take Jack's wife and child as hostages. Jack then moves from neutral to high gear -- with smash-ups and shootouts just around the next curve. The soundtrack includes Rhett Akins' new interpretation of "Drivin' My Life Away" by Eddie Rabbit (who died at the age of 53 during the week this film was released). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Swayze, Meat Loaf, (more)
A man throws himself into a maelstrom of danger as he tries to rescue his girlfriend in this tense thriller. Jack (Meat Loaf Aday), an emotionally unstable truck driver, snaps and kidnaps Sylvia (Kristin Davis), the girlfriend of stand-up comic David (Lochlyn Munro). As David sets out to find the woman he loves, he discovers the trucker has cleverly left a series of clues so that David will be able to find him -- and become caught in a dangerous trap. Blacktop also stars Vicky Pratt and C. Ernst Harth. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lochlyn Munro, Meat Loaf, (more)
The war against the forces of darkness becomes a family affair in this cinematic prequel to the popular video game Bloodrayne. In 16th century Europe, Lord Kagan (Ben Kingsley) is an evil ruler who holds more power than any man alive, but he still dreams of having more, and when he's told of three magic talismans who, when united, will give him intense supernatural strength and the gift of immortality, he will stop at nothing to attain them. However, three warriors who have learned how to battle the forces of darkness -- Vladimir (Michael Madsen), Katarin (Michelle Rodriguez), and Sebastian (Matt Davis) -- have formed the Brimstone Society, with the goal of stripping Kagan of his power and restoring justice to their land. They can't accomplish this on their own, though, so they enlist the aid of Rayne (Kristanna Loken), a half-human, half-vampire who can approach Kagan's sinister gifts while having a desire to do good. However, Rayne is torn about signing on with the Brimstone Society, and for a good reason -- Kagan is her father. Scripted by actress, screenwriter, and video-game enthusiast Guinevere Turner, BloodRayne also stars Geraldine Chaplin, Udo Kier, Billy Zane, Michael Paré, and Meat Loaf Aday. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kristanna Loken, Michelle Rodriguez, (more)
- 1986
- R
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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)
When a weary detective on the verge of retirement begins receiving ominous messages from a sadistic serial killer determined to stir up the past, the stage is set for a deadly confrontation in an all-star crime drama featuring Michael Madsen, Gary Busey, Meat Loaf, and Michael Rooker. Years on the job have shown Detective Harrison (Michael Madsen) more horror than most normal folks would experience in two lifetimes. As Detective Harrison prepares to pass the baton on to the up-and-coming rookie poised to take his place in the police force, the murder of numerous underworld heavies leave the befuddled veteran and his younger protégé grasping for clues. When the killer begins taunting Detective Harrison with a variety of stealthy clues and grisly photographs left behind at the crime scenes, an unsolved case from the past threatens to bring the sins of the past out of the shadows and into the light of the present. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Madsen
- 1999
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In 1977, a little-known singer and actor with the unlikely name of Meat Loaf released a record called Bat out of Hell, and against all odds it became one of the biggest-selling albums of all time, elevating the former Marvin Lee Aday to rock superstardom. This documentary, produced for the VH1 "Classic Albums" series, incorporated interviews and performance footage to show how Meat Loaf and his collaborators -- including songwriter Jim Steinman, producer Todd Rundgren, and vocalists Ellen Foley and Karla DeVito -- helped to craft a 30-million selling blockbuster. Songs include "Two out of Three Ain't Bad," "Paradise by the Dashboard Light," and "Bat out of Hell." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Comedy and drama take turns in this period piece based on a novel by Mark Childress. Peejoe (Lucas Black), short for Peter Joseph, lives in a small Alabama town in 1965, at the height of the Civil Rights movement. He becomes involved with a group of black students protesting the town's racially segregated municipal swimming pool, leading to a protest that explodes into deadly violence. But Peejoe has gotten a crash course in standing your ground and following your own path from his free-spirited Aunt Lucille (Melanie Griffith), who has killed her abusive husband and is headed for Hollywood, where she's convinced that television stardom awaits her. Crazy in Alabama marked the directorial debut of actor Antonio Banderas; his supporting cast includes Cathy Moriarty, Elizabeth Perkins, Rod Steiger, Fannie Flagg, and Meat Loaf Aday. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Melanie Griffith, David Morse, (more)
