That’s definitely the vibe going into "Studio 666", the new horror-comedy co-starring the iconic ‘90s alt-rock band Foo Fighters. And it’s in that spirit that it should be received — not as an innovative spin on the horror genre, nor even an insightful look at the Foo Fighters as an entity, but as a tossed-off lark made just as much for the band as the audience. And honestly, within that brief, it succeeds mightily.
Right from the start, it’s as if the concept for "Studio 666" was ripped right off of Tenacious D’s vision board: What if Foo Fighters, searching for the perfect new sound for their upcoming tenth album, ended up renting a haunted mansion in Encino with great acoustics that belie otherworldly terrors? At first, it’s a dream; their instruments have never sounded better. But frontman
, still hampered by "creative constipation," ends up reading the wrong words from the wrong human-leather-bound book and getting possessed by a demon who wants to escape to the physical world through the power of rock.Thankfully, unlike Tenacious D’s own uneven cinematic effort, "The Pick of Destiny" , "Studio 666" is far more consistent in its understated charms — even if it doesn’t quite rise to the level of its inspirations.
Spinning "Evil Dead" through the lens of "The Beatles: Get Back" is a nifty premise, especially when filtering it through the real-life personas of the Fighters themselves.