- 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
A televised music show could be the opportunity that a female mechanic needs to break into the music world. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Dennis Quaid made his directorial debut with this TV movie, a contemporary western filmed in Livingston, Montana with Quaid also down as executive producer. Tough, unemotional ranchowner Jim Clay (Quaid) and his faithful wife Kyle (Mare Winningham) have a teenage son Nathan (Ryan Merriman) who hopes to enter the rodeo big leagues, just like his dad. Instead, an auto accident leaves Nathan a paraplegic. Jim is devastated, since he was the cause of the accident. The situation brings father and son closer as the family attempts to deal with the tragedy. Premiered July 12, 1998 on TNT. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dennis Quaid, Mare Winningham, (more)
- 2001
Three guys from New Jersey decide they need some male bonding with their fathers -- whether their fathers like it or not -- in this independent comedy. When his grandfather dies, Richie Gallo (Scott Baio) finds himself thinking about his relationship with his family, and realizes that he barely knows his aging father Jimmy (Dean Stockwell). Richie discusses his emotionally distant relationship with his dad with his pals Al (Carlo Imperato) and Philly (Thomas Calabro), and they confess they aren't much closer to their own fathers -- and their fractured family lives have had an impact on their less-than-stable relationships with women. Richie decides they should get closer to their dads before it's too late, so Richie, Al, and Philly fast-talk their fathers Jimmy, Charlie (Joe Viterelli), and Phil (Alex Rocco) into joining them for a long weekend getaway of family bonding, though the older men are hardly enthusiastic about the idea. Star Scott Baio co-wrote the screenplay for Face to Face, which was based on a story he wrote with Adam Ferrara and fellow cast member Carlo Imperato. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dean Stockwell, Alex Rocco, (more)
In this darkly comic drama, Edward Norton stars as a depressed young man (named in the credits only as "Narrator") who has become a small cog in the world of big business. He doesn't like his work and gets no sense of reward from it, attempting instead to drown his sorrows by putting together the "perfect" apartment. He can't sleep and feels alienated from the world at large; he's become so desperate to relate to others that he's taken to visiting support groups for patients with terminal diseases so that he'll have people to talk to. One day on a business flight, he discovers Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a charming iconoclast who sells soap. Tyler doesn't put much stock in the materialistic world, and he believes that one can learn a great deal through pain, misfortune, and chaos. Tyler cheerfully challenges his new friend to a fight. Our Narrator finds that bare-knuckle brawling makes him feel more alive than he has in years, and soon the two become friends and roommates, meeting informally to fight once a week. As more men join in, the "fight club" becomes an underground sensation, even though it's a closely guarded secret among the participants. (First rule: Don't talk about fight club. Second rule: Don't talk about fight club.) But as our Narrator and Tyler bond through violence, a strange situation becomes more complicated when Tyler becomes involved with Marla (Helena Bonham Carter), whom our Narrator became infatuated with when they were both crashing the support-group circuit. Based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club was directed by David Fincher, who previously directed Pitt in the thriller Seven. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, (more)
Focus is based on a little-known novel by playwright Arthur Miller, written when he was a very young man, just after WWII. Produced by media mogul Michael Bloomberg, and directed by Neal Slavin, the film takes place in New York, during the war. William H. Macy of Fargo plays Lawrence Newman, a middle-aged executive who lives with his mother. One night, he sees a neighbor cavorting with a Hispanic woman in the street. The incident turns ugly, and Lawrence later hears that the woman was raped and brutally assaulted. He tells no one. Faced with anti-Semitism at work and in his neighborhood, Lawrence resists joining the bigots, but he doesn't have the courage to stand up to them. He doesn't act when Fred (Meat Loaf Aday) and his other neighbors persecute the Jewish newsvendor, Finkelstein (David Paymer), who lives on the corner. But his lack of active participation in their efforts to drive Finkelstein out makes his neighbors suspicious. One day, Gertrude Hart (Laura Dern) walks into his office looking for a job. Lawrence is immediately struck by her flashy style and good looks, but he's been warned against hiring Jews. He suspects that she's Jewish, and she gets offended at his insinuations and storms out. Things get much worse for Lawrence when he gets a new pair of glasses. Everyone says they make him look Jewish. His boss decides he doesn't make the right impression, and tries to demote him. Lawrence is outraged and quits. He has trouble finding another job, until he runs into Gertrude again. The Jewish-owned firm she works for hires him. He apologizes to her and asks her out. They fall in love, and quickly marry. His neighbors, believing Gertrude is a Jew, grow more suspicious, and Lawrence soon finds himself in physical danger. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William H. Macy, Laura Dern, (more)
First-time screenwriter Stelios Pavlou enjoyed a major success with this script that he wrote while working in an English liquor store by sending it to actor Samuel L. Jackson, who signed on for one of the lead roles. Jackson is Elmo McElroy, a kilt-wearing, golf club-wielding Los Angeles native who has invented an illegal drug formula that he hopes will provide him with a last major score of 20 million dollars before he retires from a life of crime. He travels to Liverpool, England, where he hopes to find a buyer for his creation among the denizens of the city's rave scene, but his plans go awry when those who are in on the deal start turning up dead. Elmo's only protector is a chain-smoking, Yank-hating local hood named Felix De Souza (Robert Carlyle), who reluctantly partners with the violence-prone American to finish the deal and cash in, sparking a gang war between Elmo's vengeful one-time employer, The Lizard (Meat Loaf); Felix's boss, Durant (Ricky Tomlinson); crooked cop Virgil Kane (Sean Pertwee); a beautiful assassin, who also happens to be Felix's ex-girlfriend (Emily Mortimer); and an offbeat, yoga-practicing nightclub owner and mobster named Iki (Rhys Ifans). For its U.S. release, the title of The 51st State was changed to Formula 51. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Carlyle, (more)
In this crime drama, New York journalist Jake Bridges (William Petersen), off on a bender in Atlantic City, gets into a bar confrontation with Lew Collins (Meat Loaf) but is rescued by gregarious Frankie McGregor (Michael Wincott), a member of a gang headed by Irishman Lange (Michael Byrne), a sadist in a wheelchair. After Bridges gets an eyeful of Frankie's girlfriend, nurse Melissa (Diane Lane), he finds excuses to drop by the hospital where she works. Admiring Bridges's credentials as a writer, Frankie cultivates his companionship in order to upgrade his schooling in literature. Jake gives him a reading list, while Frankie draws Jake into the gang. Shown at the 1998 Santa Barbara Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William L. Petersen, Michael Wincott, (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)
22 great acts from the classic rock era -- some famous, some beloved of collectors and obscurists -- are represented on this home video collection, which features little-seen performances recorded for European television. Let It Rock includes great songs by the Who ("Pinball Wizard"), Alice Cooper ("Under My Wheels"), Heart ("Barracuda"), Deep Purple ("Highway Star"), Joan Jett and the Blackhearts ("Crimson and Clover"), Bachman-Turner Overdrive ("You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet"), Motörhead ("Ace of Spades"), Steppenwolf ("Born To Be Wild"), and many more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
A deviant fur trader in pursuit of the perfect pelt finds that sometimes glamour can come with a deadly price tag in director Dario Argento's adaptation of an original short story by author F. Paul Wilson. When it comes to furs, Jake Feidman (Meat Loaf) is a man whose outstanding reputation for quality precedes him. He knows that good fur doesn't come cheap, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to stay on top in the business. When the workday is done Jake frequently makes his way to the local gentleman's club to pursue a beautiful young dancer. Though she frequently spurns his advances, Jake is convinced that he can win her over if he only could find her the perfect gift. Upon receiving a call from a local trader (John Saxon) who frequently supplies him with pelts, Jake reluctantly journeys into the country to take stock of the latest acquirements. What he finds upon arrival are without question the makings of the most beautiful fur coat Jake could ever imagine. Unfortunately it appears as if the trader and his son have suffered a horrific fate while preparing the fleeces for pickup. Later, after attempting to win the heart of the dancer by presenting her with the pristine coat crafted from the pelts, Jake learns that sublime beauty doesn't come without a deadly price. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meat Loaf, John Saxon, (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
